The growing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) presents new challenges for managing parking infrastructure, particularly concerning charging station utilization and user behavior patterns. This review examines the current state-of-the-art in intelligent monitoring systems for EV charging stations in parking facilities. We specifically focus on two key inefficiencies: vehicles occupying charging spots beyond the optimal fast-charging range (80% state-of-charge) and remaining connected even after reaching full capacity (100%). We analyze the theoretical and practical foundations of these systems, summarizing existing research on intelligent monitoring architectures and commercial implementations. Building on this analysis, we also propose a novel monitoring framework that integrates Internet of things (IoT) sensors, edge computing, and cloud services to enable real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and adaptive control. This framework addresses both the technical aspects of monitoring systems and the behavioral factors influencing charging station management. Based on a comparative analysis and simulation studies, we propose performance benchmarks and outline critical research directions requiring further experimental validation. The proposed architecture aims to offer a scalable, adaptable, and secure solution for optimizing EV charging infrastructure utilization while addressing key research gaps in the field.

There is an increasing number of students using tablets in schools. Mobile devices gained popularity as an educational tool and there are many schools that use them frequently in educational activities to improve learning. We found that first year students of mechanical engineering in general have difficulties in understanding 3D shapes from 2D views. There are many Augmented Reality (AR) applications available that can be used to create educational contents for these mobile devices. On the other hand, there is an increasing interest in making holograms. In this paper we studied the most popular AR systems and show examples of using an AR system for the visualization of 3D models. We also present the creation of a low cost prototype, the EducHolo, that enables the visualization of holograms supported by tablets. With this prototype students can visualize the hologram of mechanical parts, providing a better perception of the model 3D shape and improving the ability of making the 2D orthographic views and perspectives that they study in the first year of mechanical engineer.

The SmartVision prototype is a small, cheap and easily wearable navigation aid for blind and visually impaired persons. Its functionality addresses global navigation for guiding the user to some destiny, and local navigation for negotiating paths, sidewalks and corridors, with avoidance of static as well as moving obstacles. Local navigation applies to both in- and outdoor situations. In this article we focus on local navigation: the detection of path borders and obstacles in front of the user and just beyond the reach of the white cane, such that the user can be assisted in centering on the path and alerted to looming hazards. Using a stereo camera worn at chest height, a portable computer in a shoulder-strapped pouch or pocket and only one earphone or small speaker, the system is inconspicuous, it is no hindrence while walking with the cane, and it does not block normal surround sounds. The vision algorithms are optimised such that the system can work at a few frames per second