Formal specification of a self-sustainable holonic system for smart electrical micro-grids

Stand-alone micro-grids have emerged within the smart grids field, facing important challenges related to their proper and efficient operation. An example is the self-sustainability when the micro-grid is disconnected from the main utility, e.g., due to a failure in the main utility or due to geographical situations, which requires the efficient control of energy demand and production. This paper describes the formal specification of a holonic system architecture that is able to perform the automation control functions in electrical stand-alone micro-grids, particularly aiming to improve their self-sustainability. The system aims at optimizing the power flow among the different electrical players, both producers and consumers, to keep the micro-grid operating even under adverse situations. The behaviour of each individual holon and their coordination patterns were modelled, analysed and validated using the Petri net formalism, allowing the complete verification of the system correctness during the design phase.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Gb/s visible light communications with colloidal quantum dot color converters

This paper reports the utilization of colloidal semiconductor quantum dots as color converters for Gb/s visible light communications. We briefly review the design and properties of colloidal quantum dots and discuss them in the context of fast color conversion of InGaN light sources, in particular in view of the effects of self-absorption. This is followed by a description of a CQD/polymer composite format of color converters. We show samples of such color-converting composite emitting at green, yellow/orange and red wavelengths, and combine these with a blueemitting microsize LED to form hybrid sources for wireless visible light communication links. In this way data rates up to 1 Gb/s over distances of a few tens of centimeters have been demonstrated. Finally, we broaden the discussion by considering the possibility for wavelength division multiplexing as well as the use of alternative colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals

Entrepreneurship and social innovation in training and human capital development: the case of the Bank Palmas

This study aimed to analyze an entrepreneurial experience, social innovation andhuman capital; the object of the study is the Bank Palmas, located in Fortaleza, in Ceará, Brazil. This bank was created to address the need to promote the income generation and job, making use of a corporate economic system, which allows to overcome the poverty axis located in a suburb called Conjunto Palmeiras, with a population of 30 thousand inhabitants. For this, we used the descriptive and exploratory research with fieldwork conducted in the locality of Bank Palmas. These actions serve as a benchmark for innovative practices and have meaningful participation and involvement of local inhabitants. A population sample consisted of 207 individuals, associates and employees of the Bank Palmas and was used to analyze the descriptive and inferential statistics. The data suggest that the entrepreneurship development concepts and social innovation and human capital are implemented by the Bank Palmas with relevant results in the local community. Members and employees of the Bank Palmas through these various actions felt themselves as active players in transforming their reality. Investment in human development is considered as a major source of innovation, the organizations of various sectors of the economy need to incorporate the strategic management of human capital,as recommended in the literature on this topic, which considers the human capital as the set of all the skills, knowledge and experience of employees or managers, involving also the creativity and innovation. © F. Diniz, H. Vale Leitão, 2016.This work is supported by: European Structural and Investment Funds in the FEDER component, through the Operational Competitiveness and Internationalization Programme (COMPETE 2020) [Project No. 006971 (UID/SOC/04011)]; and national funds, through the FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the project UID/SOC/04011/2013