Abstract

Abstract
Cognitive robots have started to find their way into manufacturing halls. However, the full potential of these robots can only be exploited through an integration into the automation pyramid so that the system is able to communicate with the manufacturing execution system (MES). Integrating the robot with the MES allows the robot to get access to manufacturing environment and process data so that it can perform its task without human intervention. This paper describe the mobile robotic manipulator developed in the EU project STAMINA, its has been integrated with an existing MES and its application in a kitting task from the automotive industry.

Abstract
The increasing urban development is being accompanied by increased mobility in transport and by the increasing of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The European Union (EU) projects that, in the next forty years, transport activity will increase around 57% (2010-2050) and it will be the largest source of CO2 (Margaritis et al., 2016). To reduce these prospects, the EU has been looking for a more sustainable and decarbonised transport system (European Commission, 2011). The entry of electric vehicles (EVs) into the European markets is seen as an important aspect for low-carbon mobility (Morton et al., 2016). However, EVs have characteristics that condition their entry into the markets, such as their high cost, the limited network of charging infrastructures, their maximum reach, the lack of information dissemination (Labeye et al., 2016), and also the risk of the investment (McDowall, 2014). Global governments have been using a wide variety of incentives to facilitate the entry of EVs, including subsidies and public investments in loading stations (ICCT, 2016). The primary objective of this article is to evaluate the expansion of EVs in Europe, including the assessment of drivers' benefits. Additionally, this study allows interpreting the effect of policies implemented by the European Union and chosen individual members. For this theoretical assessment, the policies of incentives to the EVs of each country are comprehensively analysed. This study shows that, in a global incentive scenario, electric battery vehicles (BEVs) can be cheaper than other car technologies (Hagman, Ritzen, Stier, & Susilo, 2016) and that they are clearly the best choice for a low emission transport system. It is also concluded that there are still many targets to be achieved until internal combustion vehicles (ICEs) are no longer the primary choice of drivers and we may reach optimal GHG values in transportation.

Abstract

Abstract
Purpose - The design of retail backroom storage areas has great impact on in-store operations, customer service level and on store life-cycle costs. Moreover, backroom storage in modern retail grocery stores is critical to several functions, such as acting as a buffer against strong demand lifts yielded by an ever-increasing promotional activity, stocking seasonal peak demand and accommodating e-commerce activities. The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework to design retail backroom storage area. Furthermore, the authors aim to draw attention to the lack of literature on this topic, while clarifying the relationship between this promising research stream and the considerable body of research regarding the design and operations of conventional warehouses, as well as retail in-store operations. Design/methodology/approach - The key literature on backrooms, grocery retail, in-store operations, warehouse design and operations was reviewed. This allowed an understanding of the gap in the literature regarding the design of backrooms. Moreover, a case study methodological approach was conducted in a Portuguese retailer to extend the literature review. Findings - Despite having functions similar to conventional warehouses, backroom storage facilities have particularities that deserve a distinct analysis. Thus, the authors stress these differences and demonstrate how they influence the development of a novel backroom design framework. Originality/value - This paper fills a gap by proposing a framework to design backroom areas. Furthermore, this research may help practitioners to better design backroom areas, since this process currently lacks a formal and standardized procedure.

Abstract
Kidney exchange programs have been set in several countries within national, regional or hospital frameworks, to increase the possibility of kidney patients being transplanted. For the case of hospital programs, it has been claimed that hospitals would benefit if they collaborated with each other, sharing their internal pools and allowing transplants involving patients of different hospitals. This claim led to the study of multi-hospital exchange markets. We propose a novel direction in this setting by modeling the exchange market as an integer programming game. The analysis of the strategic behavior of the entities participating in the kidney exchange game allowed us to prove that the most rational game outcome maximizes the social welfare and that it can be computed in polynomial time.