Abstract
This work performs a comparative analysis of battery energy storage system (BESS) participation in the multi-services electricity market, considering the optimal operating cost and better profitability for the BESS portfolios. A comparison of the application of these portfolios in different market conditions is proposed: (i) energy-only market, (ii) reserve-only market, (iii) sequential energy and reserve market, and (vi) joint energy and reserve market. For each BESS portfolio, hourly strategies for buying and selling offers are proposed, to maximize the revenue, accounting for the expected load and generation variations in the grid. The analysis of the BESS strategies is carried out through a case study based on actual generation data, where operating costs and BESS flexibility are assessed. One conclusion is that, even though, BESS makes a profit by participating in single markets, the best strategy is to participate in both energy and reserve markets, especially in the presence of a joint energy and reserve market model.

Abstract
The use of a mobile sink in wireless sensor networks has been a game changing to enable the development of smart cities applications. The mobility feature allows more effective data gathering and energy saving in the network, since the sink can be closer to source nodes, which could activate their radios only when the sink approximates. Doing so, more efficient settings can be achieved when configuring and deploying sensor nodes for a myriad of applications. However, this mobility-centric strategy can generate applications scenarios with large delays when sensor networks are monitoring the environment, which may result in considerable data losses in critical applications. To cope with that, this paper proposes an algorithm to dynamically plan the repositioning of a single mobile sink within distributed sensing applications. The algorithm considers dependability requirements associated with network connectivity, operability, and energy consumption, implicitly minimizing the energy-hole problem and connectivity issues. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate how the can be applied to move the sink through the network meeting dependability requirements. © 2022 IEEE.

Abstract

Abstract
To decrease the IoT attack surface and provide protection against security threats such as introduction of fake IoT nodes and identity theft, IoT requires scalable device identity and authentication management. This work proposes a blockchain-based identity management approach with consensus authentication as a scalable solution for IoT device authentication management. The proposed approach relies on having a blockchain secure tamper proof ledger and a novel lightweight consensus-based identity authentication. The results show that the proposed decentralised authentication system is scalable as we increase number of nodes.

Abstract
Hereditary Amyloidosis associated with variant Transthyretin (ATTRv Amyloidosis) is a progressive and highly disabling neurological disorder that affects gait. Quantitative motion analysis is useful for assessing motor function, including gait, in diseases affecting movement. A single markerless RGB-D camera enables 3D full-body motion capture in a less expensive and intrusive, and more portable way than multi-camera marker-based systems. In this study, we examine whether a gait analysis system based on an RGB-D camera can be used to detect significant changes in the gait of ATTRv amyloidosis patients over time, when compared with a 12-camera system. We acquired 3D data provided by both systems from six ATTRv amyloidosis patients, while performing a simple gait task, once (T0) and 18 months later (T1). A direct comparison of systems has already been conducted. In this work, however, for each patient, we investigated if the RGB-D camera system detects statistically significant differences between the two different acquisitions in a similar way to the reference system, and whether it is reliable to use during patients' follow-up. The obtained results show that the differences detected between T0 and T1 for both systems follow the same tendency for 65% of the spatiotemporal gait parameters, and for 38% of the kinematic parameters (38%). The most reliable parameters were: stride duration/length, gait speed (and its variability), and arm/foot swing velocity, all with an almost perfect strength of agreement.

Abstract
Bloch Surface Waves (BSW) consist of electromagnetic modes generated at the interface between a photonic crystal and an isotropic dielectric. This type of surface mode displays sharp resonances and high sensitivity to external refractive index variations, and thus appears to be an ideal candidate for usage in optical sensors. Nevertheless, design and optimization of photonic crystals is not a trivial task and constitutes an ongoing field of research. The sensitivity of BSW in both refractometric and adsorption sensing is calculated analytically using first-order perturbation theory for TE modes, allowing the understanding of how several physical parameters of the photonic crystal influence the sensitivity. Preliminary experimental results are presented, which aim to use the analytical calculations to allow for both refractometric and adsorption sensing in a single photonic crystal structure. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.