Projects

Principal Investigator


This section presents R&D Projects as Principal Investigator (PI) or co-PI at Institute of Systems and Robotics - University of Coimbra (ISR-UC) or University of Coimbra (UC), or funds (grants) obtained to do research.


[8]. ML@GridEdge: Distributed Machine Learning Solutions for Coordinating Distributed Energy Resources at the Edge of the Power Grid
Role: co-Principal Investigator.
Host institutions: ISR-UC(Leader); UT Austin.
Reference number: UTAP-EXPL/CA/0065/2021.
Duration: 2022-03-01 to 2023-02-28.

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Short Abstract: This project intends to develop a novel distributed machine learning model for predicting the temporal energy needs of future connected communities. The proposed multi-agent approach leverages centralized oversight of a central aggregator to inform distributed collaboration among each building, taking advantage of additional private information that is not shared with the aggregator. The proposed solution lends itself well to a multi-agent structure of connected energy communities where agents are willing to collaborate to improve their prediction accuracy.


[7]. iProMo - Intelligent Systems for Grinding Process Control
Role: Principal Investigator at UC.
Host institutions: UC; Oncontrol Technologies, Lda (Leader); CIMPOR (Partner).
Reference number: CENTRO-01-0247-FEDER-069730.
Duration: 2021-03-01 to 2023-06-30.

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Short Abstract: This project aims to research and develop an intelligent system for horizontal mills in order to increase the efficiency of the grinding process and minimize the downtime due to failures. Optimization will be achieved by real-time estimation of the critical operating parameters of the process, which cannot be measured directly due to the absence of sensors for that. In addition to the estimation of critical parameters, it is also the objective of this project to develop tools to provide support to the maintenance and anomalies detection in sensors.


[6]. InGestAlgae - Intelligent Platform for Microalgae Production Management
Role: Principal Investigator at UC.
Host institutions: UC; Oncontrol Technologies, Lda (Leader); Buggypower (Partner).
Reference number: CENTRO-01-0247-FEDER-046983.
Duration: 2021-03-01 to 2023-06-30.

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Short Abstract: This project aims to develop an integrated management system, supported by computer intelligence systems, to support the microalgae production process. This system, called IngestAlgae, will be composed by several modules, present in the different layers of industrial automation: factory floor, control, supervision and management. In summary, this project will integrate the process data, for later use in other modules, in view of energy management, process control and optimization, fault detection, preventive maintenance application, and bottleneck detection in the process.


[5]. Eco-Healing - Intelligent Eco-controller with self-healing capability
Role: Principal Investigator.
Host institutions: ISR-UC (Leader); INEGI; Brunel University London; Oncontrol Technologies, Lda.
Reference number: UIDB/0048/2020.
Duration: 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31.

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Short Abstract: This project intends to develop innovative computational intelligence methodologies to design self-healing controllers, in order to control a multi-objective target based on eco-efficiency Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). The proposed self-healing controller is represented by a hierarchical intelligent controller composed of three levels: i) at the lower level, identify abnormal conditions; ii) at the middle level, design of efficiency and eco-efficiency KPIs; iii) at the high level, design of self-healing controller in order to control the entire system.


[4]. ColLeCTE - Collaborative Learning for the Coordination of Transactive Energy systems Role: co-Principal Investigator.
Host institutions: ISR-UC (Leader); CMU (Carnegie Mellon University); ICAI (Universidad Pontificia Comillas).
Reference number: UIDB/0048/2020.
Duration: 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31.

Short Abstract: The main objectives of this project are to design a federated learning framework to ensure the prediction of prosumption at the building level in transactive energy systems. The objective is to use data available in each building while ensuring its privacy concerns. Therefore, another objective is to dene the data and communication infrastructure required for the implementation of the learning framework.


[3]. IMfire - Intelligent Management For Wilds
Role: Principal Investigator at ISR-UC.
Host institutions: ISR-UC, Association for the Development of Industrial Aerodynamics (ADAI) (leader partner); Association for the Development of the Department of Physics (ADDF), Thales Portugal S.A.
Reference number: PCIF/SSI/0151/2018.
Duration: 2019-12-01 to 2022-11-30.

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Short Abstract: The aim of IMfire is to develop a platform which can continuously self-adapt to any region in the world, during the several stages of a wildfire: 1) prevention, 2) planning, and 3) combat. For that, by exploiting the potential of state-of-the-art machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, one can feed the models with historical and real time fire, weather and vegetation data from the region, so that the intelligent system can: 1) determine more precise the fire-risk indexes (prevention), 2) continuously improve its predictions (planning), without the need for systematic manual calibrations, and 3) perform a numerical analysis for the efficient wildfire combat strategy (combat).


[2]. Self-Learning Fuzzy Logic Control for Industrial Processes
Role: Post-Doctoral grant.
Host institutions: ISR-UC.
Reference number: SFRH/BPD/99708/2014.
Duration: 2015-05-01 to 2019-02-28.

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Short Abstract: The main objective is to research and contribute for the automatic learning of a Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) from data obtained from a given process while it is being manually or automatically controlled, in order to control nonlinear industrial processes. Additionally, the methodologies may also be used to understand a process for which there is little or no information available, since the FLCs are able to gather a knowledge-base about the process control. To address these problems, iterative rule learning techniques will be a starting point, where for the unknown operating areas/changes the learning process may create a new fuzzy rule, modify the parameters of an existing one, or merge similar rules.


[1]. Computational Intelligence Methodologies for Control of Industrial Processes
Role: PhD Student grant.
Host institutions: ISR-UC.
Reference number: SFRH/BD/63383/2009.
Duration: 2010-07-01 to 2014-06-30.

