Network slicing enables multiple virtual networks to share physical resources, allowing network operators to deliver highly customizable and efficient networking solutions that meet the diverse requirements of modern applications. The automated management of network slices has been studied in the last years to make such solutions more flexible, ready to support new applications, and capable of optimizing network resource utilization. Many works in the literature give a top-down approach, focusing on the high-level decision processes, and relying on abstracted infrastructure managers and simulation tools to apply/execute such decisions. In this work, we leverage components that we previously developed for network monitoring, flexible traffic shaping, and Software-Defined Time-Sensitive Networking control, to create a bottom-up approach toward automated slice management. We describe the intricate coordination of elements required for an automated control loop and present the results achieved with a proof-of-concept executed in a real testbed of wired and Wi-Fi nodes. The results show the capability of the system to correctly identify the bottleneck of a flow and apply corrective actions to reestablish its intended performance level.

Intent-driven network management has become an important part of autonomous systems in Beyond 5G (B5G) towards Sixth-Generation (6G) networks, by enabling flexibility in the interaction among applications, operators and users. Intents play an important role in the communication of road users like autonomous vehicles and pedestrians to edge computing services. As sensor technologies for modern vehicles are cheaper, smaller, diverse and computing capable, more demand for applications and services on the road is increasing. A flexible intent interpretation and coordination are needed to deal with the dynamic environment and constantly changing goals. This paper presents a proof-of-concept of Zero-touch Network and Service Management (ZSM) for vehicular communication services, using an Intent Management Entity (IME) to translate user objectives into actionable directives. This paper describes a realistic testbed setup at the Smart Highway, where a Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) algorithm is used to optimize the selection of Roadside Units (RSUs) for service orchestration. This paper also discusses the challenges and opportunities of enhancing the IME with time-based intent coordination, using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) techniques to estimate the waiting time and priority in intent coordination. The paper aims to demonstrate the benefits of ZSM and Intent-driven Management for vehicular edge computing and B5G/6G autonomous network management frameworks.

The challenge of ensuring safety in autonomous driving or sailing involves predicting and replicating various potential scenarios on roads and waterways, posing difficulties and high costs. In response, the European project 5G-Blueprint addresses this by introducing a complementary technology, i.e., teleoperation, which leverages 5G connectivity to enable human interventions in complex situations beyond autonomous capabilities, thereby removing the physical link between the human operator and the remotely controlled vehicle/vessel. This operational mode brings stringent connectivity requirements, including high uplink bandwidth for transmitting video streams from onboard cameras to the teleoperation center, low latency, and an ultra-reliable connection for relaying commands from the teleoperator to the remote vehicle/vessel. Additionally, it emphasizes minimal interruption time when the teleoperated vehicle/vessel crosses international borders, ensuring seamless connectivity and uninterrupted remote operation. Therefore, this paper summarizes extensive evaluations of network and service performance, highlighting key results across pilot locations and providing conclusions and analysis of 5G-enhanced teleoperation in various use cases. Additionally, it outlines lessons learned from pilot activities.

The International Transport Forum (ITF) predicts a significant increase in demand for transportation in the coming years, despite the shortage of drivers. To tackle this challenge, the Transport and Logistics (T&L) industry is increasingly relying on emerging technologies. While connected and autonomous driving offer promises of greater safety, efficiency, and environmental benefits, connected and autonomous driving face operational hurdles in complex environments. However, the existing limitations of autonomous vehicles, particularly in dense urban settings, highlight the need for complementary technologies, such as teleoperation. The European Horizon 2020 5G-Blueprint project aims to design and validate the technical architecture and business models for cross-border teleoperated transport, utilizing 5G technology. This study delves into the implementation of a real 5G Standalone (5G SA) network within a port environment, utilizing network slicing for teleoperation and Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) to enable real-time video processing at the network edge. Specifically focusing on Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC) and enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) slices, we conduct a comprehensive evaluation of a real-world 5G SA network. Our assessment examines key performance parameters such as Round-Trip Time(RTT) latency, Packet Delivery Rate (PDR), Reference Signals Received Power (RSRP), and corrupted frame rates, emphasizing the crucial role of 5G network slicing and MEC in enhancing operational reliability and efficiency in teleoperated transport systems.

