Constraints in the design of activities focusing on emotion recognition for children with ASD using robotic tools

Robótica-Autismo project, presented in this paper, aims to identify the main aspects to be considered when working with robots and children with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders). Several constraints are identified such as the type of robot, the type of skills that should be developed, the criteria of inclusion and exclusion in the target group, which proceedings should be followed during the sessions and how to analyze the obtained results. In the end, a well-established methodology is achieved in order to accomplish the goal of using a robot as a mediator between children with ASD and other human partners.The authors are grateful to the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, FCT - Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia, for funding through the R& D project reference RIPD/ADAlI09407/2009 and the scholarship SFRHIBD/71600/2010. This work is also supported by a QREN initiative, from UEIFEDER ( Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional) funds through the "Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade - COMPETE"

Development of skills in children with ASD using a robotic platform

The interaction and communication skills are essential to live in society. However, individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have a gap in these abilities which affects their daily life. Previous studies suggest that children with ASD demonstrate some positive behaviors in presence of a robotic platform. This study intends to evaluate the effect of a robotic platform on children with ASD, checking if the platform can be a stimulating agent for children's interaction, as well as a skill learning promoter. So, it is used the robot Lego Mindstorms NXT as a mediator/reward to encourage children with ASD to interact with others and also to learn some cognitive skills.The authors are grateful to teachers and students of the primary and secondary schools of Aver-o-Mar and their parents for their participation in the project. The authors are also grateful to the Portuguese Foundation for funding through the R&D project RIPD/ADA/109407/2009

Arquivos escolares: uma proposta de um instrumento de controle de acesso e uso documental para o arquivo permanente do Colégio Polígono

This paper aims to propose an instrument of access control and document use for permanent archive of Polígono School, thus enabling meet and assist in preserving and conservation of school memory. However the school has already been dealing with a system of metadata standards, it is possible to implement the proposal to meet the institution needs. Preserving the school registered memory with its documents has a great importance to the school activities, as this kind of document is essential to represent and certify the academic lives of students, so the documentation well preserved and conserved facilitates the quick and accurate search. It is also stressed the preventive actions of preservation and conservation that involves assessing, sanitize and classify documents (physical environment), file definition, school metadata. It is relevant to guide employees who should be in line with management to understand the importance of an organized school file.O presente trabalho tem como objetivo principal propor um instrumento de controle de acesso e uso documental para o arquivo permanente do Colégio Polígono, possibilitando assim atender e auxiliar na preservação e conservação da memória escolar. Entretanto o colégio já trabalha com um sistema de padrões de metadados sendo possível implantar a proposta para atender a necessidade da instituição. A preservação da memória escolar registrada com os seus documentos é de grande importância para as atividades do colégio, visto que o documento escolar é essencial para representar e atestar a vida acadêmica dos alunos, assim, a documentação bem preservada e conservada facilita a busca rápida e precisa. Enfatizam-se também as ações preventiva de preservação e conservação que envolve avaliar, higienizar e classificar os documentos (em meio físico), definição de arquivo, arquivo escolar e metadados. Sendo pertinente também orientar funcionários que devem estar em consonância com a administração para entender a importância de um arquivo escolar organizado

ESCALA DE PROFICIÊNCIA DA PROVA BRASIL: O QUE INFORMA AOS PROFESSORES?

O presente artigo apresenta reflexões sobre a escala de proficiência da Prova Brasil (INEP/MEC), realizadas com base em análise de conteúdo, em que foram estabelecidas relações entre a Matriz da Prova Brasil e a descrição dos níveis da escala de proficiência. Os dados evidenciaram articulação entre a Matriz e as habilidades descritas na escala, mas foram encontradas inconsistências e imprecisões, tais como repetições e descrições amplas e vagas. Há também problemas na descrição da progressão entre os níveis de proficiência

