Integration test of a satellite link in a UAV

The objective of this project is to implement a satellite link between the "Flyox I" and its ground control station, enabling a more robust and seamless communication system. By integrating both radio and satellite communication capabilities, the "Flyox I" will be able to operate in remote or obstructed environments, where traditional LOS communication is not feasible. This document outlines the first steps taken to realize this satellite link integration. Initially, we will provide a detailed overview of the current communication capabilities of the "Flyox I", highlighting the specific limitations encountered in its existing system. Next, we will discuss the improvements that will be achieved through the integration of a satellite communication link. This will be followed by a technical analysis of the hardware requirements, including the antenna systems and additional equipment needed to support the satellite link. We will also outline the modifications required to ensure compatibility with the "Flyox I"'s new communication protocol. Additionally, we analyse the safety measures implemented to mitigate risks associated with high-power Radio Frequency Radiation (RFR) and operational hazards, ensuring compliance with international safety standards. Subsequently, the document will describe the fundamental integration tests, with detailed explanations of the procedures and corresponding results. These tests will assess the feasibility of integrating the satellite link into the existing system, providing a comprehensive evaluation of its performance. Finally, we will discuss the operational considerations related to the use of satellite link antennas, particularly in challenging mission environments. As UAV technology, such as the "Flyox I", continues to evolve, the integration of advanced communication systems like satellite links will significantly expand their operational scope. These enhancements will enable UAVs to play a more prominent role in emergency response, disaster management, and other critical missions, offering innovative solutions to meet the demands of modern-day challengesObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::9 - Indústria, Innovació i Infraestructur

La ciudad de Bilbao en evolución: de la crisis industrial a la revitalización metropolitana

Bilbao, situada en el norte de España, ha sido históricamente un importante enclave industrial y portuario que ha desempeñado un papel clave en el desarrollo económico de la región. Sin embargo, la crisis económica de los años 80 supuso un punto de inflexión para la ciudad, ya que desencadenó la obsolescencia de gran parte del tejido industrial. Este proceso de declive acabó reflejándose en el abandono de numerosas infraestructuras fabriles y portuarias, dejando extensas hectáreas de suelo en desuso. Esta desindustrialización también afectó a la estructura socioeconómica de la ciudad, creando la necesidad de un cambio en ella, un proceso de regeneración urbana que transformaría Bilbao en las décadas posteriores. (González 2017) El presente trabajo de final de grado aborda la comprensión de dos cuestiones. En primer lugar, estudia el proceso de transformación de algunos suelos que quedaron obsoletos en Bilbao y su entorno metropolitano debido al proceso de desindustrialización. En segundo lugar, analiza estrategias y herramientas de transformación urbana que se han aplicado en estos espacios para poder ser revitalizados y evalúa su eficacia al paso de los años. En referencia a este proceso, destaca el papel que juega la planificación territorial que buscó las alternativas al modelo de territorio que se había ido ejecutando a lo largo del tiempo. El contexto histórico 1.1 RESUMEN del tercer cuarto del siglo XX fue la clave desencadenante que motivó la necesidad de ese proceso en el que el urbanismo se ha demostrado necesario para encontrar los suelos en desuso y verlos como zonas de oportunidad. Por lo que respecta a los instrumentos para la revitalización es importante comprender el papel de Bilbao Ría 2000 o como uno de los agentes y las acciones desarrolladas por el mismo. Por un lado, hay que situar a Bilbao Ría 2000 como la empresa pública responsable de la ejecución de los proyectos urbanos necesarios, y por otro, hay que estudiar en detalle alguna de las actuaciones de infraestructuras y urbanísticas ya ejecutadas por esa entidad desde hace varios años, como es el caso de Ametzola y las torres de Garellano. (Duque 2023) El trabajo evalúa cualitativamente el impacto de la transformación urbana de Bilbao y, mediante el estudio de uno de los ámitos de transformación urbana más destacados, el barrio de Ametzola, se verifica la efectividad de las estrategias aplicadas y su posible replicabilidad en otros contextos urbanos con características similares. La eficiencia en la revitalización de Bilbao y su entorno metropolitano ha dependido de dos condiciones. En primer lugar, dejar el tiempo necesario para elegir e implementar las acciones planificadas y, en segundo lugar, tener acierto en la determinación de parámetros urbanísticos en los proyectos urbanos como son: la densidad de viviendas la proporción de vivienda protegida, la mezcla de usos, la cantidad y calidad del espacio público, el papel del transporte público y la relación de las plantas bajas de la edificación con el espacio urbano. En definitiva, las claves de la llamada ciudad de las tres C: compacta, compleja y cohesionada.Bilbao, located in northern Spain, has his - torically been an important industrial and port enclave that has played a key role in the region's economic development. However, the economic crisis of the 1980s was a turning point for the city, as it triggered the obsolescence of much of the industrial fabric. This process of decline was reflected in the abandonment of numerous manufacturing and port infrastructures, leaving extensive hectares of land in disuse. This deindustrialization also affected the socioeconomic structure of the city, generating the need for a change in it, a process of urban regeneration that would transform Bilbao in the following decades. (González 2017) This final thesis addresses the understanding of two issues. First, it studies the process of transformation of some soils that became obsolete in Bilbao and its metropolitan area due to the process of deindustrialization. Secondly, it analyzes strategies and tools of urban transformation that have been applied in these spaces in order to be revitalized and evaluates their effectiveness over the years. In reference to the transformation process, the role played by territorial planning, which sought alternatives to the territorial model that has been implemented over time, stands out. The historical context of the third quarter of the twentieth century was the key trigger that motivated the need for this process in which urban planning has proved necessary to find the land in desuetude and see them as areas of opportunity. As far as the instruments for revitalization are concerned, it is important to understand the role of Bilbao Ría 2000 as one of the agents and the actions developed by it. On the one hand, Bilbao Ría 2000 must be placed as the public company responsible for the execution of the necessary urban projects, and on the other hand, it is necessary to study in detail some of the infrastructure and urban development actions already carried out by this entity for several years, as is the case of Ametzola and the Garellano towers. (Duque 2023) This paper qualitatively evaluates the impact of the urban transformation of Bilbao and, through the study of one of the most outstanding examples of urban transformation, the neighborhood of Ametzola, verifies the effectiveness of the strategies applied and their possible replicability in other urban contexts with similar characteristics. Efficiency in the revitalization of Bilbao and its metropolitan environment has depended on two conditions. Firstly, allowing the necessary time to choose and implement the planned actions and, secondly, being right in the determination of urban parameters in urban projects such as housing density, the proportion of subsidized housing, the mix of uses, the quantity and quality of public space, the role of public transport and, in my opinion, the relationship of the first floors of the building with the urban space. In short, the keys to the so-called three C’s city: compact, complex and cohesive.Award-winnin

