Abstract
In this paper, a numerical simulation of a semi-active neuroemotional based control system for vibration reduction of a 3-story framed building structure under seismic excitation is presented. The Brain Emotional Learning Based Intelligent Controller (BELBIC) is used to design a closed-loop control system that determines the required control action (emotional response) based on the desired and actual system response (sensory input). In this case, the control signal is used to adjust in real time the damping force of a MagnetoRheological (MR) damper to reduce the system response. The results obtained from the numerical simulation validate the effectiveness of the brain emotional learning semi-active controller in improving the overall response of the structural system. © 2019 The authors.

Abstract
We live in a digital society that needs new better prepared professionals for the new challenges and opportunities provided by the ICT. Students must learn how to deal with all the issues that emerge in this new context. They should acquire computational thinking skills by integrating STEAM, however this needs for changes in current learning curricula and also new learning approaches. RoboSTEAM project deals with this issue by the application of a Challenge Based Learning approach that uses Robotics and Physical Devices. One of the problems found during the project is the complexity of the application of a Challenge Based Learning approach due to the special needs of each educational institution. Given this situation the present work presents provides a flexible definition of challenge and describes also samples regarding how to use them. © 2019 ACM.

Abstract
A buildings resilience to seismic activity can be increased by providing ways for the structure to dynamically counteract the effect of the Earth's crust movements. This ability is fundamental in certain regions of the globe, where earthquakes are more frequent, and can be achieved using different strategies. State-of-the-art anti-seismic buildings have, embedded on their structure, mostly passive actuators such as base isolation, Tuned Mass Dampers (TMD) and viscous dampers that can be used to reduce the effect of seismic or even wind induced vibrations. The main disadvantage of this type of building vibration reduction strategies concerns their inability to adapt their properties in accordance to both the excitation signal or structural behaviour. This adaption capability can be promoted by adding to the building active type actuators operating under a closed-loop. However, these systems are substantially larger than passive type solutions and require a considerable amount of energy that may not be available during a severe earthquake due to power grid failure. An intermediate solution between these two extremes is the introduction of semi-active actuators such as magneto-rheological dampers. The inclusion of magneto-rheological actuators is among one of the most promising semi-active techniques. However, the overall performance of this strategy depends on several aspects such as the actuators number and location within the structure and the vibration sensors network. It can be the case where the installation leads to a non-collocated system which presents additional challenges to control. This paper proposes to tackle the problem of controlling the vibration of a non-collocated three-storey building by means of a brain-emotional controller tuned using an evolutionary algorithm. This controller will be used to adjust the stiffness coefficient of a magneto-rheological actuator such that the building's frame oscillation under earthquake excitation, is mitigated. The obtained results suggest that, using this control strategy, it is possible to reduce the building vibration to secure levels.

