Abstract
Computer Science degrees are often seen as challenging by students, especially in what concerns subjects such as programming, data structures or algorithms. Many reasons can be pointed out for this, some of which related to the abstract nature of these subjects and the lack of previous related knowledge by the students. In this paper we tackle this challenge using gamification in the teaching/learning process, with two main goals in mind. The first is to increase the intrinsic motivation of students to learn, by making the whole process more fun, enjoyable and competitive. The second is to facilitate the learning process by providing intuitive tools for the visualization of data structures and algorithmic output, together with a tool for automated assessment that decreases the dependence on the teacher and allows them to work more autonomously. We validated this approach over the course of three academic years in a Computer Science degree of the Polytechnic of Porto, Portugal, through the use of a questionnaire. Results show that the effects of using games and game elements have a generally positive effect on motivation and on the overall learning process.

Abstract
Although electric vehicle (EV) sales have been increasing over the years, worldwide EV adoption is still low. In Brazil, the key factors influencing this are the EV high acquisition cost and the reduced charging infrastructure. Therefore, traditional business models may not be adequate for Brazil and stagnate EV diffusion. Thus, designing innovative business models can be crucial to accelerate the transition to electric mobility in the region. In this way, this article aims to critically review business models for EV adoption and charging stations worldwide and discuss its application in Brazil. Then, the challenges and opportunities for some business model options are highlighted through the SWOT matrix. One can conclude that EV sharing is a promising business model for Brazil, given the series of advantages such as access to cutting-edge technology at an affordable price, reduction of vehicles on the streets, and given convenience for users (no concern with charging, EV degradation, and parking). However, public policies, subsidies, and coordination between different agents are crucial for the proliferation of this model. On the other hand, for the proposed CS models, the more traditional option is the less risky for investors in Brazil until the number of EVs increase.

Abstract

Abstract
Plants gather and process information about their surroundings to make decisions that prioritize their well-being while considering the environment. These decisions are conveyed through electrical signals within and between cells, mainly in the form of action and variation potentials, in response to stimuli, including mechanical vibrations, changes in temperature, light intensity, and humidity. Although the ability of some plants, such as the Mimosa pudica, to react to sudden environmental stimuli (e.g., touch) is well known, their long-term electrical response under slow environmental changes remains not fully understood. Here, a multi-source monitoring system has been developed to collect and store electrical signals from the plant Mimosa pudica, and surrounding environmental temperature and humidity, over a period of approximately 5 days. A realtime dashboard shows the environmental temperature and variation potential (VP) from Mimosa pudica. The VP mimics the environmental temperature changes, with an associated delay. Our long-term physiological observations suggest that environmental temperature sensing in the plant Mimosa pudica can be monitored and is likely driven by bioelectricity.

Abstract
The ongoing transition of the energy system towards being low-carbon, digitized and distributed is accelerating. Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) are playing a major role in this transition. These DERs can be aggregated and controlled by Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) to participate in energy markets and make full use of the potential of DERs. Many existing VPP models solely focus on the financial impact of aggregating DERs and do not consider the technical limitations of the distribution system. This may result in technically unfeasible solutions to DERs operations. This paper presents an expanded VPP model, termed the Technical Virtual Power Plant (TVPP), which explicitly considers the technical constraints of the network to provide operating schedules that are both economically beneficial to the DERs and technically feasible. The TVPP model is formulated as a bi-level sto-chastic mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) optimization model. Two objective functions are used, the upper level focuses on minimizing the amount of power imported into the TVPP from the external grid, while the lower level is concerned with optimally scheduling a mixture of DERs to increase the profit of the TVPP operator. The model considers three TVPPs and allows for energy trading among the TVPPs. The model is applied to several case studies based on the IEEE 119-node test system. Results show improved DERs operating schedules, improved system reliability and an increase in demand response engagement. Finally, energy trading among the TVPP is shown to further reduce the costs of the TVPP and power imported from the upstream electrical network.

Abstract
Accurate estimation of hand shape and position is an important task in various applications, such as human-computer interaction, human-robot interaction, and virtual and augmented reality. In this paper, it is proposed a method to estimate the hand keypoints from single and colored images utilizing the pre-trained deep convolutional neural networks VGG-16 and VGG-19. The method is evaluated on the FreiHAND dataset, and the performance of the two neural networks is compared. The best results were achieved by the VGG-19, with average estimation errors of 7.40 pixels and 11.36 millimeters for the best cases of two-dimensional and three-dimensional hand keypoints estimation, respectively.