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.

Abstract
Technology and its widespread usage has dictated a far-reaching revolution in many domains, including in the teaching of music, as described in this study. Using technology (costing €150,000 for the cameras – MoCap – Qualisys AB, Sweden; and €150,000 for the system for analysis – Visual 3D software – C-Motion, USA) it was possible to predict that the duration of the career of a violinist supported by such tools – correcting one’s technique – may be prolonged significantly – as much as fifteen years or more. This approach may even mean the difference between being able to continue with one’s chosen profession or having to end it prematurely. Such technology may be applied to even the youngest of performers – aged 6 or 7 years old – a number of whose careers we suggest be followed to provide further support for our study. The correct placing of the left hand will help avoid injury and support a quicker evolution. Less time will be wasted, for better results. The musician will be more efficient, more flexible, and will have a more natural position and less musculoskeletal problems. The technology used compared the data and it was verified that for each chord there was an ideal height – corresponding to a more relaxed and natural position of the left hand when playing. One may represent the study’s findings as a model, as follows: OPIH (optimal performance and ideal height of the left hand) = function of {dimension of the instrument, length of the strings, dimension of the hand, dimension of the fingers}. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019.

Abstract
The arrival of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) to the consumer market has been changing the way we interact with our surroundings. Fields like cinema and photography are improving with the possibility of reaching unsafe areas, as much as industry related companies that can now supervise their infrastructures safely. Besides many other professional areas, this fever also got into sports and UAV racing became a new way to compete. There are limited alternatives to control a UAV, each one with its pros and cons. The most reliable is the conventional handheld controller, a bulky equipment that requires practice and dexterity to be a good pilot. Consequently, technologically illiterate individuals, users with low dexterity or hand malformations and elders are departed from this game breaking technology, either for professional or recreational purposes. To expand the control of UAV to more member of our society, a different control equipment should be developed. In this paper we propose a solution based in two lightweight hand worn devices sensitive to motion changes. These changes are used to detect modifications in the orientation of the device, which are then transmitted through Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to a mobile app that is responsible for their interpretation as simple input or input patterns. The result of this interpretation should be used as flight commands to control a UAV. Through simple and intuitive hand movements, users can accurately pilot a quadcopter. This alternative presents a new and easier approach to control UAV that decreases the time that is required to learn how to use it, with the outcomes of an accentuated learning curve. The results obtained with the usability tests performed with users with different capacities of interaction, confirmed the viability of this solution, as much as its simplicity and intuition in the control. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019.

Abstract
This paper shows the advantage of using different sensors such the Microsoft Kinect and Myo Armband to acquire movement description of the plantarflexion and dorsiflexion of the foot with the help of the quaternions and the EMG Myo sensor. For the integration of these devices, it was chosen Python to develop the algorithm and create an interface to aid the signal acquisition. This integration, enabling an accurate motion description as well as a scale of EMG signal, allow the possibility of quantifying the treatment of the people with equinus foot.

Abstract
Teaching complex assembly and maintenance skills to human operators usually requires extensive reading and the help of tutors. In order to reduce the training period and avoid the need for human supervision, an immersive teaching system using spatial augmented reality was developed for guiding inexperienced operators. The system provides textual and video instructions for each task while also allowing the operator to navigate between the teaching steps and control the video playback using a bare hands natural interaction interface that is projected into the workspace. Moreover, for helping the operator during the final validation and inspection phase, the system projects the expected 3D outline of the final product. The proposed teaching system was tested with the assembly of a starter motor and proved to be more intuitive than reading the traditional user manuals. This proof of concept use case served to validate the fundamental technologies and approaches that were proposed to achieve an intuitive and accurate augmented reality teaching application. Among the main challenges were the proper modeling and calibration of the sensing and projection hardware along with the 6 DoF pose estimation of objects for achieving precise overlap between the 3D rendered content and the physical world. On the other hand, the conceptualization of the information flow and how it can be conveyed on-demand to the operator was also of critical importance for ensuring a smooth and intuitive experience for the operator.

Abstract
Improving execution time and energy efficiency is needed for many applications and usually requires sophisticated code transformations and compiler optimizations. One of the optimization techniques is memoization, which saves the results of computations so that future computations with the same inputs can be avoided. In this article we present a framework that automatically applies memoization techniques to C/C++ applications. The framework is based on automatic code transformations using a source-to-source compiler and on a memoization library. With the framework users can select functions to memoize as long as they obey to certain restrictions imposed by our current memoization library. We show the use of the framework and associated memoization technique and the impact on reducing the execution time and energy consumption of four representative benchmarks. (C) 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.