Abstract
This paper presents the modelling and simulation of a wheeled mobile robot designed to operate in structured environments and the development of robot software based on its simulation. The mobile robot was simulated resorting to the SimTwo, a custom made simulator developed by the authors with the purpose to test and produce control software for industrial, humanoid and wheeled robots. The presented example is in the field of edutainment robotics, being presented the localization and navigation in a Fire Fight Robot Contest arena of an omnidirectional mobile robot equipped with brushless motors and infra-red distance sensors. Edutainment robotics plays an important role in education due to the inherent multi-disciplinary concepts that are involved, motivating students to technological areas. It also plays an important role in research and development, because it is expected that the outcomes that will emerge here, will later be transfered to other application areas, such as service robots and manufacturing.

Abstract
Some areas of knowledge require the application of new learning methods in order to motivate and involve the students in the learning process. This paper describes the rapid prototyping of mobile robots with the flexible, modular and educational LEGO™ Mindstorms platform, supporting activities on some mobile robotics topics like control, positioning estimation and reconfiguration. The diversity of involved areas (mechanics, electronics, control,...) illustrates quite well the inter-disciplinarity of robotics. Those who are taking their first steps in robotics, specially in mobile robotics, need tools that allow them to learn some introductory concepts. Copyright © 2006 IFAC.

Abstract
This paper describes a humanoid robot simulator supporting joint trajectory optimization, following accurately the real robot characteristics. The simulator, based on a rigid body simulator (Open Dynamics Engine) and an OpenGL based graphics librmy (GLScene), provides instant visual feedback and realistic dynamics. It allows to design and test behaviours and control methods without access to the real hardware, preventing damages in the real robot in the earlier stages of development. Having in mind the energy consumption minimization, the low level trajectory planning is discussed and experimental results are presented. The proposed methods arc shown to minimize the total energy assuming two intervals of constant acceleration. Copyright © 2008 by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.

Abstract
This paper describes a robust localization system, similar to the used by the teams participating in the Robocup Small size league (SLL). The system, developed in Object Pascal, allows real time localization and control of an autonomous omnidirectional mobile robot. The localization algorithm is done resorting to odometry and global vision data fusion, applying an extended Kalman filter, being this method a standard approach for reducing the error in a least squares sense, using measurements from different sources.

Abstract
This paper's main purpose is to present an automatic vision assortment system for cork classification. Cork is a natural material that is used to seal wine bottles due to its reliability and its chemical and mechanic properties. A modular approach isolates the hard real-time sub problems. It includes some custom developed hardware and software. The developed and implemented system acquires images using a linear CCD camera, transmits that image over an Ethernet based network and processes that image to extract quantitative elements. This system can analyse and distinguish defects present on the surface of a cork-stopper and it is also possible to adapt it to other kinds of problems. The size, form and position of the defects are analysed and the stability of repeated measures is observed. This result allows us to validate the presented methodology.

Abstract
This paper describes the sensor and actuator modeling of a realistic wheeled mobile robot simulator The motivation of developing such simulator is to produce a personalized versatile tool that allows production and validation of robot software reducing considerably the development time. The mobile robot simulator was developed in Object Pascal with its dynamics based on the ODE (Open Dynamics Engine), allowing to develop robot software for a three wheel omnidirectional robot equipped with Infra-Red distance sensors and brushless motors.