Innovation landscape and challenges of smart technologies and systems - a European perspective

Latest developments in smart sensor and actuator technologies are expected to lead to a revolution in future manufacturing systems’ abilities and efficiency, often referred to as Industry 4.0. Smart technologies with higher degrees of autonomy will be essential to achieve the next breakthrough in both agility and productivity. However, the technologies will also bring substantial design and integration challenges and novelty risks to manufacturing businesses. The aim of this paper is to analyse the current landscape and to identify the challenges for introducing smart technologies into manufacturing systems in Europe. Expert knowledge from both industrial and academic practitioners in the field was extracted using an online survey. Feedback from a workshop was used to triangulate and extend the survey results. The findings indicate three main challenges for the ubiquitous implementation of smart technologies in manufacturing are: i) the perceived risk of novel technologies, ii) the complexity of integration, and iii) the consideration of human factors. Recommendations are made based on these findings to transform the landscape for smart manufacturing

Estratégias de persuasão em apps de apostas desportivas: estudo de caso Placard

Dissertação de mestrado apresentada à Escola Superior de Comunicação Social como parte dos requisitos para obtenção de grau de mestre em Audiovisual e Multimédia.Atualmente, qualquer indivíduo está exposto a uma panóplia de agentes persuasores que podem assumir as mais variadas formas, entre as quais, sob a forma de aplicação móvel. O conceito de tecnologia persuasiva continua a gerar discórdias e diversas opiniões, tanto do lado do emissor, ao configurar um sistema persuasivo, como do lado do recetor, responsável por aceitar e incutir as iniciativas persuasivas. Tendo como estudo de caso a aplicação de apostas desportivas Placard, a presente dissertação recorre a um método misto através de recolha de dados com entrevistas semiestruturadas a responsáveis pela gestão da app e inquérito por questionário aos utilizadores da app Placard, compondo uma amostra de 70 inquiridos. Os principais resultados permitiram concluir que, por mais que uma tecnologia persuasiva seja idealizada, programada e desenhada para alterar um determinado comportamento, atitude ou crença, esta estará sempre dependente do recetor da mesma, bem como dos diferentes fatores que influenciam a sua decisão em aceitar, ou não, as intenções persuasivas. A própria plataforma persuasiva também necessita de proporcionar uma boa user experience, de forma a não ser resistida e, por sua vez, refutada.ABSTRACT: Nowadays, every individual is exposed to a multitude of persuasive agents, which can take many different forms, including that of a mobile app. The concept of persuasive technology still generates disagreements and different opinions, both on the sender’s side, by setting up a persuasive system, and on the receiver’s side, who is responsible for accepting and instilling the persuasive initiatives. Having as a case study the sports betting app Placard, this investigation uses mixed methods through data collection using semi-structured interviews with those responsible for the app’s management and a survey to Placard’s app users, composing a sample of 70 respondents. The main results allowed us to conclude that, no matter how much persuasive technology is idealized, programmed, and designed to change a certain behaviour, attitude or belief, it will always depend on the receiver, as well as on the different factors that influence their decision on whether or not to accept the persuasive intentions. The persuasive platform itself also needs to provide a good user experience in order to not be resisted and, consequently, refuted.N/