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Short Abstract: This thesis is devoted to research on adaptive fuzzy controllers, predictive control, and intelligent control methodologies such as neural and neuro-fuzzy control for industrial nonlinear and/or time-varying plants. Nonlinear and/or time varying processes are difficult to control due to their complexity. The issues of varying parameters, presence of disturbances, non-modeled dynamics, robustness, and stability will be addressed.

Team Member


[16]. SYNAPPS - Platform for estimation, control and optimization of wastewater treatment plants

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Role: Team Member.
Host institutions: ISR-UC; Itecons; CTGA (Leader).
Reference number: CENTRO-01-0247-FEDER-046978.
Duration: 2021-01-01 to 2023-06-30.
Financing: Portugal 2020 (PT2020) programme.


[15]. SmartWater - Smart Water Meter and Intelligent Water Analytics Platform for water pipeline leakages localization and end-use water demand outline

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Role: Team Member.
Host institutions: ISR-UC; CWJ - Projecto, SA (Leader); CWJ - Componentes, SA; UtilityARTS, SA.
Reference number: CENTRO-01-0247-FEDER-047730.
Duration: 2020-10-01 to 2023-06-30.
Financing: Portugal 2020 (PT2020) programme.


[14]. EVAI Charge - Artificial Intelligence Electric Vehicle Charge for Low Carbon Buildings

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Role: Team Member.
Host institutions: ISR-UC; Virtual Power Solutions, Lda (Leader).
Reference number: CENTRO-01-0247-FEDER-047196.
Duration: 2020-07-01 to 2023-06-30.
Financing: Portugal 2020 (PT2020) programme.


[13]. SIICEI - Intelligent System for Identification of Electrical Loads in Industrial Equipment

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Role: Team Member.
Host institutions: UC; Oncontrol Technologies, Lda (Leader); Advanced Home, Lda.
Reference number: SIICEI/2017/33338.
Duration: 2018-2021.
Financing: Portugal 2020 (PT2020) programme.


[12]. CONNECTA-X - Interoperable System and Modules for Appliance Integration in Intelligent Home Ecosystems

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Role: Team Member.
Host institutions: UC; Critical Software, SA (Leader).
Reference number: CONNECTA-X/2017/33354.
Duration: 2018-2021.
Financing: Portugal 2020 (PT2020) programme.


[11]. IMPROVE - Nonlinear Control, Estimation and Fault-Detection Tools with Provably Guarantees for Mobile Robotic Systems

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Role: Team Member.
Host institutions: ISR-UC; Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP) (Leader); ISR University of Porto.
Reference number: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-031823.
Duration: 2018-2021.
Financing: by Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT).


[10]. TOOLING4G - Advanced Tools for Smart Manufacturingt

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Role: Team Member.
Host institutions: UC; CENTIMFE; Aníbal H. Abrantes, S.A. (leader); and others. Partnership between 30 entities.
Reference number: TOOLING4G/2016/24516.
Duration: 2018-2021.
Financing: Portugal 2020 (PT2020) programme.



[9]. SMITEn - Smart Meter Integrated Test Environment

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Role: Team Member.
Host institutions: ISR-UC; Critical Software, SA (Leader).
Reference number: SMITEn/2016/023613.
Duration: 2017-2019.
Financing: Portugal 2020 (PT2020) programme.


[8]. KhronoSim - System for Simulation and Test of Complex Systems

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Role: Team Member.
Host institutions: UC; Critical Software, SA (Leader); Institute of Engineering of Porto.
Reference number: KhronoSim/2016/17611.
Duration: 2016-2018.
Financing: Portugal 2020 (PT2020) programme.


[7]. CaMeLi - Care Me for Life

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Role: Researcher.
Host institutions: LAS at Pedro Nunes Institute (IPN).
Reference number: AAL-2012-5-030.
Duration: 2013-2015.
Financing: Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme.


[6]. SCIAD - Self-Learning Industrial Control Systems Through Process Data

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Role: Team Member and Reseacher.
Host institutions: UC, and Acontrol (Leader).
Reference number: SCIAD/2011/21531.
Duration: 2012-2014.
Financing: by Portuguese National Strategic Reference Framework (QREN).


[5]. FAir-Control - Factory Air Pollution Control

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Role: Team Member.
Host institutions: UC, Acontrol (Leader), and Pricast Control Systems S.L..
Reference number: E!6498.
Duration: 2011-2013.
Financing: Eurostars Programme of the EUREKA network.


[4]. SInCACI - Intelligent Systems for Industrial Control, Acquisition and Communication

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Role: Reseacher.
Host institutions: UC, and Acontrol.
Reference number: SInCACI/3120/2009.
Duration: 2009-2012.
Financing: by Portuguese National Strategic Reference Framework (QREN).


[3]. Project of Creation of the Research & Development Division of Acontrol

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Role: Team Member.
Host institutions: UC; Principal contractor: Acontrol.
Reference number: CENTRO-07-0202-FEDER-002502.
Duration: 2008-2011.
Financing: “IAPMEI - Instituto de Apoio às Pequenas e Médias Empresas e à Inovação” and AControl, Lda.


[2]. FUZCTR - Development of Fuzzy Controllers for Modules of Manufacturing Systems

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Role: Team Member.
Host institutions: ISR-UC.
Reference number: ACONTROL/ISR/001/2007.
Duration: 2007-2009.
Financing: AControl, Lda company.


[1]. STRNET - Development of Hardware/Software for Industrial Distributed Real-Time Systems Using the ControlNet Protocol

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Role: Reseacher.
Host institutions: ISR-UC.
Reference number: ACONTROL/ISR/002/2007.
Duration: 2007-2009.
Financing: AControl, Lda company.