Abstract

Abstract
Several challenges arrive with electrical power restructuring, liberalized electricity markets emerge, aiming to improve the system's efficiency while offering new economic solutions. Privatization and liberalization of previously nationally owned systems are examples of the transformations that have been applied. Microgrids and smart grids emerge and new business models able to cope with new opportunities start being developed. New types of players appear, allowing aggregating a diversity of entities, e. g. generation, storage, electric vehicles, and consumers, Virtual Power Players (VPPs) are a new type of player that allows aggregating a diversity of players to facilitate their participation in the electricity markets. A major task of VPPs is the remuneration of generation and services (maintenance, market operation costs and energy reserves), as well as charging energy consumption. The paper proposes a normalization method that supports a clustering methodology for the remuneration and tariffs definition. This model uses a clustering algorithm, applied on normalized load values, the value of the micro production, generated in the bus associated to the same load, was subtracted from the value of the consumption of that load. This calculation is performed in a real smart grid on buses with associated micro production. This allows the creation of sub-groups of data according to their correlations. The clustering process is evaluated so that the number of data sub-groups that brings the most added value for the decision making process is found, according to players characteristics.

Abstract
Technological advances are pushing into the mass market innovative wearable devices featuring increasing processing and sensing capacity, non-intrusiveness and ubiquitous use. Sensors built-in those devices, enable acquiring different types of data and by taking advantage of the available processing power, it is possible to run intelligent applications that process the sensed data to offer added -value to the user in multiple domains. Although not new to the modern society, it is unquestionable that the present exercise boom is rapidly spreading across all age groups. However, in a great majority of cases, people perform their physical activity on their own, either due to time or budget constraints and may easily get discouraged if they do not see results or perform exercises inadequately. This paper presents an application, running on a wearable device, aiming at operating as a personal trainer that validates a set of proposed exercises in a sports' session. The developed solution uses inertial sensors of an Android Wear smartwatch and, based on a set of pattern recognition algorithms, detects the rate of success in the execution of a planned workout. The fact that all processing can be executed on the device is a differentiator factor to other existing solutions.

Abstract
The contemporary adoption of Cyber-Physical Systems and improvements in robotic applications in industrial scenarios demands for horizontal integration mechanisms with already existing automation equipment, controlled by PLCs. This paper aims to shorten the gap between the automation and robotics domain, by proposing an Interprocess Communication method to establish interoperability between robotic systems and automation equipment in a reliable and straightforward manner. In particular, this paper introduces a novel approach for linking ROS and IEC 61131-3 by way of shared memory interfaces, enabling and promoting their interactions. Moreover, this paper addresses the applied synchronization mechanism for handling concurrent accesses to the shared memory location, explores data type mapping between ROS and IEC 61131-3, and identifies some practical industrial applications.

Abstract
The increasing use and development of renewable energy sources and distributed generation, brought several changes to the power system operation. Electricity markets worldwide are complex and dynamic environments with very particular characteristics, resulting from their restructuring and evolution into regional and continental scales, along with the constant changes brought by the increasing necessity for an adequate integration of renewable energy sources. With the eminent implementation of micro grids and smart grids, new business models able to cope with the new opportunities are being developed. Virtual Power Players are a new type of player, which allows aggregating a diversity of entities, e.g. generation, storage, electric vehicles, and consumers, to facilitate their participation in the electricity markets and to provide a set of new services promoting generation and consumption efficiency, while improving players' benefits. This paper proposes a clustering methodology regarding the remuneration and tariff of VPP. It proposes a model to implement fair and strategic remuneration and tariff methodologies, using a clustering algorithm, applied to load values, submitted to different types of normalization process, which creates sub-groups of data according to their correlations. The clustering process is evaluated so that the number of data sub-groups that brings the most added value for the decision making process is found, according to the players characteristics. The proposed clustering methodology has been tested in a real distribution network with 30 bus, including residential and commercial consumers, photovoltaic generation and storage units.

Abstract