Abstract
The Second Life platform unites various technologies: 3D virtual environments, virtual reality, Internet connection between participants and the possibility of customization of the three-dimensional content. It is a virtual collaborative environment that allows users to explore digital worlds and interact with others in real time. Increasingly, new peripherals to interact with virtual environments are emerging in the market, and good examples of this are 3Dconnexion's 3D controllers. These are designed to be easy to use, allowing users to zoom, move around in space and rotate 3D objects with a simple hand tap on the device. With this project we wanted to identify usability problems among 3Dconnexion's devices in Second Life 3D virtual environment. We created a usability test and implemented it. With its data we identified usability features of these 3D controllers.

Abstract
This work addresses software quality issues introduced by Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP). AOP aims at enhancing modularity and thus solving the problem of crosscutting concerns by capturing them into new units of modularity called aspects. With the increasing usage and acceptance of AOP, the task of assuring aspect-oriented systems' correctness has become a challenge, mainly due to its nature. Although several testing techniques have been applied and improved for object-oriented programs through the years, there is still the problem of selecting and verifying which ones can be effectively applied to AOP. This paper presents a perspective on how AOP can improve quality (when applied correctly), identifies a set of key testing issues that arise with AOP and presents weaknesses and strengths of the existing solutions to improve quality in AOP.

Abstract
Within the development of motor vehicles, crash safety is one of the most important attributes. To comply with the ever increasing requirements of shorter cycle times and costs reduction, car manufacturers keep intensifying the use of virtual development tools, such as, for crash simulations, the explicit finite element method (FEM). The accuracy of the simulation process is highly dependent on the accuracy of the model, including the midplane mesh. One of the roughest approximations typically made is the actual part thickness which, although most frequently modelled as a constant value, can, in reality, vary locally. Availability of per element thickness information, which does not exist explicitly in the FEM model, is one key enabler and can significantly contribute to an improved crash simulation quality, especially regarding fracture prediction. Although not explicitly available, thickness can be inferred from the original CAD geometric model through geometric calculations. This paper proposes and compares two thickness estimation algorithms based on ray tracing and nearest neighbour 3D range searches. A systematic quantitative analysis of the accuracy of both algorithms is presented, as well as a thorough identification of particular geometric arrangements under which their accuracy can be compared. These results enable the identification of each technique's weaknesses and hint towards a new, integrated, approach to the problem that linearly combines the estimates produced by each algorithm.

Abstract
To understand the importance of technologies like the Internet and Learning Management Systems to Higher Education students' learning activities, this study characterizes the Internet access behaviour of Polytechnic of Porto (IPP)' students. Student's habits were obtained through a questionnaire that was answered by 10% of all IPP students. Our analysis is focused not only on the global Internet usage profile under the Polytechnic of Porto, but also on the differences between the students born before and after 1980. International trends are confirmed in this Portuguese Higher Education institution.

Abstract
Until recent years most research involving the capture and analysis of biometric and/or physiological signals have been limited to a laboratory or otherwise controlled environment. Wearable technologies introduced a refinement to personal signal capturing by permitting a long-term onperson approach. Sensors, integrated circuits, textile integration and other elements are directly responsible for advancements in this area; however, in spite of the present progress there are still a number of obstacles to overcome for truly achieving seamless wearable monitoring technology (WMT). This article presents an overview of a generic monitoring systems architecture based on designs found in recent literature and commercially available solutions. A custom implementation based on commercially available components and evaluation boards is also presented, including some obtained data in varying body locations and/or activities. © 2010 IEEE.

Abstract