Evaluation of an artificial intelligence-based tool and a universal low-cost robotized microscope for the automated diagnosis of malaria

The gold standard diagnosis for malaria is the microscopic visualization of blood smears to identify Plasmodium parasites, although it is an expert-dependent technique and could trigger diagnostic errors. Artificial intelligence (AI) tools based on digital image analysis were postulated as a suitable supportive alternative for automated malaria diagnosis. A diagnostic evaluation of the iMAGING AI-based system was conducted in the reference laboratory of the International Health Unit Drassanes-Vall d’Hebron in Barcelona, Spain. iMAGING is an automated device for the diagnosis of malaria by using artificial intelligence image analysis tools and a robotized microscope. A total of 54 Giemsa-stained thick blood smear samples from travelers and migrants coming from endemic areas were employed and analyzed to determine the presence/absence of Plasmodium parasites. AI diagnostic results were compared with expert light microscopy gold standard method results. The AI system shows 81.25% sensitivity and 92.11% specificity when compared with the conventional light microscopy gold standard method. Overall, 48/54 (88.89%) samples were correctly identified [13/16 (81.25%) as positives and 35/38 (92.11%) as negatives]. The mean time of the AI system to determine a positive malaria diagnosis was 3 min and 48 s, with an average of 7.38 FoV analyzed per sample. Statistical analyses showed the Kappa Index = 0.721, demonstrating a satisfactory correlation between the gold standard diagnostic method and iMAGING results. The AI system demonstrated reliable results for malaria diagnosis in a reference laboratory in Barcelona. Validation in malaria-endemic regions will be the next step to evaluate its potential in resource-poor settings.This research was co-funded by the Microbiology Department of Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and the Cooperation Centre of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (CCD-UPC) and Probitas Foundation.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

CIÈNCIA I TECNOLOGIA DELS MATERIALS (Examen final, 1r quadrimestre)

2024/20251r quadrimestr

Anàlisi de cicle de vida de la producció de bioplàstics a partir de microorganismes