The Transport and Logistics (T&L) sector faces numerous challenges, including the search for qualified personnel, as well as improving driver safety and work-life balance. Teleoperation emerges as the technology able to address these challenges. Thanks to 5G connectivity and network slicing, operating vehicles remotely from a Teleoperation Center (ToC) is becoming a reality. The European project 5G-Blueprint, funded by the European Union, has demonstrated the feasibility of 5G-based teleoperation, even in a cross-border context. Despite the fact that 5G and network slicing enable reliable and low-latency transmission of video data from cameras installed on Teleoperated Vehicles (ToVs) to ToC, the perception of the surrounding environment is different for the teleoperator compared to the driver who is physically present in the vehicle. In this paper, we introduce a real-world system that showcases synergy among different teleoperation elements, including intelligent traffic lights (iTL) and Vulnerable Road Users (VRU), aimed at supporting teleoperation by improving remote driver’s situational awareness. This synergy enhances the environmental perception of the teleoperator, bridging the gap between their experience and that of an in-vehicle driver. First, we evaluate the performance of a real-world 5G network with network slicing, based on actual data and testing scenarios conducted in both industrial and urban areas with 5G Standalone (5G SA) coverage. Then we validate the 5G capabilities for enabling a real-world system that showcases synergy among different teleoperation elements.

The native integration of AI and ML algorithms in the next-generation mobile network architecture will allow for meeting the expectations of 6G. This aspect is targeted by the DAEMON project, which proposed a solution to natively manage Network Intelligence (NI) through novel architectural elements and procedures. In this paper, we discuss how NI solutions based on AI and ML can leverage NI native procedures implemented by the NI Orchestrator to improve their lifecycle management. We also discuss how the architectural procedures can be implemented in practice, using state-of-the-art software components.

This study offers experimental testing of commercial and laboratory inverters, utilized in a laboratory prototype of an urban microgrid. Operation of grid inverters supplied by PV arrays in urban environments, encounters challenges such as partial shading and soiling. Emulation of the current-voltage characteristics of PV arrays enables repeated and reliable testing of inverter operation under irregular supply conditions. It has been shown that finding the maximum power point can be challenging under conditions of partial shading and soiling. Additionally, meeting the grid quality standards for the delivered power represents a challenge. Satisfying these requirements can be achieved through careful design of LCL filters at inverter output terminals, but further improvement can be achieved only through an adequate selection of the primary controller. To further improve the quality of grid currents, the possibility of applying innovative control algorithms has been demonstrated for laboratory inverters. Application of sliding mode controllers, besides ensuring system robustness, can prevent overshoots and fault responses from the current protection circuit by introducing a specific anti-windup structure.

A fast-paced policy context is characteristic of energy and climate research, which strives to develop solutions to wicked problems such as climate change. Funding agencies in the European Union recognize the importance of linking research and policy in climate and energy research. This calls for an increased understanding of how stakeholder engagement can effectively be used to co-design research questions that include stakeholders' concerns. This paper reviews the current literature on stakeholder engagement, from which we create a set of criteria. These are used to critically assess recent and relevant papers on stakeholder engagement in climate and energy projects. We obtained the papers from a scoping review of stakeholder engagement through workshops in EU climate and energy research. With insights from the literature and current EU climate and energy projects, we developed a workshop programme for stakeholder engagement. This programme was applied to the European Climate and Energy Modelling Forum project, aiming to co-design the most pressing and urgent research questions according to European stakeholders. The outcomes include 82 co-designed and ranked research questions for nine specific climate and energy research themes. Findings from the scoping review indicate that papers rarely define the term 'stakeholder'. Additionally, the concepts of co-creation, co-design, and co-production are used interchangeably and often without definition. We propose that workshop planners use stakeholder identification and selection methods from the broader stakeholder engagement literature.

