Abstract
Current generation of computing platforms is embracing multi-core and many-core processors to improve the overall performance of the system, meeting at the same time the stringent energy budgets requested by the market. Parallel programming languages are nowadays paramount to extracting the tremendous potential offered by these platforms: parallel computing is no longer a niche in the high performance computing (HPC) field, but an essential ingredient in all domains of computer science. The advent of next-generation many-core embedded platforms has the chance of intercepting a converging need for predictable high-performance coming from both the High-Performance Computing (HPC) and Embedded Computing (EC) domains. On one side, new kinds of HPC applications are being required by markets needing huge amounts of information to be processed within a bounded amount of time. On the other side, EC systems are increasingly concerned with providing higher performance in real-time, challenging the performance capabilities of current architectures. This converging demand raises the problem about how to guarantee timing requirements in presence of parallel execution. The paper presents how the time-criticality and parallelisation challenges are addressed by merging techniques coming from both HPC and EC domains, and provides an overview of the proposed framework to achieve these objectives.

Abstract
In this paper a novel battery electric vehicle (BEV) concept based on a small fixed and a big swappable li-ion battery pack is proposed in order to achieve: longer range, lower initial purchase price and lower energy consumption at short ranges. For short ranges the BEV is only powered by the relatively small fixed battery pack, without the large swappable battery pack. In this way the mass of the vehicle is reduced and therefore the energy consumed per unit distance is improved. For higher ranges the BEV is powered by both battery packs. This concept allows the introduction of subscription-based ownership models to distribute the cost of the large battery pack over the vehicle lifetime. A methodology is proposed for the analysis and evaluation of the proposed concept in comparison with a direct owned non swappable single pack BEV, proving that significant improvements on city fuel economy (up to 20 %) and economic benefits are achievable under several scenarios. These results encourage further study of battery swapping service plans and energy management strategies.

Abstract
This paper describes outdoor field measurements in television white spaces (TVWS) carried out in Munich, Germany. Fixed and mobile measurements in rural, sub-urban and urban scenarios showed that the modified Hata model is appropriate to describe the path loss over distances up to few kilometers, and may be used in the process to populate a geo-location database.

Abstract

Abstract
The present work addresses the development of a smart orchard irrigation system (SOIS) that performs the estimation of orchard evapotranspiration and the estimation of the soil salinization risk. Measurements of heat transfer are made to compute tree transpiration rate and soil water evaporation. The soil electrical conductivity is measured to compute the soil salinization risk. An inferential fuzzy algorithm is used to process data. This paper describes the physical principles underlining these estimations, the architecture of the data acquisition interface, and the construction and characterization of the probes used to perform the temperature measurements. The preliminary results shown here address the experimental evaluation of the performance of the probes inserted in the trees. Relative measurements with a precision of 0.2 degrees C were obtained which are in agreement with the minimum required for these applications.

Abstract
Social media has become one of the most prolific felds for interchange of multidisciplinary expertise. In this paper, computer science, communication and management are brought together for the development of a sound strategic content analysis, in the Higher Education Sector. The authors present a study comprised of two stages: analysis of SM content and corresponding audience engagement according to a weighted scale, and a classification of content strategies, which builds on different noticeable articulations of editorial areas among organizations. Their approach is based on an automatic classification of content according to a predefned editorial model. The proposed methodology and research results offer academic and practical fndings for organizations striving on social media.