The aim of this book is to analyze the role and limits of actions were taken by the Brazilian State within the Science, Technology & Innovation context, from the position of the 1988 Constitutional Economic Order. Among some specific goals, the idea is to assess arguments focused on finding ways to make sure that the State will not stop promoting or delaying the technological development, as well as assessing the instruments already in place in the Legal Framework of Science, Technology, and innovation (Legal Framework), mainly in the energy sector.

World-renowned economist Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, explains that we have an opportunity to shape the fourth industrial revolu­tion, which will fundamentally alter how we live and work. Schwab argues that this revolution is different in scale, scope and complexity from any that have come before. Characterized by a range of new technologies that are fusing the physical, digital and biological worlds, the developments are affecting all disciplines, economies, industries and governments, and even challenging ideas about what it means to be human. Artificial intelligence is already all around us, from supercomputers, drones and virtual assistants to 3D printing, DNA sequencing, smart thermostats, wear­able sensors and microchips smaller than a grain of sand. But this is just the beginning: nanomaterials 200 times stronger than steel and a million times thinner than a strand of hair and the first transplant of a 3D printed liver are already in development. Imagine “smart factories” in which global systems of manu­facturing are coordinated virtually, or implantable mobile phones made of biosynthetic materials. The fourth industrial revolution, says Schwab, is more significant, and its ramifications more profound, than in any prior period of human history. He outlines the key technologies driving this revolution and discusses the major impacts expected on government, business, civil society and individu­als. Schwab also offers bold ideas on how to harness these changes and shape a better future—one in which technology empowers people rather than replaces them; progress serves society rather than disrupts it; and in which innovators respect moral and ethical boundaries rather than cross them. We all have the opportunity to contribute to developing new frame­works that advance progress.

This volume investigates the limited effectiveness of technology policy in the inward-oriented industrialization model of the past. It looks at the political structures that compromise the transition to the development model, and the restructuring effort within Brazilian industrial firms.

This book presents the Proceedings of The 4th Brazilian Technology Symposium (BTSym'18). Part I of the book discusses current technological issues on Systems Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, such as the Transmission Line, Protein-modified mortars, Electromagnetic Properties, Clock Domains, Chebyshev Polynomials, Satellite Control Systems, Hough Transform, Watershed Transform, Blood Smear Images, Toxoplasma Gondi, Operation System Developments, MIMO Systems, Geothermal-Photovoltaic Energy Systems, Mineral Flotation Application, CMOS Techniques, Frameworks Developments, Physiological Parameters Applications, Brain Computer Interface, Artificial Neural Networks, Computational Vision, Security Applications, FPGA Applications, IoT, Residential Automation, Data Acquisition, Industry 4.0, Cyber-Physical Systems, Digital Image Processing, Patters Recognition, Machine Learning, Photocatalytic Process, Physical-chemical analysis, Smoothing Filters, Frequency Synthesizers, Voltage Controlled Ring Oscillator, Difference Amplifier, Photocatalysis and Photodegradation. Part II of the book discusses current technological issues on Human, Smart and Sustainable Future of Cities, such as the Digital Transformation, Data Science, Hydrothermal Dispatch, Project Knowledge Transfer, Immunization Programs, Efficiency and Predictive Methods, PMBOK Applications, Logistics Process, IoT, Data Acquisition, Industry 4.0, Cyber-Physical Systems, Fingerspelling Recognition, Cognitive Ergonomics, Ecosystem services, Environmental, Ecosystem services valuation, Solid Waste and University Extension. BTSym is the brainchild of Prof. Dr. Yuzo Iano, who is responsible for the Laboratory of Visual Communications (LCV) at the Department of Communications (DECOM) of the Faculty of Electrical and Computing Engineering (FEEC), State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil.

Leap 4.0: African Perspectives on the Fourth Industrial Revolution seeks to identify the challenges and opportunities the 4IR presents to South Africa and the rest of the African continent, especially to workers and marginalised sectors of society. Authors examine the prerequisites for the successful introduction of the 4IR, including infrastructure, skilled personnel and appropriate regulation. They underline the importance of inclusive innovation, with a deliberate objective to create net new jobs and reduce inequality. The 4IR is well established in many parts of the world, with technological advances driving profound social and economic change. However, for many developing countries, particularly countries in Africa, the 4IR may not offer the anticipated 'leap' forward. There is a danger that the continent may find itself dictated to by experiences that are not in tune with its social contexts.

This book summarizes recent progress due to novel functionalized magnetic nanoparticles in the analytical chemistry arena and addresses the challenges for their use in that area.