La producció de PHB (principal bioplàstic de PHA) comporta un preu més elevat que els plàstics convencionals a causa de l'esterilització del substrat i als consums de producció. Per a augmentar la competitivitat i l'eficiència, s'estàn investigant noves estratègies per a la producció: l'ús de cultius mixtos en lloc de ceps individuals per a evitar els costos d'esterilització, l'ús de substrats alternatius basats en residus per a reduir el cost i l'ús de la terra, i l'ús de cianobacteris com a alternativa a les heteròtrofes que requereixen altes quantitats de matèria primera de carboni. Sota aquests nous enfocaments, aquest estudi va realitzar una avaluació del cicle de vida (ACV) d'1 kg de PHB produït sota quatre escenaris diferents, amb la novetat de ser tots ells cultius mixtos: dues produccions heteròtrofes, una amb substrat sintètic (escenari 1) i amb substrat d'aigües residuals (escenari 2), i dues fotosintètiques, amb substrat sintètic (escenari 3) i d'aigües residuals (escenari 4). El ACV va donar com a resultat un menor impacte per a les produccions heteròtrofes, en comparació amb les fotosintètiques, sent l'escenari 4 el de major impacte ambiental. No obstant això, mitjançant una anàlisi de sensibilitat amb augment de productivitat, es va demostrar que l'impacte ambiental dels cultius fotosintètics pot igualar a l'heteròtrof, i també el substrat d'aigües residuals al sintètic. Aquest estudi demostra que la producció fotosintètica encara es troba en una fase primerenca per a ser competitiva, però amb la millora de l'eficiència, es pot aconseguir el canvi cap a l'ús de cianobacteris com a via alternativa a la producció de bioplàstics.La producción de PHB (principal bioplástico de PHA) conlleva un precio más elevado que los plásticos convencionales debido a la esterilización del sustrato y a los consumos de producción. Para aumentar la competitividad y la eficiencia, se están investigando nuevas estrategias para la producción: el uso de cultivos mixtos en lugar de cepas individuales para evitar los costes de esterilización, el uso de sustratos alternativos basados en residuos para reducir el coste y el uso de la tierra, y el uso de cianobacterias como alternativa a las heterótrofas que requieren altas cantidades de materia prima de carbono. Bajo estos nuevos enfoques, este estudio realizó una evaluación del ciclo de vida (ACV) de 1 kg de PHB producido bajo cuatro escenarios diferentes, con la novedad de ser todos ellos cultivos mixtos: dos producciones heterótrofas, una con sustrato sintético (escenario1) y con sustrato de aguas residuales (escenario 2), y dos fotosintéticas, con sustrato sintético (escenario 3) y de aguas residuales (escenario 4). El ACV dio como resultado un menor impacto para las producciones heterótrofas, en comparación con las fotosintéticas, siendo el escenario 4 el de mayor impacto ambiental. Sin embargo, mediante un análisis de sensibilidad con aumento de productividad, se demostró que el impacto ambiental de los cultivos fotosintéticos puede igualar al heterótrofo, y también el sustrato de aguas residuales al sintético. Este estudio demuestra que la producción fotosintética aún se encuentra en una fase temprana para ser competitiva, pero con la mejora de la se puede lograr el cambio hacia el uso de cianobacterias como via alternativa a la producción de bioplásticos.The production of PHB (main PHA bioplastic) leads to a higher price than conventional plastics due to substrate’s sterilization and production consumptions. To increase competitiveness and efficiency, new strategies for the production are being researched: the use of mixed cultures instead of single strains to avoid sterilization costs, the use of waste-based alternative substrates to reduce the cost and use of land, and the use of cyanobacteria as an alternative to heterotrophic which require high amounts of carbon feedstock. Under these new approaches, this study performed a life cycle assessment (LCA) of 1 kg of PHB produced under four different scenarios, with the novelty of being all of them mixed cultures. Two heterotrophic productions, one with synthetic substrate (scenario1) and with wastewater substrate (Scenario 2), and two photosynthetic, with synthetic (scenario 3) and wastewater substrate (scenario 4). The LCA resulted in a lower impact for the heterotrophic productions, compared to the photosynthetic ones, having scenario 4 the highest environmental impact. However, by a sensitivity analysis with productivity increase, it was proved that the environmental impact of photosynthetic cultures can equal heterotrophic one, and also the wastewater substrate to the synthetic. This study demonstrates that photosynthetic production is still at early stages to be competitive but with enhancement of efficiency, the shift towards using cyanobacteria as an alternative source for the bioplastics production can be achieved

A note on gravitational dark matter production

Dark matter, one of the fundamental components of the universe, has remained mysterious in modern cosmology and particle physics, and hence, this field is of utmost importance at the present moment. One of the foundational questions in this direction is the origin of dark matter, which directly links to its creation. In the present article, we study the gravitational production of dark matter in two distinct contexts: firstly, when reheating occurs through gravitational particle production, and secondly, when it is driven by decay of the inflaton field. We establish a connection between the reheating temperature and the mass of dark matter, and from the reheating bounds, we determine the range of viable dark matter mass values.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Land consumption and urbanization in rural areas: understanding the dynamics of land take and demographic changes in rural municipalities in Catalonia, Spain

