Abstract
Despite the benefits of precision agriculture and precision viticulture production systems, its rate of adoption in the Portuguese Douro Demarcated Region remains low. We believe that one way to raise it is to address challenging real-world problems whose solution offers a clear benefit to the viticulturist. For example, one of the most demanding tasks in wine making is harvesting. Even for humans, the environment makes grape detection difficult, especially when the grapes and leaves have a similar color, which is generally the case for white grapes. In this paper, we propose a system for the detection and location, in the natural environment, of bunches of grapes in color images. This system is able to distinguish between white and red grapes, and at the same time, it calculates the location of the bunch stem. The system achieved 97% and 91% correct classifications for red and white grapes, respectively.

Abstract
In this paper the kinematic design of a 6-dof parallel robotic manipulator is analysed. Firstly, the condition number of the inverse kinematic jacobian is considered as the objective function, measuring the manipulator's dexterity and a genetic algorithm is used to solve the optimization problem. In a second approach, a neural network model of the analytical objective function is developed and subsequently used as the objective function in the genetic algorithm optimization search process. It is shown that the neuro-genetic algorithm can find close to optimal solutions for maximum dexterity, significantly reducing the computational burden. The sensitivity of the condition number in the robot's workspace is analysed and used to guide the designer in choosing the best structural configuration. Finally, a global optimization problem is also addressed.

Abstract
A digital image correlation (DIC) algorithm for displacement measurements combining cross-correlation and a differential technique was validated through a set of experimental tests. These tests consisted of in-plane rigid-body translation and rotation tests, a tensile mechanical test, and a mode I fracture test. The fracture mechanical test, in particular, was intended to assess the accuracy of the method when dealing with discontinuous displacement fields, for which subset-based image correlation methods usually give unreliable results. The proposed algorithm was systematically compared with the Aramis (R) DIC-2D commercial code by processing the same set of images. When processing images from rigid-body and tensile tests (associated with continuous displacement fields), the two methods provided equivalent results. When processing images from the fracture mechanical test, however, the proposed method obtained a better qualitative description of the discontinuous displacements. Moreover, the proposed method gave a more reliable estimation of both crack length and crack opening displacement of the fractured specimen.(C) (C) 2012 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). [DOI: 10.1117/1.OE.51.4.043602]

Abstract
This paper presents a system which extends the use of the traditional white cane by the blind for navigation purposes in indoor environments. Depth data of the scene in front of the user is acquired using the Microsoft Kinect sensor which is then mapped into a pattern representation. Using neural networks, the proposed system uses this information to extract relevant features from the scene, enabling the detection of possible obstacles along the way. The results show that the neural network is able to correctly classify the type of pattern presented as input.

Abstract
The IEC 61508 standard recognizes the programming languages defined in IEC 61131-3 as being appropriate for safety-related applications, and suggests the use of static data type analysis of the source code. In this context, we have added a data type semantic verifier to the MatIEC compiler - an open source ST, IL and SFC code translator to ANSI C. In so doing, we have identified several issues related to the definition of the semantics of the IL and ST programming languages, as well as with the data type model defined in IEC 61131-3. In this paper we describe the issues we uncovered, explain how the data type static analyzer of the MatIEC was implemented, explain the options we took, and suggest how the IEC 61131-3 standard could be made more explicit.

Abstract
The IEC 61508 standard recognizes the programming languages defined in IEC 61131-3 as being appropriate for safety-related applications, and suggests the use of static data type analysis of the source code. In this context, we have added a data type semantic verifier to the MatlEC compiler - an open source ST, IL and SFC code translator to ANSI C. In so doing, we have identified several issues related to the definition of the semantics of the IL and ST programming languages, as well as with the data type model defined in IEC 61131-3. In this paper we describe the issues we uncovered, explain how the data type static analyzer of the MatlEC was implemented, explain the options we took, and suggest how the IEC 61131-3 standard could be made more explicit. © 2012 IEEE.