Abstract
Large horsepower induction motors play a critical role in the operation of industrial facilities. In this respect, the distribution network operators dedicate a high priority to the operational safety of these motor loads. In this paper, the induction motor starting is modeled analytically and in a semi-static fashion. This model is imbedded in a convex distribution system restoration problem. In this optimization problem, it is aimed to determine the optimal status of static loads and the optimal dispatch of distributed generators such that: a) the induction motors can be reaccelerated in a safe way and, b) the total power of static loads that cannot be supplied before the motor energization, is minimized. The proposed optimization problem is applied in the case of a distribution network under different simulation scenarios. The feasibility and accuracy of the obtained results are validated using a) off-line time-domain simulations, and b) Power Hardware-In-the-Loop experiments.

Abstract
This paper shows that the platforms' private information on demand may explain the empirical observation that platforms like Amazon resell high-demand products, while acting as marketplace for low-demand goods. More precisely, the paper examines the strategic interaction between a seller and a better informed platform within a signalling game. We consider that the platform may choose between two distinct business models: act as a reseller or work as a pure marketplace between the buyers and the seller. The marketplace mode, which allows to internalize the spillover between the platform's sales and the seller's direct sales is always preferred for a low-value good. The reselling mode, which allows the platform to take advantage of its private information, may be selected in the case of high-value goods provided that (i) the externalities between direct sales and platform sales are not too strong and (ii) the difference between consumers' willingness to pay for the high and the low-value goods is large enough. Under these conditions, the game displays a Least-Cost Separating Equilibrium in which the platform works as a marketplace for low-demand goods, while it acts as a reseller in the case of high-demand goods.

Abstract
Radio-Frequency IDentification (RFID) technologies have been widely used in physical ID cards in educational institutions due to its low-cost, simple integration and convenience. In a university campus, the RFID technology can be used for proximity-based authentication for services such as access control, student/employee attendance record, or in-campus payments. These RFID-based technologies present vulnerabilities that, if exploited, can compromise the university campus authentications systems. RFID skimming and tag killing are examples of attacks that are simple to execute and have a high impact on their victims. This paper exploits a tag-related vulnerability of an ID Card based on RFID technology for proximity-based authentication inside a university campus. The proof of concept presented shows that, by using low-cost commercial-off-the-shelf hardware and open-source software, it is simple to clone an ID card and perform RFID skimming, harming the real ID card users. Possible countermeasures are later introduced and discussed.

Abstract
Teaching mobile robotics adequately is a complex task. Within the strategies found in the literature, the one used in this work includes the use of a simulator. This simulator represents the Autonomous Driving Competition of the Portuguese Robotics Open. Currently, the simulator supports two different robots and all challenges of the autonomous driving competition. This simulator was used at a Robotics course of the Integrated Master Degree in Informatics and Computing Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto. In order to study the influence of the simulator in the college students learning process, a survey was conducted. The results and its corresponding analysis indicate that the simulator is suited to teach some of the mobile robotics challenges crossing several fields of study, including image processing, computer vision and control.

Abstract
Pervasive and useR fOcused biomeTrics bordEr projeCT (PROTECT) is an EU project funded by the Horizon 2020 research and Innovation Programme. The main aim of PROTECT was to build an advanced biometric-based person identification system that works robustly across a range of border crossing types and that has strong user-centric features. This work presents the case study of the multibiometric verification system developed within PROTECT. The system has been developed to be suitable for different borders such as air, sea, and land borders. The system covers two use cases: the walk-through scenario, in which the traveller is on foot; the drive-through scenario, in which the traveller is in a vehicle. Each deployment includes a different set of biometric traits and this study illustrates how to evaluate such multibiometric system in accordance with international standards and, in particular, how to overcome practical problems that may be encountered when dealing with multibiometric evaluation, such as different score distributions and missing scores.

Abstract
AbstractNowadays, the low efficiency of solar energy power plant systems brings about uneconomical performance and high-cost uncompetitive industries compared with the traditional fossil fuel ones. In order to overcome these kinds of issues, in this study, the performance of a solar tower coupled with a Rankine cycle is scrutinized using the first and second laws of thermodynamic. Moreover, a numerical code has been developed in the GNU Octave software environment to calculate the precise value for both energy and exergy losses of each component. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis approach corresponds to the variation of several inner parameters such as direct normal irradiation (DNI), molten salt outlet temperature (MSOT), and the molten salt velocity (MSV), environmental parameters such as wind speed and ambient temperature have been performed. In addition, the overall losses are calculated by considering all possible forms of losses such as convection, conduction, reflection, and emission, and also, the portion of each source of these losses are determined. The obtained results indicate that the maximum exergy loss occurs in the central receiver system (CRS), while the major energy loss occurs in the turbine located in the power block. The sensitivity analysis shows that the rise of DNI significantly increases the exergy%energy efficiency of the cycle and also, the portion of loss related to emission heat transfer would be enhanced. Moreover, the variation of the MSV and MSOT illustrate influencing the performance of the cycle; consequently, the MSOT changes demonstrate a reverse relation with energy and direct relation with exergy efficiency. Accordingly, an optimum value of 650K is calculated for the MSOT as well as an optimum value of 2 m%s for the MSV. The environmental sensitivity analysis indicates that the enhancement of wind speed and ambient temperature has a negative impact on the net output of the cycle, which is not desirable.