Abstract
A new scheme is presented for simultaneous measurement of strain and temperature using a sampled fibre Bragg grating based on a long period structure written using the electric are technique. The temperature and strain measurement resolutions are estimated to be +/-0.50degreesC/rootHz and +/-3.38 muepsilon/rootHz, respectively.

Abstract
We present and demonstrate a 20 nm tunable L-band fiber ring laser. Tunability is achieved by curving a simple taper which controls the intra-cavity loss.

Abstract
A new DSP laboratory course has been included in the Electrical and Computer Engineering curriculum at the Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, in Portugal, since the school year of 1999/2000. This paper addresses the context and motivation underlying this new course, outlines its structure and methodology, highlights the design and goals of all DSP experiments currently proposed for the 13 weeks of the semester, and reports on the receptivity students have expressed to this elective course. The course is based on the TI C31 Starter Kit and tries to combine full use of its resources with a representative diversity of efficient digital signal processing techniques and associated application scenarios. A perspective is also given on current plans to reinforce DSP expertise at the graduate level.

Abstract
There is a growing interest in the area of self-healing systems. Self-healing does however impose considerable demands on system infrastructures - Especially in terms of openness and support for reconfigurability. This paper proposes that the self-awareness inherent in reflective technologies lends itself well to the construction of self-healing systems. In particular, the paper examines the support provided by the Open ORB reflective middleware technology for the construction of this increasingly important class of system.

Abstract
This paper presents the most innovative aspects of a middleware architecture that enables the provision of advanced personalized services in a Virtual Home Environment context. Multimedia considerations to extend the architecture to support mobile multimedia in a ubiquitous access terminal and network environment are also included.

Abstract
In VESPER1, the concept of VHE is being implemented and validated through the provision of a VHE system and various services to make use of it. This paper describes one of these services and presents how it validates VHE architecture aspects related with service adaptation to terminals and network, connection establishment, service personalization, session continuity/mobility and service advertisement. The paper also discusses some VHE usage scenarios of the resource discovery feature, showing how it plays an important role particularly in what concerns the ubiquitous service availability through the VHE platform.