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Publicações

2026

Swarm Robotics: Definitions, Core Features and Algorithms

Autores
Gameiro, TdC; Soares, SP; Viegas, CX; Ferreira, NMF; Valente, A;

Publicação

Abstract
Swarm robotics enables groups of autonomous agents to coordinate and perform tasks beyond the capabilities of individual robots. This state-of-the-art review focuses on the defining features, principles, and algorithms of swarm robotic systems, with an emphasis on recent advances. It examined classical and modern bio-inspired coordination strategies, decentralized control algorithms and hybrid approaches, highlighting their strengths, limitations and applicability to real-world deployments. Key challenges, such as scalability, robustness, adaptability and the gap between simulation and hardware implementation are analyzed.

2026

Infragenie: Living Software Architecture Diagrams From Docker Compose Files

Autores
Ferreira, R; Correia, FF; Queiroz, PGG;

Publicação
SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURE. ECSA 2025 TRACKS AND WORKSHOPS

Abstract
Software architecture is reflected across multiple artifacts, making it difficult to communicate without proper documentation, which often becomes outdated or unreliable. We propose an approach to support Living Documentation by generating architectural diagrams from Docker Compose files. We implement our approach as a prototype tool that we name Infragenie and conduct an empirical study to show the viability of the approach. The study involved sending questionnaires to maintainers of 378 GitHub repositories. We received 36 responses. Infragenie-generated diagrams were rated as better or much better for most of the 12 projects with previous diagrams. Over 70% of the respondents agreed that our approach improved documentation completeness, consistency, and accessibility, and more than 90% recognized its effectiveness in capturing key architectural elements. We conclude that by using Docker Compose files we were able to provide useful architectural diagrams.

2026

Synthetic-Digital Twin Assisted Federated Graph Learning for Edge-Based Anomaly Detection in Autonomous IoT Systems

Autores
Reis, MJCS; Serôdio, C; Branco, F;

Publicação
ELECTRONICS

Abstract
Federated Graph Neural Networks (FedGNNs) have emerged as a promising paradigm for decentralized graph learning across distributed data silos. However, the influence of underlying communication topologies on model accuracy and efficiency remains underexplored. This study presents a topology-aware benchmarking framework for federated GNNs, systematically evaluating the impact of network structure and aggregation strategy on performance and communication overhead. The proposed framework functions as a synthetic, communication-level digital twin that emulates Federated Learning interactions and topology-dependent dynamics under controlled conditions. Four learning schemes-Centralized, Local, FedAvg, and FedAvg-Fedadam-were assessed across three representative topologies: Barab & aacute;si-Albert (BA), Watts-Strogatz (WS), and Erd & odblac;s-R & eacute;nyi (ER). Results demonstrate that centralized training achieved the highest mean ROC-AUC (0.63), while FedAvg-Fedadam attained the best F1-score (0.038), balancing local adaptation and global convergence. Among topologies, BA and WS yielded higher average AUC values (approximately 0.57 and 0.56, respectively) than ER (approximately 0.39). Communication analysis revealed FedAvg as the most efficient strategy, requiring only approximately 3.8 x 105 bytes cumulatively. These findings highlight key trade-offs between accuracy, robustness, and communication efficiency in federated graph learning and provide empirical guidance for topology-aware optimization of distributed GNNs. While the experiments rely on representative synthetic topologies, the insights offer indicative relevance and potential applicability to Internet-of-Things (IoT), vehicular, and cyber-physical networks, where communication structure and bandwidth constraints critically influence collaborative intelligence. By modeling canonical connectivity patterns and releasing our code and data, the proposed benchmarking framework offers a reproducible basis for comparing emerging federated graph architectures under constrained communication conditions.

