The Internet of Things: the future or the end of mechatronics.

The advent and increasing implementation of user configured and user oriented systems structured around the use of cloud configured information and the Internet of Things is presenting a new range and class of challenges to the underlying concepts of integration and transfer of functionality around which mechatronics is structured. It is suggested that the ways in which system designers and educators in particular respond to and manage these changes and challenges is going to have a significant impact on the way in which both the Internet of Things and mechatronics develop over time. The paper places the relationship between the Internet of Things and mechatronics into perspective and considers the issues and challenges facing systems designers and implementers in relation to managing the dynamics of the changes required

A study of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) in Dublin Port in conjunction with the Intelligent Transport for Dynamic Environment (InTraDE) Project

In the last four decades the container as an essential part of a unit load-concept has achieved authentic importance in international sea freight transportation. With ever increasing containerization the number of port container terminals and competition among them has become quite remarkable. Port container operations are nowadays unthinkable without effective and efficient use of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) (Steenken & Stahlbock, 2004). The main problem in handling increasing levels of cargo is managing the internal traffic and optimizing space inside smaller and medium sized ports. A gap exists between automated cargo handling equipment that is suitable for use in the larger container terminals such as Rotterdam and its suitability in smaller terminals such as Dublin. A new generation of cargo handling technology has been designed in the form of an Intelligent Autonomous Vehicle (IAV). The IAV is a clean, safe, intelligent vehicle which will contribute to improving the traffic management and space optimization inside confined space by developing a clean, safe and intelligent transport system. This technology has been designed and developed as part of the ‘InTraDE’ (Intelligent Transport for Dynamic Environment) project to which the research has contributed. By using ITSs, logistics operations could be improved by enhancing the exchange of information and real-time status updates regarding different business operations in different modes of transportation (Schumacher et al., 2011). Maritime transport has recently gained increased attention, especially in connection to the building and further development of ITS (Pietrzykowski, 2010). This research looks at the main logistic processes and operations in port container terminals. It discusses the extent to which the terminal shipping operators in Dublin Port currently meet the demands of their customers and whether the introduction of ITS could enhance the efficiency and productivity of such services

Abschlussbericht des Forschungsprojekts "Broker für Dynamische Produktionsnetzwerke"

Der Broker für dynamische Produktionsnetzwerke (DPNB) ist ein vom Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) gefördertes und durch den Projektträger Karlsruhe (PTKA) betreutes Forschungsprojekt zwischen sieben Partnern aus Wissenschaft und Wirtschaft mit einer Laufzeit von Januar 2019 bis einschließlich Dezember 2021. Über den Einsatz von Cloud Manufacturing sowie Hard- und Software-Komponenten bei den teilnehmenden Unternehmen, sollen Kapazitätsanbieter mit Kapazitätsnachfrager verbunden werden. Handelbare Kapazitäten sind in diesem Falle Maschinen-, sowie Transport- und Montagekapazitäten, um Supply Chains anhand des Anwendungsfalls der Blechindustrie möglichst umfassend abzubilden. Der vorliegende Abschlussbericht fasst den Stand der Technik sowie die Erkenntnisse aus dem Projekt zusammen. Außerdem wird ein Überblick über die Projektstruktur sowie die Projektpartner gegeben

E-commerce: a influência da confiança na intenção de compra online

Dissertação apresentada à Escola Superior de Comunicação Social como requisito parcial para obtenção de grau de mestre em Publicidade e Marketing.A Internet constitui-se hoje como um canal de compras fulcral cujo crescimento se regista tanto em número de utilizadores como em volume de vendas. O seu contínuo crescimento contribuiu para que as empresas compreendessem a possibilidade da sua utilização como meio de realizar negócios e modificassem a forma como desempenham as suas atividades económicas, contribuindo para o crescimento do comércio eletrónico. O e-commerce beneficiou dos contínuos desenvolvimentos registados na Internet e da democratização do acesso à rede, crescendo a nível internacional, sendo igualmente observável um franco crescimento a nível nacional. No âmbito do comércio eletrónico, a confiança assume um papel de destaque, desempenhando um papel determinante na medida em que tem a capacidade de influenciar as intenções de compra dos consumidores. É neste contexto que se inseriu a presente investigação que, partindo da questão “Qual a influência da confiança na intenção de compra online?” examinou a relação existente entre estes dois constructos no contexto do comércio B2C em Portugal, área que ainda carece de estudos a nível nacional. No presente estudo foi ainda investigada a contribuição de seis dos antecedentes da confiança na construção da mesma: perceção de incerteza, perceção de risco, familiaridade, perceção de privacidade, perceção de segurança e propensão para confiar. Apoiado numa metodologia quantitativa, operacionalizada através da aplicação de um questionário no qual foram obtidas 241 respostas, os resultados alcançados no presente estudo permitem confirmar a importância da confiança no comércio eletrónico, concluindo-se que este constructo possui um papel decisivo na intenção de compra online, sendo fortemente valorizado pelos consumidores. No que se refere aos antecedentes da confiança, os resultados alcançados permitem concluir que a presença de perceções de incerteza e de risco não impede a existência de confiança no e-commerce e que a familiaridade, a propensão para confiar e elevadas perceções de privacidade e segurança contribuem positivamente para o desenvolvimento da confiança dos consumidores no comércio eletrónico.ABSTRACT: Nowadays, the Internet is a core shopping channel whose growth is registered both in number of users and sales volume. Its continued growth has helped companies to understand the possibility of their use as a mean of doing business and to change the way they carry out their economic activities, contributing to the growth of electronic commerce. E-commerce has benefited from the continuous developments on the Internet and the democratization of access to this network, growing internationally, showing a strong growth at national level as well. In the field of e-commerce, trust plays a prominent role, playing a key role in it since it has the potential to influence consumer buying intentions. It is in this context that the present investigation is inserted, starting with the question “What is the influence of trust in online purchasing intention?”, examining the relationship that exists between this two constructs in the context of B2C e-commerce in Portugal, a study field that still lacks studies at a national level. In the present study, was also investigated the contribution of six of trust antecedents in its construction: uncertainty perceptions, risk perceptions, familiarity, privacy perceptions, safety perceptions and propensity to trust. Based on a quantitative methodology, operationalized through the application of a questionnaire in which 241 responses were obtained, the results achieved in the present study confirm the importance of trust in electronic commerce, concluding that this construct has a decisive role in the intention to buy online, being strongly valued by the consumers. As far as the antecedents of trust concern, the results obtained allow us to conclude that the presence of uncertainty and risk perceptions does not hinder the existence of trust in e-commerce and that familiarity, propensity to trust and high levels of privacy and security perceptions contribute positively to the development of consumers’ trust in electronic commerce.N/