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Publications

2024

Weaving Agility in Safety-Critical Software Development for Aerospace: From Concerns to Opportunities

Authors
Ribeiro, JEF; Silva, JG; Aguiar, A;

Publication
IEEE ACCESS

Abstract
Domain-specific standards and documents heavily regulate safety-critical systems. One example is the DO-178C standard for aerospace, which guides organizations to achieve system safety and evidence for their certification. Under such regulated contexts, most organizations use traditional development processes, in contrast to the massive adoption of Agile in the software industry. Among other benefits, Agile methods promise faster delivery and better flexibility to address customer needs. Adopting Agile methods and practices are possible in aerospace because the DO-178C standard does not prescribe concrete software development methods. In spite of that, Agile development is not used in DO-178C contexts. To help change that, our research aims to understand whether and how organizations engineering safety-critical software systems for aerospace may benefit from Agile methods and practices. We analyzed the DO-178C standard and confirm that it is compatible with Agile methods. Then, we present a systematic literature mapping of adopting Agile in software development for aerospace, where we identified significant concerns, recurrent issues, and several challenges. Some real industry aerospace projects provided us with important data and the perspective of domain experts about the pros and cons of Agile methods in this context. We conclude by proposing an agenda of research opportunities to improve safety-critical software development towards agility that we consider worthy of further research, application and confirmation in wider contexts.

2024

Linear Fiber Laser Configurations for Optical Concentration Sensing in Liquid Solutions

Authors
Soares, L; Perez-Herrera, RA; Novais, S; Ferreira, A; Silva, S; Frazao, O;

Publication
PHOTONICS

Abstract
In this study, different configurations based on linear fiber lasers were proposed and experimentally demonstrated to measure the concentration of liquid solutions. Samples of paracetamol liquid solutions with different concentrations, in the range from 52.61 to 201.33 g/kg, were used as a case-study. The optical gain was provided by a commercial bidirectional Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA) and the linear cavity was obtained using two commercial Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs). The main difference of each configuration was the coupling ratio of the optical coupler used to extract the system signal. The sensing head corresponded to a Single-Mode Fiber (SMF) tip that worked as an intensity sensor. The results reveal that, despite the optical coupler used (50:50, 60:40, 70:30 or 80:20), all the configurations reached the laser condition, however, the concentration sensing was only possible using a laser drive current near to the threshold value. The configurations using a 70:30 and an 80:20 optical coupler allowed paracetamol concentration measurements with a higher sensitivity of (-3.00 +/- 0.24) pW/(g/kg) to be performed. In terms of resolution, the highest value obtained was 1.75 g/kg, when it was extracted at 20% of the output power to the linear cavity fiber laser configuration.

2024

Report from the 14th International Workshop on Automating Test Case Design, Selection, and Evaluation (A-TEST 2023)

Authors
Faria, JP; Verbeek, F; Fasolino, AR;

Publication
ACM SIGSOFT Softw. Eng. Notes

Abstract

2024

Software and Architecture Orchestration for Process Control in Industry 4.0 Enabled by Cyber-Physical Systems Technologies

Authors
Serôdio, C; Mestre, P; Cabral, J; Gomes, M; Branco, F;

Publication
Applied Sciences (Switzerland)

Abstract
In the context of Industry 4.0, this paper explores the vital role of advanced technologies, including Cyber–Physical Systems (CPS), Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT), digital twins, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), in enhancing data valorization and management within industries. These technologies are integral to addressing the challenges of producing highly customized products in mass, necessitating the complete digitization and integration of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) for flexible and automated manufacturing processes. The paper emphasizes the importance of interoperability through Service-Oriented Architectures (SOA), Manufacturing-as-a-Service (MaaS), and Resource-as-a-Service (RaaS) to achieve seamless integration across systems, which is critical for the Industry 4.0 vision of a fully interconnected, autonomous industry. Furthermore, it discusses the evolution towards Supply Chain 4.0, highlighting the need for Transportation Management Systems (TMS) enhanced by GPS and real-time data for efficient logistics. A guideline for implementing CPS within Industry 4.0 environments is provided, focusing on a case study of real-time data acquisition from logistics vehicles using CPS devices. The study proposes a CPS architecture and a generic platform for asset tracking to address integration challenges efficiently and facilitate the easy incorporation of new components and applications. Preliminary tests indicate the platform’s real-time performance is satisfactory, with negligible delay under test conditions, showcasing its potential for logistics applications and beyond. © 2024 by the authors.

2024

Enhanced Sensitivity in Optical Sensors through Self-Image Theory and Graphene Oxide Coating

Authors
Cunha, C; Monteiro, C; Vaz, A; Silva, S; Frazao, O; Novais, S;

Publication
SENSORS

Abstract
This paper presents an approach to enhancing sensitivity in optical sensors by integrating self-image theory and graphene oxide coating. The sensor is specifically engineered to quantitatively assess glucose concentrations in aqueous solutions that simulate the spectrum of glucose levels typically encountered in human saliva. Prior to sensor fabrication, the theoretical self-image points were rigorously validated using Multiphysics COMSOL 6.0 software. Subsequently, the sensor was fabricated to a length corresponding to the second self-image point (29.12 mm) and coated with an 80 mu m/mL graphene oxide film using the Layer-by-Layer technique. The sensor characterization in refractive index demonstrated a wavelength sensitivity of 200 +/- 6 nm/RIU. Comparative evaluations of uncoated and graphene oxide-coated sensors applied to measure glucose in solutions ranging from 25 to 200 mg/dL showed an eightfold sensitivity improvement with one bilayer of Polyethyleneimine/graphene. The final graphene oxide-based sensor exhibited a sensitivity of 10.403 +/- 0.004 pm/(mg/dL) and demonstrated stability with a low standard deviation of 0.46 pm/min and a maximum theoretical resolution of 1.90 mg/dL.

2024

Proceedings of the 19th International Joint Conference on Computer Vision, Imaging and Computer Graphics Theory and Applications, VISIGRAPP 2024, Volume 4: VISAPP, Rome, Italy, February 27-29, 2024

Authors
Radeva, P; Furnari, A; Bouatouch, K; de Sousa, AA;

Publication
VISIGRAPP (4): VISAPP

Abstract

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