2026

Edge-VisionGuard: A Lightweight Signal-Processing and AI Framework for Driver State and Low-Visibility Hazard Detection

Autores
Reis, MJCS; Serôdio, C; Branco, F;

Publicação
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL

Abstract
Driving safety under low-visibility or distracted conditions remains a critical challenge for intelligent transportation systems. This paper presents Edge-VisionGuard, a lightweight framework that integrates signal processing and edge artificial intelligence to enhance real-time driver monitoring and hazard detection. The system fuses multi-modal sensor data-including visual, inertial, and illumination cues-to jointly estimate driver attention and environmental visibility. A hybrid temporal-spatial feature extractor (TS-FE) is introduced, combining convolutional and B-spline reconstruction filters to improve robustness against illumination changes and sensor noise. To enable deployment on resource-constrained automotive hardware, a structured pruning and quantization pipeline is proposed. Experiments on synthetic VR-based driving scenes demonstrate that the full-precision model achieves 89.6% driver-state accuracy (F1 = 0.893) and 100% visibility accuracy, with an average inference latency of 16.5 ms. After 60% parameter reduction and short fine-tuning, the pruned model preserves 87.1% accuracy (F1 = 0.866) and <3 ms latency overhead. These results confirm that Edge-VisionGuard maintains near-baseline performance under strict computational constraints, advancing the integration of computer vision and Edge AI for next-generation safe and reliable driving assistance systems.

2026

Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle-Based Cyberattacks on Microgrids

Autores
Zhao, AP; Li, SQ; Li, ZM; Ma, ZX; Huo, D; Hernando-Gil, I; Alhazmi, M;

Publicação
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS

Abstract
The increasing reliance on Networked Microgrids (NMGs) for decentralized energy management introduces unprecedented cybersecurity risks, particularly in the context of False Data Injection Attacks (FDIA). While traditional FDIA studies have primarily focused on network-based intrusions, this work explores a novel cyber-physical attack vector leveraging Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to execute sophisticated cyberattacks on microgrid operations. UAVs, equipped with communication jamming and data spoofing capabilities, can dynamically infiltrate microgrid communication networks, manipulate sensor data, and compromise power system stability. This paper presents a multi-objective optimization framework for UAV-assisted FDIA, incorporating Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm III (NSGA-III) to maximize attack duration, disruption impact, stealth, and energy efficiency. A comprehensive mathematical model is formulated to capture the intricate interplay between UAV operational constraints, cyberattack execution, and microgrid vulnerabilities. The model integrates flight path optimization, energy consumption constraints, signal interference effects, and adaptive attack strategies, ensuring that UAVs can sustain long-duration cyberattacks while minimizing detection risk. Results indicate that UAV-assisted cyberattacks can induce power imbalances of up to 15%, increase operational costs by 30%, and cause voltage deviations exceeding 0.10 p.u.. Furthermore, analysis of attack success rates vs. detection mechanisms highlights the limitations of conventional rule-based anomaly detection, reinforcing the need for adaptive AI-driven cybersecurity defenses. The findings underscore the urgent necessity for advanced intrusion detection systems, UAV tracking technologies, and resilient microgrid architectures to mitigate the risks posed by airborne cyber threats.

2026

Optimizing online grocery service: From customer understanding to multichannel profitability

Autores
Fernandes, D; Neves Moreira, F; Amorim, PS; Fransoo, C;

Publicação
European Journal of Operational Research

Abstract
We study the optimal online service for grocery retailers operating both physical and online stores. The challenge lies in optimizing the size of the online assortment and the delivery fees to maximize profitability across channels, while considering customer, operational, and market dynamics. Using transaction data from a major grocery retailer, we employ an alternative-specific conditional logit model to investigate how delivery fees, assortment size, network characteristics, and customer needs influence store choice and spending across physical and online channels. We develop a profitability model that incorporates online service variables, customer behavior, and operational costs, enabling us to explore optimal strategies under various conditions. By identifying favorable conditions for the online store and analyzing optimal service variables, we provide actionable insights for retailers. Our findings challenge common practices in omnichannel retail. We show that delivery fees should not merely cover costs but can be strategically set higher, particularly for retailers with strong offline presence. Additionally, while reducing fulfillment costs improves profitability, its impact is smaller than expected. Multichannel retailers can offset these costs by passing them on to customers, with minimal overall demand loss, as some customers opt to shop in physical stores rather than abandoning the retailer entirely. Lastly, maximizing the online assortment may not always be optimal, particularly if the operational inefficiencies and costs outweigh the value customers place on variety. Our methodological framework provides retailers the opportunity to align their online services with customer preferences and operational constraints and to leverage customer data in shaping their omnichannel strategies. © 2026 The Author(s)

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