Abstract

Abstract
In the last decades, the weight of renewable energies sources (RES-E) in the electricity generation mix of most European countries has considerably increased, constituting an important contribution to the transition towards a low-carbon economy. Until very recently, RES-E were supported by favorable investment mechanisms specially designed to endorse investment in RES-E. More recently, as RES-E are becoming increasingly more competitive (especially wind and solar photovoltaic), RES-E are starting to be remunerated according to market mechanisms. This has generated a lively debate on the economic pros and cons of dispatching RES-E in the market. This paper contributes to this debate by developing a game theoretical model in the context of which we analyze how the inclusion of RES-E in the electricity wholesale market affects equilibrium outcomes under demand and supply uncertainty. Then, we examine how the inclusion of RES-E in the electricity wholesale market impacts firms' incentives to invest in conventional energy sources, characterizing the optimal investment under demand and supply uncertainty. We find that, when RES-E capacity and asymmetry in firms' marginal production costs are sufficiently high, RES-E producers may strategically reduce the market price, in order to evict the less efficient conventional source in that period. Although, in the short-run, this strategy may actually favor energy consumers (since prices are lower), the expectations of inactivity periods (regardless of whether they arise for strategic or market reasons) may negatively affect investment in back-up capacity, possibly leading to an increase in future prices (since less back-up capacity is available). Finally, we provide an analytical characterization of optimal investment levels in conventional energy sources under demand and supply uncertainty.

Abstract
Cooperative Cyber-Physical Systems (Co-CPSs) can be enabled using wireless communication technologies, which in principle should address reliability and safety challenges. Safety for Co-CPS enabled by wireless communication technologies is a crucial aspect and requires new dedicated design approaches. In this paper, we provide an overview of five Co-CPS use cases, as introduced in our SafeCOP EU project, and analyze their safety design requirements. Next, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the main existing wireless communication technologies giving details about the protocols developed within particular standardization bodies. We also investigate to what extent they address the non-functional requirements in terms of safety, security and real time, in the different application domains of each use case. Finally, we discuss general recommendations about the use of different wireless communication technologies showing their potentials in the selected real-world use cases. The discussion is provided under consideration in the 5G standardization process within 3GPP, whose current efforts are inline to current gaps in wireless communications protocols for Co-CPSs including many future use cases.

Abstract
Due to the difficulty of building and making control tests in real robots, it is usual to first have a simulated model that provides a good approach of a real robot's behaviour. The importance of a good control system in execution of a planned trajectory inspired this work, whose purpose is to design a control system for a quadruped robot and test its performance.

Abstract
Aging is a natural process inherent in being human. During the aging process a person's physical and mental condition will degrade, imposing limitations on their life, which can have a great impact on their well-being. Although they are common to all humans, the consequences of aging can be aggravated by the decline in social relations and contact with family and friends. It is therefore of the utmost importance to maintain these relationships throughout life. In this sense, we intend to develop a system to support these people, allowing them to overcome their limitations, promoting and reinforcing the bonds between the user and the elements of his family and group of friends, using the technology. In this article we discuss the prototyping of a support system for the elderly to combat the lack of interaction between these individuals and their social group. With the use of prototyping it s intended a previous validation of the concept and functionalities of this system. The user is placed within the development process and, in this way, it is possible to evaluate the Human-Machine Interaction component and to detect possible problems so that they can be solved in a timely manner. This is an iterative process in which the system is constantly evaluated and readjusted until it is validated.

Abstract