2026
Authors
Garcia, JE; Sousa, BB; Fonseca, MJS;
Publication
Advances in Computational Intelligence and Robotics
Abstract
2026
Authors
Paris, A; Silveira, FF; Melegati, J; Guerra, E;
Publication
XP
Abstract
Architectural uncertainties arising from incomplete or unclear information pose significant challenges when making architectural decisions in Agile teams. Based on a limited number of case studies that employed a technique called ArchHypo, four patterns were identified that propose small adjustments in the development process to handle architectural uncertainties: Protective Guideline, Bring the Specialist, Plan for Preparation, and Quality Checkpoint. Although the patterns derived from these experiences can be useful in real projects, their applicability and consequences were based on limited evidence and specific scenarios. To address this issue, this paper presents an interview study with experienced software architects and engineers to gather further information on the application of these patterns. The research method employed semi-structured interviews to gather the experiences of professionals with the target practices, and thematic analysis was used to assess their recurrence, applicability, and consequences. The findings confirmed that most professionals recognized those practices in real projects and their suitability as actions in uncertainty management. Moreover, new positive and negative consequences, not previously documented in the patterns, were identified. As a result, this work contributes to the field by providing guidance to professionals on how to better evaluate the trade-offs of those patterns when applied to architecture uncertainty management.
2026
Authors
Machado, JDU; Veloso, B;
Publication
STATISTICAL JOURNAL OF THE IAOS
Abstract
The growing availability of online data creates new opportunities to improve the timeliness and detail of official statistics, particularly in domains such as price monitoring and inflation measurement. However, leveraging web-scraped data for official use requires alignment with standardized classification frameworks such as the European Classification of Individual Consumption According to Purpose (ECOICOP). We train two natural-language models, a lightweight convolutional neural network (CNN) and a fine-tuned BERTimbau transformer, to classify Portuguese food and beverage items into ECOICOP categories. Using 100,000 product titles scraped from six national supermarket sites and labeled via a human-in-the-loop workflow, the CNN reaches a macro-F1 of 92.19 % with minimal computing cost, while the transformer attains 94.00 %, the first such result for Portuguese. Both models are published on Hugging Face, enabling reproducible inference at scale while the source data remain confidential. The study delivers the first open-source Portuguese ECOICOP classifiers for food and beverage products, a replicable low-resource labeling workflow, and a benchmark of accuracy-speed trade-offs to guide researchers in similar tasks.
2026
Authors
Ana Catarina Fernandes; Manuel José Fonseca; Jorge Esparteiro Garcia; Helena Sofia Rodrigues;
Publication
AIP conference proceedings
Abstract
2026
Authors
Pinheiro, I; Moura, P; Rodrigues, L; Pacheco, AP; Teixeira, J; Valente, A; Cunha, M; Dos Santos, FN;
Publication
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
Abstract
In 2023, global kiwifruit production reached over 4.4 million tonnes, highlighting the crop's significant economic importance. However, achieving high yields depends on adequate pollination. In Actinidia species, pollen is transferred by insects from male to female flowers on separate plants. Natural pollination faces increasing challenges due to the decline in pollinator populations and climate variability, driving the adoption of assisted pollination methods. This study examines the Portuguese kiwifruit sector, one of the world's top 12 producers, using a novel mixed-methods approach that integrates both qualitative and quantitative analyses to assess the feasibility of robotic pollination. The qualitative study identifies the benefits and challenges of current methods and explores how robotic pollination could address these challenges. The quantitative analysis explores the cost-effectiveness and practicality of implementing robotic pollination as a product and service. Findings indicate that most farmers use handheld pollination devices but face pollen wastage and application timing challenges. Economic analysis establishes a break-even point of & euro;685 per hectare for an annual single application, with a first robotic pollination of & euro;17 146 becoming cost-effective for orchards of at least 3.5 hectares and a second robotic solution of & euro;34 293 becoming cost-effective for orchards up to 7 hectares. A robotic pollination service priced at & euro;685 per hectare per application presents a low-risk and aviable alternative for growers. This study provides robust economic insights supporting the adoption of robotic pollination technologies. This study is crucial to make informed decisions to enhance kiwifruit production's productivity and sustainability through precise robotic-assisted pollination.
2026
Authors
Alves, W; Gomes, A; Garcia, J;
Publication
New Economics for Sustainability
Abstract
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