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Publications

2025

Towards the Design of Transformation: a Review of Transformative VR Experiences

Authors
Giesteira, B; Alves, T;

Publication
AHFE International - Human Interaction and Emerging Technologies (IHIET 2025)

Abstract
Within the context applied to Virtual Reality research, the present work focuses on a literature review within the emerging field of Transformative Experience Design: a domain in interaction design that aims to create experiences fostering self-actualization and self-transcendence and which relates directly to the ideas of the sublime or awe. The methodological Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA) Statement was used to conduct the current review. The scientific multidisciplinary databases used for the search were SCOPUS and Web of Science. The initial search resulted in the collection of a total of 448 articles from the two aforementioned databases, of which 408 were included after the English language criterion had been applied. After eliminating duplicate studies, 304 articles remained. Here, the initial screening phase was based on reading the respective abstracts and titles, and from this excluding noticeably irrelevant studies based on the inclusion/exclusion criteria, resulting in a total of 71 articles. Of these, and after the full-text reading, 49 papers were considered eligible for inclusion in this research context.The work focuses on studies that have adopted a strongly empirical, phenomenological and qualitative approach to the creation and evaluation of transformative experiences in VR, with the purpose of finding out not only how these are being created, but also which are the main factors that enable a transformative dimension in this type of experiences. Indeed, VR seems to be explored through it´s particular phenomenological affordances as a means to advance the two fundamental dimensions of Transformative Experience Design: perceptual vastness, on one hand, and need for accommodation, on the other.Concerning the first dimension of perceptual vastness in VR experiences, different properties stood out. Firstly, the typology of the perceptual stimuli used was found to be mainly concealed between the representation of natural scenarios, and, most importantly, Earth´s view from outer space. It was also noted that environments that present an almost exaggeratedly extensive structure and where greater horizontality prevails are those that, according to this data, appear to have the best chance of fostering awe. Rather more interestingly, it has been revealed that the design of spaces and paths that present a dynamic and dramatic structure is where the sensations of awe are most prevalent, based, above all, on a feeling of surprise.On the other hand, the more epistemic dimension of need for accommodation appears to be based upon the exploration of paradoxical, supernatural, uncanny elements, mainly founded on the violation of the laws of reality and that beg for the accommodation within our current mental schemata. Truly, VR design allows for a complete inversion of these laws, and the use of fantastic and unreal elements thus finds fertile soil to then develop an experience that is deeply transformative.These results are then systematized and discussed, and further possibilities are then suggested within this context.

2025

Rethinking BFT: Leveraging Diverse Software Components with LLMs

Authors
Imperadeiro, J; Alonso, AN; Pereira, J;

Publication
2025 55TH ANNUAL IEEE/IFIP INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DEPENDABLE SYSTEMS AND NETWORKS-SUPPLEMENTAL VOLUME, DSN-S

Abstract
Diversity is crucial in systems that tolerate Byzantine faults. Traditionally, system builders have relied on standardized interfaces (e.g., POSIX for operating systems) to obtain off-the-shelf components or on n-version programming for custom functionality. Unfortunately, standardized alternatives are rare, and the independent development of multiple versions of the same software is costly and justified only on the most critical applications. In this paper, we show that a limited and focused use of LLMs for translation opens up the possibility of leveraging the existing diversity in functionally equivalent but non-standardized components. Specifically, we show that LLMs can produce functionally correct database query translations with minimal guidance and adapt to diverse data models and query contexts, enabling the use of radically different database models, both SQL and NoSQL, together in a Byzantine fault-tolerant replicated system. We outline an approach to achieve this in practice and discuss future research directions.

