Abstract
Directed Energy Deposition (DED) is a free-form metal additive manufacturing process characterized as toolless, flexible, and energy-efficient compared to traditional processes. However, it is a complex system with a highly dynamic nature that presents challenges for modeling and optimization due to its multiphysics and multiscale characteristics. Additionally, multiple factors such as different machine setups and materials require extensive testing through single-track depositions, which can be time and resource-intensive. Single-track experiments are the foundation for establishing optimal initial parameters and comprehensively characterizing bead geometry, ensuring the accuracy and efficiency of computer-aided design and process quality validation. We digitized a DED setup using the Robot Operating System (ROS 2) and employed a thermal camera for real-time monitoring and evaluation to streamline the experimentation process. With the laser power and velocity as inputs, we optimized the dimensions and stability of the melt pool and evaluated different objective functions and approaches using a Response Surface Model (RSM). The three-objective approach achieved better rewards in all iterations and, when implemented in areal setup, allowed to reduce the number of experiments and shorten setup time. Our approach can minimize waste, increase the quality and reliability of DED, and enhance and simplify human-process interaction by leveraging the collaboration between human knowledge and model predictions.

Abstract
In nature, and particularly in agriculture, pollination is fundamental for the sustainability of our society. In this context, pollination is a vital process underlying crop yield quality and is responsible for the biodiversity and the standards of the flora. Bees play a crucial role in natural pollination; however, their populations are declining. Robots can help maintain pollination levels while humans work to recover bee populations. Swarm robotics approaches appear promising for robotic pollination. This paper proposes the cooperation between multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), leveraging the advantages of collaborative work for pollination, referred to as Pollinationbots. Pollinationbots is based in swarm behaviors and methodologies to implement more effective pollination strategies, ensuring efficient pollination across various scenarios. The paper presents the architecture of the Pollinationbots system, which was evaluated using the Webots simulator, focusing on path planning and follower behavior. Preliminary simulation results indicate that this is a viable solution for robotic pollination. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.

Abstract
With the global population on the rise and a declining agricultural labor force, the realm of robotics research in agriculture, such as robotic manipulators, has assumed heightened significance. This article undertakes a comprehensive exploration of the latest advancements in controllers tailored for robotic manipulators. The investigation encompasses an examination of six distinct controller paradigms, complemented by the presentation of three exemplars for each category. These paradigms encompass: (i) adaptive control, (ii) sliding mode control, (iii) model predictive control, (iv) robust control, (v) fuzzy logic control and (vi) neural network control. The article further introduces and presents comparative tables for each controller category. These controllers excel in tracking trajectories and efficiently reaching reference points with rapid convergence. The key point of divergence among these controllers resides in their inherent complexity.

Abstract
With the serious danger to nature and humanity that forest fires are, taken into consideration, this work aims to develop an artificial intelligence model capable of accurately predicting the forest fire risk in a certain region based on four different factors: temperature, wind speed, rain and humidity. Thus, three models were created using three different approaches: Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Random Forest (RF), and K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), and making use of an Algerian forest fire dataset. The ANN and RF both achieved high accuracy results of 97%, while the KNN achieved a slightly lower average of 91%. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.

Abstract
Yield forecasting is of immeasurable value in modern viticulture to optimize harvest scheduling and quality management. The number of inflorescences and flowers per vine is one of the main components and their assessment serves as an early predictor, which can explain up to 85-90% of yield variability. This study introduces a sophisticated framework that integrates the benchmark of different advanced deep learning and classic image processing to automate the segmentation of grapevine inflorescences and the detection of single flowers, to achieve precise, early, and non-invasive yield predictions in viticulture. The YOLOv8n model achieved superior performance in localizing inflorescences ( F1-Score (Box) = 95.9%) and detecting individual flowers (F1-Score = 91.4%), while the YOLOv5n model excelled in the segmentation task ( F1-Score (Mask) = 98.6%). The models demonstrated a strong correlation (R-2 > 90.0%) between detected and visible flowers in inflorescences. A statistical analysis confirmed the robustness of the framework, with the YOLOv8 model once again standing out, showing no significant differences in error rates across diverse grapevine morphologies and varieties, ensuring wide applicability. The results demonstrate that these models can significantly improve the accuracy of early yield predictions, offering a noninvasive, scalable solution for Precision Viticulture. The findings underscore the potential for Computer Vision technology to enhance vineyard management practices, leading to better resource allocation and improved crop quality.

Abstract
Reliable operation of production lines without unscheduled disruptions is of paramount importance for ensuring the proper operation of automated working cells involving robotic systems. This article addresses the issue of preventing disruptions to an automotive production line that can arise from incorrect placement of aluminum car parts by a human operator in a feeding container with 4 indexing pins for each part. The detection of the misplaced parts is critical for avoiding collisions between the containers and a high pressure washing machine and also to avoid collisions between the parts and a robotic arm that is feeding parts to a air leakage inspection machine. The proposed inspection system relies on a 3D sensor for scanning the parts inside a container and then estimates the 6 DoF pose of the container followed by an analysis of the overlap percentage between each part reference point cloud and the 3D sensor data. When the overlap percentage is below a given threshold, the part is considered as misplaced and the operator is alerted to fix the part placement in the container. The deployment of the inspection system on an automotive production line for 22 weeks has shown promising results by avoiding 18 hours of disruptions, since it detected 407 containers having misplaced parts in 4524 inspections, from which 12 were false negatives, while no false positives were reported, which allowed the elimination of disruptions to the production line at the cost of manual reinspection of 0.27% of false negative containers by the operator.