Propriedades reológicas e de estabilização de emulsões do FucoPol

Mestrado em Engenharia Alimentar - Instituto Superior de AgronomiaIn this work, were studied the rheological properties in aqueous solution, namely the thickening ability and the ability of stabilizing oil in water emulsions, of an extracellular polysaccharide produced by the bacterial strain Enterobacter A47 from glycerol. Several studies were carried out, that enabled to evaluate the rheological behavior of the biopolymer under a wide range of pH and ionic strength vallues, as well asto obtain optimum conditions for the formation of stable sunflower oil/water emulsions. It was observed that the biopolymer aqueous solutions have a non-Newtonian shear thinning behavior. By studying the thickening ability, it has been demonstrated that increasing the concentration of polymer in solution, the apparent viscosity increases. Through an experimental central composite rotatable design, it was studied the effect of ionic strength (between 0.15 and 0.75) and pH (between 3.47 and 10.54) on the apparent viscosity. The value of viscosity at the first Newtonian plateau reached higher values in the pH range between 3 and 8, and ionic strength between 0.1 and 0.5 M. The ability of the biopolymer to stabilize sunflower oil/water emulsions was studied using aqueous biopolymer solutions with concentrations of 0.25%, 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% w/w, and ratios oil/water (O/A) of 20/80, 40/60, 60/40 and 80/20. It was observed that the polymer solutions of 1.0% and 1.5% w/w, and for oil/water ratios of 20/80, 40/60 and 60/40, were the ones producing stable emulsions without perceiving any phase separation

Nanocellulose bio-based composites for food packaging

The food industry is increasingly demanding advanced and eco-friendly sustainable packaging materials with improved physical, mechanical and barrier properties. The currently used materials are synthetic and non-degradable, therefore raising environmental concerns. Consequently, research efforts have been made in recent years towards the development of bio-based sustainable packaging materials. In this review, the potential of nanocelluloses as nanofillers or as coatings for the development of bio-based nanocomposites is discussed, namely: (i) the physico-chemical interaction of nanocellulose with the adjacent polymeric phase, (ii) the effect of nanocellulose modification/functionalization on the final properties of the composites, (iii) the production methods for such composites, and (iv) the effect of nanocellulose on the overall migration, toxicity, and the potential risk to human health. Lastly, the technology readiness level of nanocellulose and nanocellulose based composites for the market of food packaging is discussed.This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte.” The authors also acknowledge the financial support of the FCT (ESF) through the grant given to Francisco A.G.S. Silva (SFRH/BD/146375/2019).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Technology and special educational needs: let's play “Doing Good Deeds!”

“Doing Good Deeds!” is a game directed to children with special needs, in pre and elementary school age that aims to promote the development of social skills in diferente contexts. Structurally, this game has available a set of Avatars that players can choose to represent them. To adapt the game to each child, an administration module was developed, corresponding to the back office of the game, which allows the educator to create or change contexts, difficulty levels and sequences. This module includes also the visualization of the user performance, in particular the duration of each game, the number of attempts with and without success, allowing the educator to analyze the progress of each player.The authors would like to express their acknowledgments to COMPETE: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007043 and FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2013 for the support. The authors are also grateful to the Portuguese Foundation for the Science and Technology (FCT) through the financial support, Pest-OE/CED/UI1661/2014 projects, FEDER funds through the Competitivity Factors Operational Program – COMPETE.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Fotografando multiplicidades: imaginando os significados da escola

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo refletir, com o auxílio da fotografia, da teoria educacional, da antropologia e da filosofia, sobre as multiplicidades que podem compor uma escola pública, em uma tentativa de romper com essencialismos e binarismos a respeito desse espaço. Para tanto, apresenta-se uma atividade realizada com diferentes estudantes de duas turmas de ensino médio regular, de uma escola estadual, no município de Porto Alegre. Nessa atividade em questão os sujeitos foram convidados a fotografar sua escola tendo em mente a seguinte questão: “qual o significado que a escola tem para você?”. As fotografias registradas por esses sujeitos são, então, analisadas no presente trabalho como forma de possibilitar pensar, a partir dos possíveis significados presentes em cada fotografia, como cada sujeito imagina sua escola e relaciona-se com ela. Esse trabalho possibilita, também, pensar metodologicamente em formas de incluir os sujeitos de modo ativo na produção do conhecimento científico. Ao fim desse trabalho concluímos, a partir da atividade desenvolvida, tecendo algumas considerações sobre a docência como um contínuo processo de criação