Background: Most human movements are supported by its functional capabilities of the anaerobic type, which is dominated by submaximal and maximal sports activities performed in a short time. Functional capabilities of the anaerobic type of man participate in most of his movement activities. Conditioned on adequate and extremely good interaction and functioning of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, morphological status, metabolic processes, muscle structure, nutritional status, physical activity, etc. Purpose: The research was conducted in the conditions of the so-called field testing with the primary goal of assessing the acute state of anaerobic abilities of physical and sports students, by calculating the fatigue index (FI). Methods: The sample included 80 students of Physical and Sports Education, different geographical regions, average weight 77.88±8.49kg, age 20-23 years. The Running Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST) was used to assess FI, and the basic statistical parameters were calculated. Results: The average value of the student's leg power is 573.89 watts (378.42 watts vs. 817.99watts), and the recorded average (FI) of 8.35 watts/sec (3.97watts/sec. vs. 16.93watts/sec.). Conclusions: The obtained results confirmed the average values of anaerobic capacity which are suitable for the examined population of subjects, while the maximal the value of FI suggests a weaker state of the anaerobic capacity of the individuals (less tolerance to lactates).

Independent of the respective NFC (near field communication) application the specific NFC device has to be tested for standard compliance. In the present work we propose a hybrid surrogate-model based synthesis strategy which enables the incorporation of standard compliance tests in the synthesis process. While the surrogate model is used in early optimization phases applying a stochastic optimization strategy, the highfidelity model is applied in the final deterministic optimization part. The high fidelity model is based on a thin wire partial element equivalent circuit method.

Digital technology has become inseparable from all core and supportive processes because of the intensive use of different digital tools. The paper aimed to determine teachers’ views on the impact of digital technology on business processes in higher education institutions - whether they recognize the impact and how they evaluate it. The survey was conducted among the teachers of the public University in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The results show that digital technology has a positive and mostly strong or medium impact on business processes in higher education institutions. The work on international research and educational projects and the teaching process are the most influenced by digital technology. It has a stronger impact on the core processes than on supportive activities. Teachers recognize the influence of digital transformation on all processes at universities, both core and supporting. The influence is stronger with core processes.

The estimation of distances and angles is a routine part of an orthopedic surgical procedure. However, despite their prevalence, these steps are most often performed manually, heavily relying on the surgeon’s skill and experience. To address these issues, this study presents a sensor-equipped drill system which enables automatic estimation of the drilling angle and channel length. The angular accuracy and precision of the system were tested over a range of inclination angles and proved to be superior to the manual approach, with mean absolute errors ranging from 1.9 to 4.5 degrees for the manual approach, and from 0.6 to 1.3 degrees with the guided approach. When sensors were used for simultaneous estimation of both the inclination and anteversion angles, the obtained mean absolute errors were 0.35 ± 0.25 and 2 ± 1.33 degrees for the inclination and anteversion angles, respectively. Regarding channel length estimation, using measurements obtained with a Vernier caliper as a reference, the mean absolute error was 0.33 mm and the standard deviation of errors was 0.41 mm. The obtained results indicate a high potential of smart drill systems for improvement of accuracy and precision in orthopedic surgical procedures, enabling better patient clinical outcomes.

In this paper, we investigate the determinants of bank profitability by examining endogenous factors used to measure the size of a financial institution. We underscore the significance of bank employees in embodying institutional values and playing a pivotal role in sales channels, as well as the impact of technological integration on customer expectations and workforce dynamics. Utilizing a dataset from regulatory agencies, which includes information from 47 banks and insurance companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the year 2021, the study explores the relationship between the independent variables which include the volume of total assets and the number of employees, and the dependent variable for profitability. By calculating Return on Equity (ROE) and employing a multiple linear regression model, the study finds that a statistically significant relation between independent variables and the dependent variable does not exist. Despite this, the research highlights the need for further investigation, particularly considering the differentiation between banks and insurance companies, the potential impact of outliers, and the broader economic context of the year studied. The findings suggest that a more refined model, possibly incorporating panel data, could provide clearer insights into the profitability determinants of financial institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.