Abstract
O presente artigo expõe o estudo de aplicabilidade do ensaio edométrico a uma areia siltosa, existente na cidade de Bragança, sendo que objetiva a aplicabilidade do ensaio aos solos de granulometria mais fina da região, com a ressalva de que a curva granulométrica destes se afasta de forma substancial das curvas granulométricas dos solos que por norma são alvo do ensaio edométrico. Objetiva assim o artigo, a aplicabilidade do ensaio aos solos mais finos oriundos de uma região com predominância de maciço residual granítico. Para tal, foram recolhidas amostras de dois solos com acentuada percentagem de finos, no contexto da predominância de solos da região, nomeadamente amostras indeformadas de uma areia siltosa, e amostras remexidas de um solo, posteriormente peneirado, com 100% de passados no peneiro nº 10, cuja granulometria corresponderá a um silte de elevada plasticidade. Devido à maior predominância de finos no silte de elevada plasticidade, o comportamento mecânico deste solo, mais condicionado por forças de natureza eletroquímica, representativo do comportamento dos solos finos, servirá de termo comparativo ao comportamento mecânico das amostras indeformadas de areia siltosa, com comportamento menos dependente destas forças, permitindo assim evidenciar a aplicabilidade do ensaio a solos de amostras indeformadas, com menor percentagem de finos, com comportamento gravítico mais acentuado e, portanto, mais atípicos a este ensaio devido à predominância de grossos na sua constituição. Dos resultados obtidos para a areia siltosa, verificou-se um elevado valor do assentamento imediato, após aplicação de cada ciclo de carga. Dado que a correta identificação do início do processo de consolidação carece de rigor no registo dos tempos de assentamento, fundamental para aplicação das metodologias de cálculo do ensaio, evidencia-se a necessidade de automatização de registo que minimize erros por parte de operadores humanos. Assim o recurso a um sistema de aquisição de dados revelou-se fundamental na identificação do início da consolidação primária, permitindo assim o alargar do espetro de aplicabilidade do ensaio.;This paper exposes the applicability study of the oedometer test to an existing silty sand soil, from the city of Braganza, with the purpose to verify the applicability of this test to soils with fines in his composition, in a region with predominance of granite residual soils, considering that the granulometric curve of these soils are substantially different from the granulometric curves of the soils that are usually tested. For this, two types of soils were collected, namely intact samples of a silty sand, and a disturbed soil sample whose grains size distribution curve built into laboratory corresponds to a high plasticity silt. Due to the greater predominance of fines in the high plasticity silt, the mechanical behaviour of this soil, more conditioned by forces of an electrochemical nature, serves as a comparative term to the mechanical behaviour of the undisturbed samples of the silty sand, with a behaviour less dependent on these forces, thus allowing to show applicability of the test to soils with lower percentage of fines, with a more pronounced gravitational behaviour and, therefore, more atypical to the oedometer test. From the results obtained for silty sand, a high value of the immediate settlement was verified after each applied load cycle. Thus this observation, the beginning of the consolidation process demands high accurate recording of the settlement that clearly identify the time that primary consolidation begins. In this way, the implementation of the data acquisition system, allowing the correct reading of the consolidation beginning, minimizing human errors, expands the spectrum of soils existing in the region that can be study by the consolidation problematics point of view.

Abstract
This paper exposes the applicability study of the oedometer test to an existing silty sand soil, from the city of Braganza, with the purpose to verify the applicability of this test to soils with fines in his composition, in a region with predominance of granite residual soils, considering that the granulometric curve of these soils are substantially different from the granulometric curves of the soils that are usually tested. For this, two types of soils were collected, namely intact samples of a silty sand, and a disturbed soil sample whose grains size distribution curve built into laboratory corresponds to a high plasticity silt. Due to the greater predominance of fines in the high plasticity silt, the mechanical behaviour of this soil, more conditioned by forces of an electrochemical nature, serves as a comparative term to the mechanical behaviour of the undisturbed samples of the silty sand, with a behaviour less dependent on these forces, thus allowing to show applicability of the test to soils with lower percentage of fines, with a more pronounced gravitational behaviour and, therefore, more atypical to the oedometer test. From the results obtained for silty sand, a high value of the immediate settlement was verified after each applied load cycle. Thus this observation, the beginning of the consolidation process demands high accurate recording of the settlement that clearly identify the time that primary consolidation begins. In this way, the implementation of the data acquisition system, allowing the correct reading of the consolidation beginning, minimizing human errors, expands the spectrum of soils existing in the region that can be study by the consolidation problematics point of view.

Abstract
Optical character recognition (OCR) is the process by which the textual content of an image is converted into strings. Localization is the problem of figuring out where one is in a given environment. In this work we approach the application of OCR in robot localization. We develop and test a vision based localization system that is capable of detecting room identification signs present in the environment, recognizing their textual contents and apply them to determine its location referent to a topological map of the environment. A sign detection method based on image segmentation by color and corner detection by contour analysis is developed. The recognition of characters is performed with the application of an open-source OCR engine. Localization is performed through the comparison of sign readings with the textual information embedded in the topological representation of the environment. The algorithm was tested in a dataset of images acquired in a corridor. Experimental results show that the system successfully determines its localization in 83.33% of tested cases. © 2019 IEEE.