Abstract
In this paper, we investigate the applicability of Electrocardiogram (ECG) signals for human identification. Wavelet Transform (WT) and Independent Component Analysis (ICA) methods are applied to extract morphological features that appear to offer excellent discrimination among subjects. The proposed method is aimed at the two-lead ECG configuration that is routinely used in long-term continuous monitoring of heart activity. The information from the two ECG leads is fused to achieve improved subject identification. The proposed method was tested on three public ECG databases, namely, MIT-BIH Arrhythmias Database [1], MIT-BIH Normal Sinus Rhythm Database [2] and Long-Term ST Database [3], in order to evaluate the proposed subject identification method on normal ECG signals as well as ECG signals with arrhythmias. Excellent rank-1 recognition rates (as high as 99.6%) were achieved based on single heartbeats. The proposed method exhibits good identification accuracies not just with the normal ECG signals, but also in the presence of various arrhythmias. This work adds to the growing evidence that ECG signals can be useful for human identification. © 2010 IEEE.

Abstract
The estimation of 1 dB compression and third-order intercept points can be obtained after the cross-correlation between dynamic current and output voltage of radio frequency power amplifiers. Estimation is performed using power measures and not power inferred from voltage measures. The underlining theory and a correlator that allows implementing this measurement on-chip are presented. The trade-off between measuring voltage or the actual power is also discussed. It is also shown that different information concerning the output load is obtained when observing the PA's output voltage and power. Simulation results, obtained with the model of a prototype demonstration chip show that good accuracy can be obtained with relatively simple measurement conditions. These results include the analysis of optimum stimuli amplitudes and the effect of noise in estimation accuracy. © 2010 IEEE.

Abstract
The aim of this work is to implement an adaptive PID SISO feedback control to obtain a fine adjustment of an electric vehicle (EV) driving system. Our research work is done under different operating conditions, namely, variable battery voltage and variable load. A comparison between conventional and adaptive PID algorithms is established when they are applied to the above mentioned conditions. Experimental results indicate that the adaptive PID controller leads to a faster response and a better stability. Furthermore, the adaptive PID controller follows a given reference velocity faster and more smoothly than the conventional PID controller.

Abstract
The web benchmarking systems broadly used in the construction industry (CI) are designed to provide results based on key performance indicators (KPIs). No insights concerning organization overall performance and improvements targets are available. This research aims to fulfill this gap using data envelopment analysis (DEA) as a method to complement the information provided by a set of KPIs. The methodology proposed is useful to all organizations involved in benchmarking routines. To enable a more realistic assessment of CI companies, two types of DEA models were used, one allows factor weights to vary freely and the other includes weight restrictions. These models assign an efficiency score to each organization, identifying efficient organizations and providing performance improvements targets for the others. To enable suggesting targets for all organizations, expert opinion was used to specify virtual units which were included in the efficiency assessment to define a practical frontier located beyond the productivity levels of the original DEA frontier. Based on a sample of 20 Portuguese leading contractors, the Portuguese web benchmarking system for CI, icBench, was used to demonstrate the advantages of integrating the DEA method with KPIs benchmark scores.

Abstract
Nowadays, tourists are increasingly thirsty for information on anything that surrounds him. With the Information Communication Technologies (ICT) evolution that supports the ubiquity, it is necessary to rethink the available models of information and services to tourists. With the evolution of mobile devices, with wireless access, together with the decreasing of the network traffic costs and with the increasing number of access points of wireless access, becomes more common and attractive. Therefore, in this paper we present an analysis of the state of the art of the support applications for tourists for mobile environments, setting them according to the development technologies. In addition, it is also presented a suitable framework to support the tourist's needs based on a ubiquitous approach.

Abstract
This paper describes a Viticulture Service-Oriented Framework (VSOF) which turns around context elements or tags that are placed in the field and which can be decoded by mobile devices such as mobile phones or PDAs. The tags are used to automatically associate a field location to the relevant database tables or records and also to access contextual information or services. By pointing a mobile device to a tag, the viticulturalist may download data such as climatic data or upload information such as disease and pest incidence in a simple way, without having to provide coordinates or any other references, and without having to return to a central office This work is part of an effort to implement a large-scale distributed cooperative network in the Douro Demarcated Region in Northeast Portugal, a region in which the effort makes particular sense due to the extremely variable topography and mesoclimates The possibility of exchanging contextualized information and accessing contextualized services in the field, using well-known devices such as cell phones, may contribute to increase the rate of adoption of information technology in viticulture, and contribute to more efficient and closer-to-the-crops practices.