Abstract

Abstract
Mobile Sensor Networks based on connected vehicles and smart phones are poised to become key enablers in the development of sustainable and intelligent transportation systems in urban environments. By gathering and processing massive amounts of data in real-time, this form of information and communication infrastructure can be instrumental towards improving traffic flow, reducing carbon emissions and promoting multi-modal mobility and enhanced coordination among public transit systems. We propose a system architecture for a Massive Multi-Sensor Urban Scanner capable of acquiring large quantities of real-time information from a vast variety of sources and sending the data to a back-end data processing cloud using multiple communication interfaces. Requirements, technical challenges, design choices and first results are explained in detail based on a prototype that is currently being deployed in Porto, Portugal.

Abstract
The complexity of interactions governing the coordination of loosely-coupled services, which forms the core of current software, brought behavioural issues up to the front of architectural concerns. This paper takes such a challenge seriously by lifting typical behaviour modelling techniques to the specification of both types and instances of architectural patterns in which the later ones are connected by ports that behave according to a water flow metaphor. A specific language is introduced for this purpose as well as a translator to mCRL2 so that the simulation and analysis techniques available in the corresponding toolset can be used to reason about (the behavioural layer of) software architectures. The approach is illustrated in a few examples. Copyright 2011 ACM.

Abstract
The global industry is currently facing a growing increase in the competitiveness that forces companies to adopt and develop new strategies and methods of production. Therefore, one of the most relevant challenges in manufacturing engineering is innovatively integrating Product, Process and Factory dimensions and life cycles, in a holistic approach, from design to recycling/disposal and reuse. The challenge faced here is the synchronization and simultaneous generation of all three-domain models by integrating manufacturing engineering knowledge into the early stage of the modelling and planning processes. The next generation of factories has to be modular, scalable, flexible, open, agile and knowledge-based in order to be able to adapt, in real time, to the continuously changing market demands, technology options and regulations. Therefore, integration, flexibility and efficiency requirements and the ability to simulate the production life cycle of a factory play a crucial role in decreasing ramp-up and design times. Furthermore they play a crucial role in improving the performance in the evaluation and reconfiguration of new or existing facilities, in supporting management decisions and providing tools that can guarantee real-time performance monitoring. Therefore, it is necessary to research and implement the underlying models and ideas during the foundation stage of a new conceptual framework, which is designed to be implemented in the next generation of factories. This will be supported by suitable Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and digital infrastructures and should lay down the foundations for future applications in this research area the industrial paradigm of "Factory as a Product". In line with the context presented here, we propose the development of factory templates to address the design and operation practices throughout the entire life cycle of the factory. Different dimensions of the factory templates are presented in this paper; they cover the design and creation of the factory, its remodelling and even the disassembly and recycling stages. This entire study takes into account relevant factors such as costs, quality, time, flexibility, environmental and social issues and energy efficiency. Throughout the article, different kinds of models are presented, which describe and adjust the structure of the analysis, design and development of a factory integration project that helps provide a formal analysis of the system. Furthermore, templates integrating the factory's response to internal and external disturbances will also be developed.

Abstract
This work describes a large-core air-clad photonic crystal fibre-based sensing structure that is sensitive to refractive index, temperature and strain. The sensing head is based on multimodal interference, and relies on a single mode - large-core air-clad photonic crystal fibre - single mode fibre configuration. Using two distinct large-core air-clad PCF geometries it is possible to obtain an optical spectrum with two dominant loss bands, at wavelengths that have different sensitivities to physical parameters. This characteristic is explored to demonstrate a sensing head that permits the strain-temperature discrimination functionality. It is also shown the large-core air-clad photonic crystal fibre can be applied to implement a sensing head sensitive to the water refractive index changes induced by temperature variations.

Abstract
Ubiquitous Internet access is becoming a major requirement for end-users due to the increasing number of services and applications supported over the Internet. Extending the coverage of current Wi-Fi infrastructures installed in companies, universities and cities, has been considered a solution to help in fulfilling this requirement, namely when it comes to wireless and nomadic Internet access. This paper describes and analyses a new and simple solution, called Wi-Fi network Infrastructure eXtension (WiFIX), aimed at extending current Wi-Fi infrastructures. WiFIX is based on standard IEEE 802.1D bridges and a single-message protocol that is able to self-organize the network, and it only requires software changes in IEEE 802.11 access points (APs); no changes to IEEE 802.11 stations are needed. Overhead analysis and experimental results show both the higher efficiency of the solution compared to the IEEE 802.11s draft standard and its good performance as far as data throughput, delay and packet loss are concerned. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.