Abstract
Current packaging machine vendors do not provide any automated mechanism for blank feeding and the state of the art is to have a human operator dedicated to feed the blank piles to the packaging machine. This is a tedious, repetitive and tiring task. This also results in problems with unintentional errors, such as using the wrong pile of blanks. An alternative solution is the use of a fixed robotic arm surrounded by a protective cage. However, this solution is restricted to a single packaging machine, a unique type of blank shapes and does not cooperate with humans. TIMAIRIS is a joint effort between IMA S.p.A., Italy, (IMA) and the Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal, (UAVR), promoted by the European Robotics Challenges (EuRoC) project. Together, we propose a system based on a mobile manipulator for flexible, autonomous and collaborative blank feeding of packaging machines on industrial shop floor. The system provides a software architecture that allows a mobile robot to take high level decisions on how the task should be executed, which can depend on variables such as the number of packaging machines to feed and the rate of blank consumption at each one. Through a computer vision system, blanks of different shapes and sizes are correctly identified for adequate manipulation. The manipulation of the piles of blanks is performed using a single arm using compliant modes of operation to increase manipulation safety and robustness. Additionally, it has a safe navigation system that allows the robot to be integrated in an industrial environment where humans are present. Finally, it provides an enhanced multimodal interaction between human and robot that can be adapted to the environment and operator characteristics to make communication intuitive, redundant and safe. © 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Abstract

Abstract
Long Period Fibre Gratings (LPFGs) were fabricated by femtosecond (fs) laser direct writing in a standard single-mode fibre (SMF-28e) to measure variations in the surrounding refractive index (SRI). The sensing sensitivity of these structures was optimized with the deposition of homogeneous thin layers of titanium dioxide (TiO2) by physical vapour deposition (PVD) process. A set of LPFGs were coated with different thickness layers of TiO2, and the spectral features were monitored for different SRI solutions. The wavelength shift and the optical power variation of the LPFG minimum attenuation band were measured achieving sensitivities of similar to 570 nm/RIU at using SRI near to 1.3600 in the case of the LPFG coated with 60 nm of TiO2, a 10-fold increase over the corresponding for a bare LPFG. For SRI values higher than the cladding refractive index, a sensitivity over similar to 3000 nm/RIU was determined for 30 nm of TiO2 thick film, a region where the bare LPFGs are useless. For 30 nm of TiO2, the optical power variation follows a quasi-linear function of the SRI, with a range of similar to 10 dB. Moreover, values as high as 50 and 120 dB/RIU at 1.3200 and 1.4200, respectively, can be obtained by choosing the proper film thickness. Preliminary studies revealed that coating fs-laser direct writing LPFGs with titanium dioxide improves their performance.

Abstract
An OFDM transmission system is reported based on a directly modulated blue LASER diode, for high bit rate under-water optical communication applications. The 256 subcarriers 16-QAM signal is transmitted over a total distance of 2.4 m underwater with an EVM lower than -28.5 dB for a 250 MHz bandwidth and -16.5 dB for a 2 GHz bandwidth, the BER being lower than the forward error corrector limit. At the maximum bandwidth of 2 GHz a transmission rate of 5.36 Gbit/s is achieved. © 2020 IEEE.

Abstract
The new generation of smart systems require processing a vast amount of information from distributed data sources, while fulfilling non-functional properties related to real-time, energy-efficiency, communication quality and security. The ELASTIC software architecture is being developed to tackle this challenge, considering the complete continuum from the edge to the cloud. This paper provides a brief analysis of the smart application considered in the project, and the requirements emanating from their non-functional properties. The paper then identifies some of the technical constrains imposed to the ELASTIC software architecture to allow guaranteeing the non-functional requirements of the systems.

Abstract
The initial phase of the innovation process is widely accepted as an important driver of positive results for new products and for the success of businesses. The Front End of Innovation (FEI) is a multidisciplinary area that includes a variety of activities, such as ideation, opportunity identification and analysis, feasibility analysis, global trends analysis, concept definition, customer and competitor analysis, and even business model development. Due to the number and variety of FEI responsibilities, this phase entails a considerable level of complexity and decision making. This fact is reflected in the literature, where one finds a variety of FEI approaches and proposals, seldom overlapping and offering no clear consensual guidance. This work aimed at overcoming this gap by proposing an Ontology for the Front End of Innovation as a comprehensive knowledge representation of the FEI, the so-called Front End of Innovation Integrative Ontology (FEI2O). The ontology balanced the differences and addressed the shortcomings of the main FEI Reference Models and included contributions from the field. This research builds on a combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies. It combines the qualitative methods of interviewing and focus group discussion to collect the views of domain experts, used to refine the artefact and later to evaluate the final ontology. Quantitative analysis of data was carried out using the Attribute Agreement approach. The FEI2O explicitly provides a description of a domain regarding concepts, properties and relations of concepts. The main benefit of the FEI2O is to provide a comprehensive formal reference model and a common vocabulary.