Abstract
Robotics competitions are highly strategic tools to engage and motivate students, cultivating their curiosity and enthusiasm for technology and robotics. These competitions encompass various disciplines, such as programming, electronics, control systems, and prototyping, often beginning with developing a mobile platform. This paper focuses on designing and implementing an omnidirectional mecanum platform, encompassing aspects of mechatronics, mechanics, electronics, kinematics models, and control. Additionally, a simulation model is introduced and compared with the physical robot, providing a means to validate the proposed platform.

Abstract
As robots have limited power sources. Energy optimization is essential to ensure an extension for their operating periods without needing to be recharged, thus maximizing their uptime and minimizing their running costs. This paper compares the energy consumption of different mobile robotic platforms, including differential, omnidirectional 3-wheel, omnidirectional 4-wheel, and Mecanum platforms. The comparison is based on the RobotAtFactory 4.0 competition that typically takes place during the Portuguese Robotics Open. The energy consumption from the batteries for each platform is recorded and compared. The experiments were conducted in a validated simulation environment with dynamic and friction models to ensure that the platforms operated at similar speeds and accelerations and through a 5200 mAh battery simulation. Overall, this study provides valuable information on the energy consumption of different mobile robotic platforms. Among other findings, differential robots are the most energy-efficient robots, while 4-wheel omnidirectional robots may offer a good balance between energy efficiency and maneuverability.

Abstract
Worldwide, forests have been harassed by fire in recent years. Either by human intervention or other reasons, the history of the burned area is increasing considerably, harming fauna and flora. It is essential to detect an early ignition for fire-fighting authorities can act quickly, decreasing the impact of forest damage impacts. The proposed system aims to improve nature monitoring and improve the existing surveillance systems through satellite image recognition. The soil recognition via satellite images can determine the sensor modules' best position and provide crucial input information for artificial intelligence-based systems. For this, satellite images from the Sentinel-2 program are used to generate forest density maps as updated as possible. Four classification algorithms make the Tree Cover Density (TCD) map, consisting of the Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM), Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and K-Nearest Neighbors (K-NN), which identify zones by training known regions. The results demonstrate a comparison between the algorithms through their performance in recognizing the forest, grass, pavement, and water areas by Sentinel-2 images.

Abstract
Nowadays, there is the paradox of technology: although smartphones have revolutionized our way of living, bringing convenience and connectivity, they have also introduced new challenges, notably distracted driving. This paper addresses the issue of visual distraction, one of the main contributors to traffic accidents, through the development of an innovative system that combines the application of convolutional neural networks and the functionality of mobile devices. The adopted methodology focused on the collection of a broad set of images to train an artificial intelligence model capable of classifying a qualitative variable with two distinct categories: attention and distraction of a driver. In particular, the study concentrated on creating a mobile application that uses a smartphone's camera to monitor the driver and issue auditory alerts if it detects prolonged distraction. The achieved results highlighted the efficacy of the model, especially after its optimization for the TensorFlow Lite format, suitable for implementation on mobile devices due to its efficiency in terms of speed and resource consumption.

Abstract
This article proposes methods for maximising the detection rates of thermal fiducial markers using thermography. By exploring the combination of image processing techniques with the use of an affordable thermographic camera, the aim is to mitigate the negative effects of thermography and improve accurate marker identification in a variety of mounting and distance conditions. The research identified a diversity of processing techniques capable of improving thermal marker recognition, offering the potential to surpass previous results. The results highlight the possibility of using low-cost thermographic cameras for this purpose, which could democratise and reduce the costs of recognition processes. This methodology validates the proposed approach, providing a robust basis for future improvements in thermal marker detection and promoting the feasibility of practical, low-cost applications in an assortment of fields.

Abstract
The Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) systems are human-centered and designed to prioritize the needs of elderly individuals, providing them with assistance in case of emergencies or unexpected situations. These systems involve caregivers or selected individuals who can be alerted and provide the necessary help when needed. To ensure effective assistance, it is crucial for caregivers to understand the reasons behind alarm triggers and the nature of the danger. This is where an explainability module comes into play. In this paper, we introduce an explainability module that offers visual explanations for the fall detection module. Our framework involves generating anchor boxes using the K-means algorithm to optimize object detection and using YOLOv8 for image inference. Additionally, we employ two well-known XAI (Explainable Artificial Intelligence) algorithms, LIME (Local Interpretable Model) and Grad-CAM (Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping), to provide visual explanations.