Marta Campos Ferreira

Abstract
Since digital media has become increasingly popular, video processing has expanded in recent years. Video processing systems require high levels of processing, which is one of the challenges in this field. Various approaches, such as hardware upgrades, algorithmic optimizations, and removing unnecessary information, have been suggested to solve this problem. This study proposes a video saliency map based method that identifies the critical parts of the video and improves the system's overall performance. Using an image registration algorithm, the proposed method first removes the camera's motion. Subsequently, each video frame's color, edge, and gradient information are used to obtain a spatial saliency map. Combining spatial saliency with motion information derived from optical flow and color-based segmentation can produce a saliency map containing both motion and spatial data. A nonlinear function is suggested to properly combine the temporal and spatial saliency maps, which was optimized using a multi-objective genetic algorithm. The proposed saliency map method was added as a preprocessing step in several Human Action Recognition (HAR) systems based on deep learning, and its performance was evaluated. Furthermore, the proposed method was compared with similar methods based on saliency maps, and the superiority of the proposed method was confirmed. The results show that the proposed method can improve HAR efficiency by up to 6.5% relative to HAR methods with no preprocessing step and 3.9% compared to the HAR method containing a temporal saliency map.

Abstract
This study estimates alighting stops and transfers from entry-only Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) data. The methodology adopted includes two main steps: an implementation of the Trip Chaining Method (TCM) to estimate the alighting stops from AFC records and the subsequent application of criteria for the identification of transfers. For each pair of consecutive AFC records on the same smart card, a transfer is identified considering a threshold for the walking distance, a threshold for the time required to perform an activity, and the validation of different boarding routes. This methodology was applied to the case study of Porto, Portugal, considering all trips performed by a set of 19999 smart cards over one year. The results of this methodology allied with visualization techniques allowed to study Origin-Destination (OD) patterns by type of day, seasonally, and by user frequency, each analyzed at the stop level and at the geographic area level. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.

Abstract
In the health sector, the implementation of qualitative data research is very important to improve overall services. However, the use of these methods remains relatively unexplored when compared to quantitative analyses. This article describes the qualitative data analysis process that is based on the description, analysis and interpretation of data. It also describes a practical case study and the use of NVivo software to assist in the development of a theory-based qualitative analysis process. This article intends to be a step forward in the use of qualitatively based methodologies in future research in the health sector. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.

Abstract
This review is an analysis of the literature on public transport and mobile ticketing systems and their gamification. The review is divided into three main topics: (i) Behavioral Change in relation to Public Transport, (ii) Gamification, and (iii) Gamification in Public Transport and Mobile Ticketing. This study shows the diversity of the theme of gamification applied to the transport sector and demonstrates its potential to attract and retain more customers for more sustainable means of transport. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.

Abstract
The aim of this work is to determine, based on a market research, the level of passenger satisfaction with public transport services, in order to support better marketing decisions. This survey involves dimensions such as the level of satisfaction with timetables and frequency, vehicle conditions, driver attitudes and behavior, fares and information made available to passengers. The study was applied to the case of public transport in the Porto Metropolitan Area, Portugal, and aims to help define recommendations to improve the quality of service and define more effective marketing strategies. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.