Abstract
This paper describes the results of our collaboration with the leading Portuguese food retailer to address the shelf-space planning problem of allocating products to shop-floor shelves. Our challenge was to introduce analytical methods into the shelf-space planning process to improve the return on space and automate a process heavily dependent on the experience of the retailer's space managers. This led to the creation of GAP, a decision support system that the company's space-management team uses daily. We developed a modular operations research approach that systematically applies mathematical programming models and heuristics to determine the best layout of products on the shelves. GAP combines its analytical strength with an ability to incorporate different types of merchandising rules to balance the tradeoff between optimization and customization.

Abstract
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles and Remotely Operated Vehicles are useful in industries such as offshore Oil and Gas, deep sea mining, and aquaculture, where inspection missions are frequent. While underwater communications are mainly done using acoustic links, retrieving data from these devices to shore is still an open issue, especially when we consider the high cost of satellite communications. In this paper, using ns-3 simulations, we evaluate the ability of the communications solution being developed in the BLUECOM+ project to enable real-time marine data transfer at remote ocean areas. Through the usage of tethered balloons, TV white spaces frequencies, and multi-hop communications, the BLUECOM+ solution enables cost-effective, broadband connectivity to the Internet at remote ocean areas, using standard access technologies such as GPRS/UMTS/LTE and Wi-Fi. Simulation results show an expected range exceeding 100 km from shore using only two nodes at sea, with bitrates over 1 Mbit/s.

Abstract

Abstract
This paper reports the design and development process of an artistic robot by a team of five engineering and design students from Belgian, Finland, Poland, Romania and Scotland. To contribute to this goal, the team designed and assembled GraphBot, a voice commanded drawing robot prototype, following the EPS@ISEP process. In addition, the team specified their target as young children and, in particular girls, and stated that their motivation was to introduce young generations to the world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). In terms of outcomes, this project is expected to go beyond the boundaries of the traditional development of scientific and technical competences, by providing the students with a holistic learning experience, fostering also the development of personal and inter-personal skills within a multidisciplinary and multicultural teamwork set-up.

Abstract

Abstract
Coverage path planning (CPP) is a fundamental agricultural field task required for autonomous navigation systems. It is also important for resource management, increasingly demanding in terms of reducing costs and environmental polluting agents as well as increasing productivity. Additional problems arise when this task involves irregular agricultural terrains where the crop follows non-uniform configurations and extends over steep rocky slopes. For mountain vineyards, finding the optimal path to cover a restricted set of terraces, some of them with dead ends and with other constraints due to terrain morphology, is a great challenge. The problem involves other variables to be taken into account such as speed, direction and orientation of the vehicle, fuel consumption and tank capacities for chemical products. This article presents a decision graph-based approach, to solve a Rural Postman Coverage like problem using A* and Dijkstra algorithms simultaneously to find the optimal sequence of terraces that defines a selected partial coverage area of the vineyard. The decision structure is supported by a graph that contains all the information of the Digital Terrain Model (DTM) of the vineyard. In this first approach, optimality considers distance, cost and time requirements. The optimal solution was represented in a graphical user OpenGL application developed to support the path planning yprocess. Based on the results, it was possible to prove the applicability of this approach for any vineyards which extend like routes. Near optimal solutions based on other specific criteria could also be considered for future work.