2025

An Approach to Business Continuity Self-Assessment

Authors
Russo, N; Mamede, HS; Reis, L;

Publication
TECHNOLOGIES

Abstract
Business Continuity Management (BCM) is critical for organizations to mitigate disruptions and maintain operations, yet many struggle with fragmented and non-standardized self-assessment tools. Existing frameworks often lack holistic integration, focusing narrowly on isolated components like cyber resilience or risk management, which limits their ability to evaluate BCM maturity comprehensively. This research addresses this gap by proposing a structured Self-Assessment System designed to unify BCM components into an adaptable, standards-aligned methodology. Grounded in Design Science Research, the system integrates a BCM Model comprising eight components and 118 activities, each evaluated through weighted questions to quantify organizational preparedness. The methodology enables organizations to conduct rapid as-is assessments using a 0-100 scoring mechanism with visual indicators (red/yellow/green), benchmark progress over time and against peers, and align with international standards (e.g., ISO 22301, ITIL) while accommodating unique organizational constraints. Demonstrated via focus groups and semi-structured interviews with 10 organizations, the system proved effective in enhancing top management commitment, prioritizing resource allocation, and streamlining BCM implementation-particularly for SMEs with limited resources. Key contributions include a reusable self-assessment tool adaptable to any BCM framework, empirical validation of its utility in identifying weaknesses and guiding continuous improvement, and a pathway from initial assessment to advanced measurement via the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle. By bridging the gap between theoretical standards and practical application, this research offers a scalable solution for organizations to systematically evaluate and improve BCM resilience.

2025

Advanced Technologies for Renewable Energy Systems and Their Applications

Authors
Baptista, J; Pinto, T;

Publication
ELECTRONICS

Abstract
[No abstract available]

2025

Será o ChatGPT um bom divulgador científico em cosmetologia? Um estudo linguístico sobre textos de divulgação científica - Is ChatGPT a good popular science disseminator in cosmetology? A linguistic study on popular science texts

Authors
Pacheco, AF; Guimarães, N; Torres, A; Silvano, P; Almeida, I;

Publication
Revista da Associação Portuguesa de Linguística

Abstract
O género textual de divulgação científica é fundamental para a disseminação do conhecimento científico de forma acessível e compreensível junto do público não especializado, apresentando estrutura e características diferentes das dos artigos científicos (e.g., Garces-Conejos & Sanchez-Macarro, 1998; Zamboni, 1998). Os estudos sobre as propriedades linguísticas do texto de divulgação científica em português europeu não abundam, sendo a exceção o projeto Promoção da Literacia Científica (Gonçalves & Jorge, 2018). Por outro lado, no âmbito da produção de conteúdo, os grandes modelos de linguagem (LLM), nomeadamente os modelos GPT da OpenAI, ganharam, em pouco tempo, atenção generalizada do público. Sendo recentes, a avaliação da qualidade linguística dos textos produzidos é ainda muito reduzida. Tendo estas premissas em consideração, o presente estudo tem como objetivo avaliar a qualidade linguística das respostas geradas pelo ChatGPT (GPT-3.5) no domínio da cosmetologia, no que respeita às categorias de produtos cosméticos, ingredientes, segurança e eficácia e regulamentação, visando identificar padrões que permitam compreender as diferenças e/ou semelhanças entre o conteúdo gerado pelo LLM e aquele produzido por especialistas humanos no Portal infoCosméticos. Para isso, foram selecionadas vinte questões previamente respondidas e publicadas no portal e, posteriormente, criados quatro prompts distintos com diferentes graus de complexidade, que deram origem a oitenta respostas geradas pelo ChatGPT. As respostas foram, de seguida, analisadas, de acordo com os resultados conduzidos por uma grelha de avaliação linguística composta por 11 perguntas. A análise produziu resultados de diferentes tipos: em termos globais, as respostas escritas pelos especialistas produzem resultados ligeiramente superiores às do ChatGPT; quanto à coesão interfrásica, constatou-se que os textos produzidos por especialistas usam um número reduzido de conectores, contrastando com o uso recorrentemente de marcadores discursivos nos textos do ChatGPT; verifica-se o uso de jargão científico não explicado e uma macroestrutura com ausência do parágrafo da conclusão, nos textos publicados no portal; os textos gerados pelo ChatGPT apresentam uma frequência elevada de repetições e/ou tautologias.

2025

The Impact of Daylight Saving Time on Energy Consumption: A Comprehensive Analysis Across European Countries

Authors
Fidalgo, JNM; Ferreira, J; Leitão, S;

Publication

Abstract

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