Abstract
Nowadays, collecting complex information regarding a machine status is the enabler for advanced maintenance activities, and one of the main players in this process is the sensor. This paper describes modern maintenance strategies that lead to Proactive Maintenance (PM), which is the most advanced one. The paper discusses the sensors that can be used to support maintenance, as pertaining to different categories, spanning from common off-the-shelf sensors, to specialized sensors monitoring very specific characteristics, and to virtual sensors. The paper proceeds then to detail three different real world examples of project pilots that make use of the described sensors, and draws a comparison between them. In particular, each scenario has got unique characteristics and prefers different families of sensors, but on the other hand provides similar characteristics on other aspects. In fact, the paper concludes with a discussion regarding how each scenario can benefit from PM and from advanced sensing.

Abstract
This article discusses how a business model based on traditional maintenance can evolve to generate servitization strategies, with the help of remote maintenance support. The application of cyber-physical systems and cloud technologies play a key role for such maintenance purposes. In fact, the utilization of large quantities of data collected on machines and their processing by means of advanced techniques such as machine learning enable novel techniques for condition-based maintenance. New sensor solutions that could be used in maintenance and interaction with cyber-physical systems are also presented. Here, data models are an important part of these techniques because of the huge amounts of data that are produced and should be processed. These data models have been used in a real case, supported by the Machinery Information Management Open System Alliance Open System Architecture for Condition-Based Maintenance standard architecture, for streamlining the modeling of collected data. In this context, an industrial use case is described, to enlighten the application of the presented concepts in a working pilot. Finally, current and future directions for application of cyber-physical systems and cloud technologies to maintenance are discussed.

Abstract
Energy management in buildings can provide massive benefits in financial and energy saving terms. It is possible to optimize energy usage with smart grid techniques, where the benefits are enhanced when the energy consumer can trade the energy on energy markets, since it forces energy providers to compete with each other on the energy price. However, two hurdles oppose this approach: the devices providing control over appliances do not interoperate with each other; and energy markets limit trading activities to large quantities of energy, thus impeding access for small consumers. This work considers using the FlexOffer (FO) concept to allow the consumer to express its energy needs, and FO-related mechanisms to aggregate energy requests into quantities relevant for energy markets. Moreover, the presented system, named FlexHousing, is based on the Arrowhead Framework - A framework that simplifies design and implementation of distributed applications by means of normalizing communication via services - and exploits its Service Oriented mechanisms to provide device interoperability. The implemented FlexHousing system uses multi-level FO aggregation to empower either the final user, for example the owner of an apartment, to manage its own energy by defining their flexibilities, or to offload this responsibility to an energy manager who takes care of all the apartments in a building or set of buildings. © 2018 IEEE.

Abstract
Modern distributed systems are increasingly complex both on their architectural design and on the computational logic that they execute. Their timely operation is challenged, which is critical for some domains such as cyber-physical systems where timeliness and dynamic behavior must be satisfied simultaneously. Providing real-time operation whereas supporting the inherent dynamic behavior of cyber-physical systems requires solutions that are not yet available. A number of challenging scientific and engineering problems that span across a variety of research areas are raised. The new challenges go far beyond those of traditional networked real-time systems; cyber-physical systems are autonomous, open, large-scale, real-time, embedded, and control systems that make intensive use of networks, distribution, and wireless technology. Such complex systems have different [sub]parts/systems with different levels of real-time requirements.

Abstract
Nowadays, collecting complex information regarding a machine status is the enabler for advanced maintenance activities, and one of the main players in this process is the sensor. This paper describes modern maintenance strategies that lead to Proactive Maintenance (PM), which is the most advanced one. The paper discusses the sensors that can be used to support maintenance, as pertaining to different categories, spanning from common off-The-shelf sensors, to specialized sensors monitoring very specific characteristics, and to virtual sensors. The paper proceeds then to detail three different real world examples of project pilots that make use of the described sensors, and draws a comparison between them. In particular, each scenario has got unique characteristics and prefers different families of sensors, but on the other hand provides similar characteristics on other aspects. In fact, the paper concludes with a discussion regarding how each scenario can benefit from PM and from advanced sensing. © 2018 IEEE.

Abstract
This communication describes research and development directions that are being explored for the creation of a maintenance system for home appliances. The solution will enable a faster and more accurate automation of after-sale services for home appliances. It will be based on three tiers: data acquisition, data analysis and business tiers. The communication provides a context for the work, both regarding the application area in general and the three tiers, and then describes the objectives of the system being designed.