Vasco Amorim

Abstract
For many years, industrial engineers and managers have differentiated their duties in the work environment. While this has allowed for the two specialities to operate in their respective domains, the all necessary integration required to deliver a seamless industrial operation and outcomes has been sub-optimal - particularly in cases of conflict of knowledge or power. Industrial engineering and management (IEM) has come to resolve this situation, creating a new professional field and profile, as well as a multifaceted specialisation with a practical character. The challenge to take the next step in the refinement of this relatively new reality in Portugal is placed upon the most recent IEM degree, at the University of Tras-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD).

Abstract
Virtual Reality (VR) has been evolving over the years, becoming more and more accessible, in a wide area of applications. One of these areas where VR can have a major impact is training and certification. Hydrogen vehicles are becoming a reality and first responders still lack proper tools and resources to train emergency responses for the purpose. VR can play here a crucial role in ensuring a proper hydrogen emergency response training due to the advantages associated with VR training programs such as resource optimization, repeatability, and replicability. This paper proposes using VR for hydrogen emergency response training by developing a solution composed of three components: tutorial mode, training mode, and certification mode. A usability study is further conducted to evaluate its usability and user satisfaction. The results show that the use of this application regards usability and user satisfaction were extremely positive.

Abstract
Telerehabilitation is an alternative way for physical therapy of stroke patients. The monitoring and correction of exercises can be done through the analysis of body movements recorded by an optical motion capture system. This paper presents a first study to assess the use of Microsoft Kinect in the monitoring and rehabilitation of patients who have suffered a stroke. A comparative study was carried out to assess the accuracy of joint angle measurement with the Microsoft Kinect (for Windows and for Xbox One) and Optitrack (TM). The results obtained in the first experiment showed a good agreement in the measurements between the three systems, in almost all movements. These results suggest that Microsoft Kinect, a low cost and markerless motion capture system, can be considered as an alternative to complex and high cost motion capture devices for the monitoring and rehabilitation of stroke patients.

Abstract
In the material handling industry, productivity is a vital driver of profitability. Efficient operation of a forklift fleet is a significant factor in determining overall warehouse productivity. Traditionally, lead-acid batteries have been the best choice for forklifts operated indoors where emissions are restricted for health and safety reasons. More recently the application of fuel cells in this type of activity has emerged, also guaranteeing operational and environmental benefits (Elgowainy et al., 2009), and it is also shown as a possible solution to increase the productivity of a warehouse (Ballard, 2013). Withing the material handling industry the increased productivity comes through range extension enabling operation of the forklift with quick refuelling, without the need for battery recharging, as well as the existence of a constant power throughout the whole work cycle (Ballard, 2013). The performance of a forklift truck powered by PEM fuel cell or a lead acid battery is modelled and investigated by conducting a parametric study (Hosseinzadeh et al., 2013). In this study as a function of the number of daily trips of a forklift is characterised its energy expenditure, with the purpose of dimensioning, in an intelligent way opt for the most efficient propulsion system. Note that the two systems currently have a very different development stage, because the use of batteries is a technology implemented much more than the fuel cells. Our objective is, according to the workload that the company demands its forklifts to adapt the propulsion system that allows obtaining a greater productivity. In this model is studied several kinds of forklifts of Class I, II and III of the 1000 to 9000 kg in a wide range of loads.

Abstract
The increasing urban development is being accompanied by increased mobility in transport and by the increasing of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The European Union (EU) projects that, in the next forty years, transport activity will increase around 57% (2010-2050) and it will be the largest source of CO2 (Margaritis et al., 2016). To reduce these prospects, the EU has been looking for a more sustainable and decarbonised transport system (European Commission, 2011). The entry of electric vehicles (EVs) into the European markets is seen as an important aspect for low-carbon mobility (Morton et al., 2016). However, EVs have characteristics that condition their entry into the markets, such as their high cost, the limited network of charging infrastructures, their maximum reach, the lack of information dissemination (Labeye et al., 2016), and also the risk of the investment (McDowall, 2014). Global governments have been using a wide variety of incentives to facilitate the entry of EVs, including subsidies and public investments in loading stations (ICCT, 2016). The primary objective of this article is to evaluate the expansion of EVs in Europe, including the assessment of drivers' benefits. Additionally, this study allows interpreting the effect of policies implemented by the European Union and chosen individual members. For this theoretical assessment, the policies of incentives to the EVs of each country are comprehensively analysed. This study shows that, in a global incentive scenario, electric battery vehicles (BEVs) can be cheaper than other car technologies (Hagman, Ritzen, Stier, & Susilo, 2016) and that they are clearly the best choice for a low emission transport system. It is also concluded that there are still many targets to be achieved until internal combustion vehicles (ICEs) are no longer the primary choice of drivers and we may reach optimal GHG values in transportation.