Abstract
Autonomous sailing robots are a relatively new technology for oceanographic missions, targeting at long term presence in the ocean by using wind as the main source of propulsion. This paper addresses the navigation performance of FASt, an autonomous sailboat being developed in Porto, Portugal, since 2008. A series of results selected from various sea trials illustrate the accuracy of navigation and the maneuvering ability. The paper provides some quantitative performance in downwind, sidewind and upwind trajectories, with various environmental conditions. It also addresses the ability to stay within a watch circle of a few tens of meters, during the station keeping maneuver.

Abstract
The recent burst of R&D activity in Plasmonics, associated with the possibility of materials nanostructuring which enables the access to metamaterials, has been strongly impacting many branches of optics such as imaging, data recording and sensing. This talk details the factors that turned the combination Plasmonics and Metamaterials a huge opportunity to optical sensing.© OSA 2014.

Abstract
This paper presents a new adaptive scheme for doubly fed induction generators (DFIGs) in order to augment their flexibility confronting with unpredicted operational conditions. Due to large fluctuations in the wind velocity, the proposed scheme would handle system unreliable operational conditions. In such system, which has multi-input, multi-output and is also represented as a nonlinear control system, the uncertain parameters would affect the operational conditions. So, in order to have a robust controlling scheme, the mentioned characteristics should be considered in the proposed method. The adaptive control scheme proposed in this paper satisfies the expected constraints and could also be implemented in real-world platforms, especially in large-scale wind farms with DFIG turbines. © 2014 Taylor & Francis.

Abstract
In this paper we propose a novel fully probabilistic solution to the stereo egomotion estimation problem. We extend the notion of probabilistic correspondence to the stereo case which allow us to compute the whole 6D motion information in a probabilistic way. We compare the developed approach against other known state-of-the-art methods for stereo egomotion estimation, and the obtained results compare favorably both for the linear and angular velocities estimation.

Abstract

Abstract
Gesture-based interfaces to control systems using full body or upper torso motions are becoming more common, particularly in the entertainment industry but increasingly in other domains. These interfaces may represent significant hurdles for individuals with motion or balance impairments. Even for non-impaired users, commands which are not readily represented by body mimicry require users to learn new non-intuitive gestures for adding layers of complexity in commands. In this paper, a reflection and clarification of these challenges is presented, based on some sample usage cases. Then a possibly solution path is presented, resorting to an idea originating in a science fiction novel, the shamanic interface imagined by Daniel Suarez. A reflection on its feasibility and on possible paths towards its creation is presented, as well as the possible impacts to render gesture-based interfaces more accessible to all and potentially easier to learn due to enhanced cultural awareness. The basic idea presented in this reflection paper is that the creation of a concern-separation layer between the gestures being executed by the users and their interpretation by computing systems can contribute both to the access by users with special needs and to all users in general, by enabling customized approaches to gesture-based control. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.