Public entities driven robotic innovation in urban areas

Cities present new challenges and needs to satisfy and improve lifestyle for their citizens under the concept “Smart City”. In order to achieve this goal in a global manner, new technologies are required as the robotic one. But Public entities unknown the possibilities offered by this technology to get solutions to their needs. In this paper the development of the Innovative Public Procurement instruments is explained, specifically the process PDTI (Public end Users Driven Technological Innovation) as a driving force of robotic research and development and offering a list of robotic urban challenges proposed by European cities that have participated in such a process. In the next phases of the procedure, this fact will provide novel robotic solutions addressed to public demand that are an example to be followed by other Smart Cities.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Smart Cities Initiative: how to foster a quick transition towards local sustainable energy systems

The European Commission has recently launched the Smart Cities Initiative to demonstrate and disseminate how to foster a quick transition towards local sustainable energy systems. Within this initiative, the three main challenges faced by pioneering cities, are to reduce or modify the demand for energy services, to improve the uptake of energy efficient technologies and to improve the uptake of renewables in the urban environment. We find that enough resources will need to be provided to a significant number of pioneering cities, and propose that the initiative would allocate these resources through project competition, rewarding innovation, ambition and performance, which have been ingredients of success at Member State level.Smart Cities; sustainable local energy systems; city authority incentives; EU energy policy

Overcoming non-determinism in testing smart devices: how to build models of device behaviour

Justification of smart instruments has become an important topic in the nuclear industry. In practice, however, the publicly available artefacts are often the only source of information about the device. Therefore, in many cases independent black-box testing may be the only way to increase the confidence in the device. In this paper we provide a set of recommendations, which we consider to be the best practices for performing black-box assessments. We present our method of testing smart instruments, in which we use the publicly available artefacts only. We present a test harness and describe a method of test automation. We focus on the analysis of test results, which is made particularly complex by the inherent non determinism in the testing of analogue devices. In the paper we analyse the sources of non-determinism, which for instance may arise from inaccuracy in an analogue measurement made by the device when two alternative actions are possible. We propose three alternative ideas on how to build models of device behaviour, which can cope with this kind of non-determinism. We compare and contrast these three solutions, and express our recommendations. Finally, we use a case study, in which a black box assessment of two similar smart instruments is performed to illustrate the differences between the solutions

The role of cities in cohesion policy 2014-2020

Urban regions are an important factor in regional development. During the 2007-2013 programming period, the main input provided by cities and urban areas was at project level. For the 2014-2020 programming period, Cohesion policy enhances the role of urban areas. Nevertheless, in practice the role of cities still seems similar in scale. As the programming phase is almost completed, there is now limited scope for further influence on the design of the new programmes. The next opportunity to involve cities will be as part of partnerships during the programming perio

How to stay a smart city? Inspiration from a place-based spatial policy in Ghent: working together with local, smart citizens

Spatial planning in Europe and in Flanders is changing fundamentally. In the Europe 2020 strategy (2010-2020) Europe introduced the idea of a ‘place-based approach’ as an alternative or addition to traditional spatial planning. It refers to the context-dependent nature of efficiency and equity problems that the policy deals with, and to the fact that design of integrated interventions must be tailored to places, as it largely depends on the knowledge and preferences of the people living in it. Nevertheless, little research has examined the use of the place-based approach in Flanders. In this paper the place-based approach, also called area development, is referred to as a proactive planning approach, characterized by an intensive coordination of initiators, plans and projects in one specific area, in order to implement the plans and projects in the field. Participating with citizens in planning processes is not new. In general, we can distinguish three generations in citizen participation: from consultation by the authorities, to co-creation initiated by the authorities, and recently to citizen initiatives which are only supported and stimulated by the authorities. This paper reports results from a case-study in Ghent, Flanders. Within the neighbourhood around the main railway-station inhabitants and the local government are working together to create a new concept for the area, and are co-realising these new ideas in the field. We found earlier that authorities have been experimenting with place-based planning in Flanders for several years, but that results, actors and instruments differ. The new insight from the local, urban case in Ghent can be used to develop future place-based planning, programs and projects in Flanders and in cities within Flanders

Farmers and farmers’ associations in developing countries and their use of modern financial instruments

This paper starts with an overview of the current literature on the cost of price risk exposure to developing country farmers. It then discusses market-based price risk management instruments (such as futures and options) that can be used by farmers, as well as various mechanisms through which farmers' associations can facilitate farmers' access to price risk management tools as well as lower-cost financing (using warehouse receipt finance, repos and other structured financings). The experiences with use of such modern financial tools by farmers in several developing countries (Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Uganda) are described. The report concludes with a discussion of the practicalities of farmers' associations starting to use such financial instruments, including the potential of new technologies such as smart cards.farmers structured finance warehouse receipts price risk management

Space optical instruments optimisation thanks to CMOS image sensor technology

Today, both CCD and CMOS sensors can be envisaged for nearly all visible sensors and instruments designed for space needs. Indeed, detectors built with both technologies allow excellent electro-optics performances to be reached, the selection of the most adequate device being driven by their functional and technological features and limits. The first part of the paper presents electro-optics characterisation results of CMOS Image Sensors (CIS) built with an optimised CMOS process, demonstrating the large improvements of CIS electro-optics performances. The second part reviews the advantages of CMOS technology for space applications, illustrated by examples of CIS developments performed by EADS Astrium and Supaéro/CIMI for current and short term coming space programs

Universal Arduino-based experimenting system to support teaching of natural sciences

The rapid evolution of intelligent electronic devices makes information technology, computer science and electronics strongly related to the teaching of natural sciences. Today almost everybody has a smart phone that can convert light, temperature, movement, sound to numbers, therefore all these can be processed, analysed, displayed, stored, shared by software applications. The fundamental question is how education can follow this knowledge and how can education take its advantages. Components and methods of modern technology are available for education also, teachers and students can play with parts and tools which were previously used only by engineers. A good example is the very popular Arduino board which is practically an industrial microcontroller whose pins are wired to easy-to-use connectors on a printed circuit board. In this paper we show a universal system which we have developed for the Arduino platform to support experimenting and understanding of the most fundamental principles of the operation of modern devices. We show our related educational concept and discuss the most important features of the system. Open source hardware and software are available and we provide a number of video tutorials as well