Abstract
The oceans are abundant in natural diversity, minerals and energy resources, and there is an urgent need for a better understanding of its ecosystems and dynamics. The Synchronous Oceanic and Atmospheric Data Acquisition (SONDA) Project intends to contribute to better atmospheric and oceanic modelling and monitoring by launching High-Altitude Balloons (HAB) equipped with atmospheric and deep-sea probes to be released in oceanic areas of interest. This work reports the development and validation of three different probes: 1) atmospheric monitoring with APRS communications to be launched by HAB; 2) oceanographic monitoring; and 3) deep-sea monitoring with satellite communications. All probes were preliminarily tested in a semi-controlled fluvial environment, and posteriorly in real field conditions in the Azores Islands, Portugal. During the campaign, the Atmospheric probe was launched by HAB and its communications were tested with fixed and mobile ground stations, the oceanographic probe was deployed for three days to monitor the effect of a geothermal spring in the sea and the deep-sea probe was released into the Atlantic Ocean.

Abstract
The ocean has a huge impact on our way of life; therefore, there is a need to monitor and protect its biodiversity [...].

Abstract
Bone cements based on poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) are primarily used in joint replacement surgeries. In the fixation of joint replacement, the self-curing cement fills constitutes a very important interface. To under-stand and improve the interaction between cortical bone and bone cement it is essential to characterize the mechanical properties of cement-bone bonded joints in full detail. In this study, the end-notched flexure test was used in the context of pure mode II fracture characterisation of cement-bone bonded joints. A data reduction scheme based on crack equivalent concept was employed to overcome the difficulties inherent to crack length monitoring during damage propagation. A finite element method combined with a cohesive zone model was first used to validate numerically the adopted method. The procedure was subsequently applied to experimental results to determine the fracture toughness of cement-bone bonded joints under pure mode II loading. The consistency of the obtained results leads to the conclusion that the adopted procedure is adequate to carry out fracture characterisation of these joints under pure mode II loading. The innovative aspect of the present work lies in the application of cohesive zone modelling approach to PMMA-based cement-bone bonded joints.

Abstract
Biofouling is the major factor that limits long-term monitoring studies with automated optical instruments. Protection of the sensing areas, surfaces, and structural housing of the sensors must be considered to deliver reliable data without the need for cleaning or maintenance. In this work, we present the design and field validation of different techniques for biofouling protection based on different housing materials, biocides, and transparent coatings. Six optical turbidity probes were built using polylactic acid (PLA), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), PLA with copper filament, ABS coated with PDMS, ABS coated with epoxy and ABS assembled with a system for in situ chlorine production. The probes were deployed in the sea for 48 days and their anti-biofouling efficiency was evaluated using the results of the field experiment, visual inspections, and calibration signal loss after the tests. The PLA and ABS were used as samplers without fouling protection. The probe with chlorine production outperformed the other techniques, providing reliable data during the in situ experiment. The copper probe had lower performance but still retarded the biological growth. The techniques based on transparent coatings, epoxy, and PDMS did not prevent biofilm formation and suffered mostly from micro-biofouling.

Abstract
To produce more food and tackle the labor scarcity, agriculture needs safer robots for repetitive and unsafe tasks (such as spraying). The interaction between humans and robots presents some challenges to ensure a certifiable safe collaboration between human-robot, a reliable system that does not damage goods and plants, in a context where the environment is mostly dynamic, due to the constant environment changes. A well-known solution to this problem is the implementation of real-time collision avoidance systems. This paper presents a global overview about state of the art methods implemented in the agricultural environment that ensure human-robot collaboration according to recognised industry standards. To complement are addressed the gaps and possible specifications that need to be clarified in future standards, taking into consideration the human-machine safety requirements for agricultural autonomous mobile robots.

Abstract
This paper addresses the localization of an unsynchronized acoustic source using a single receiver and a synthetic baseline. The enclosed work was applied in a real search of an electric glider that was lost at sea and later recovered, using the described approach. The search procedure is presented along with the localization methods and a metric based on the eigenvalues of the Fisher Information Matrix is used to quantify the expected uncertainty of the estimate.