Several international organizations agree that land consumption is in a critical situation, yet demand for urbanized spaces persists, even in declining populations. This phenomenon has been primarily applied to large urban agglomerations, so the dynamics of land take in non-urban areas, particularly those situated far from large metropolises, should not be overlooked. The central question of this article is whether increased land consumption in rural areas corresponds to population dynamics. By examining different remote sensing datasets regarding small municipalities in Catalonia (Spain), together with the population census, it seeks to ascertain whether there is a correlation between soil imperviousness, as an indicator of urbanization processes, and demographic changes in rural context. The study provides a comprehensive examination of land consumption for 2009–2018, following the real estate crisis, in Catalonia’s rural municipalities, elucidating the complexities of achieving sustainable land use in the context of population decline. The results of the study indicate that even after the 2008 crisis, rural towns continued to grow in size, generating more land consumption, even without population growth. This stands in contrast to the post-crisis dynamics observed in Spain’s major cities. The findings underscore the importance of analyzing regional dynamics in functional areas rather than by individual municipalities, to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the process. These findings are vital for the development of future regional planning policies, ensuring the optimal allocation of resources and the provision of necessary support to municipalities for the sustainable management of their growth.This publication is part of the R&D project PCI2020-120716-2, funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/and the Spanish Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. The research is part of the project “Assessment of Transformations in Vitality, Vulnerability and Versatility of Rural Towns (3VRUT)”, supported by EIG CONCERT-Japan initiative within the Framework of the Strategic International Collaborative Research Program (SICORP) under the 7th Joint Call of “ICT for Resilient, Safe and Secure Society” (2021–2024).Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Fatal non-seismic rockfalls in Spain

Rockfalls are the slope instability processes that cause the greatest number of victims in Spain, as well as considerable economic losses. This paper quantifies the impact of fatal rockfalls obtained from the documentary collection, mainly written press. We compiled 1,118 events that occurred between 1803 and 2021 and caused casualties (1,550 deaths and around 2,184 injuries). From this set, we analyzed the seasonal distribution and multiannual evolution of 1,018 rockfalls events for the period 1872–2021 (150 years) in which the daily written press was available. The inventoried cases were divided according to the context in which they occurred: dwellings and villages, quarries and excavations, railways, roads and outdoor activities (mountain trails and coastal areas). Diverging trends are observed. While the consequences and risk have decreased as stabilization and prevention actions accumulate around threatened dwellings, quarries and railroads, the number of fatal incidents has increased on roads and in natural spaces. This is due to the increase in roads and traffic, and especially, the greater presence of people in the natural environment (increased exposure). We present a first quantitative estimate of the investments made by administrations to stabilize artificial cuts and natural cliffs in order to reduce the risk of rockfalls.This work was supported by the Georisk project “Advances in rockfall quantitative risk analysis (QRA) incorporating developments in geomatics (GeoRisk)”, grant number PID2019-103974RB-I00, funded by MCIN/AEI/https:/ /doi.org/10.13039/501100011033, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and the Agencia Estatal de Investigación of Spain.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Probabilistic Timing Estimates in Scenarios Under Testing Constraints

Measurement-based probabilistic (MBP) methods like Extreme Value Theory (EVT) and the Markov's Inequality have been exploited to derive probabilistic Worst-Case Execution Time (pWCET) estimates. Usually, the reliability and accuracy of pWCET techniques have been evaluated on medium to large sample sizes, N = [103, 105]. However, several works increasingly advocate for containing the cost of carrying out the test campaign by reducing the number of executions (i.e. the sample size) required by pWCET analysis. Specific scenarios, for example, impose inherent limitations on the collection of timing measurements due to cost and availability of appropriate testing facilities. In this work, we analyze the impact of small sample sizes on MBP. Our analysis shows that classical EVT models for tail estimation require a threshold that estimates where the tail of the distribution begins. In low sample scenarios, the uncertainty in determining this threshold can compromise the reliability of EVT estimates. We also assess the impact of small samples on RESTK, a time forecast method based on Markov's Inequality. Our results with synthetic data and representative kernels show that RESTK provides the best trade-off in terms of trustworthiness and tightness for small samples, partly due to not relying on the selection of any threshold, as opposed to EVT.The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Programme under the SAF- EXPLAIN Project (www.safeexplain.eu), grant agreement num. 101069595. Authors also appreciate the support given to the Re- search Group SSAS (Code: 2021 SGR 00637) by the Research and University Department of the Generalitat de Catalunya.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Design and development of an advanced software and hardware architecture for intelligent energy management in residential environments

This thesis presents a comprehensive framework for intelligent energy management in residential environments through the development and implementation of an advanced integrated hardware and software architecture. The primary objectives were to design a modular, scalable system capable of real-time energy monitoring, predictive consumption analysis, and secure peer-to-peer energy trading; to implement this system using cost-effective hardware components and open-source software solutions; to develop a prototype demonstrating core functionalities; and to evaluate the system's performance, limitations, and potential for future enhancement within the evolving smart grid ecosystem. The methodological approach encompassed a layered architecture integrating physical hardware sensors with containerized software components. At the hardware level, a Raspberry Pi 4 platform was utilized as the central computing unit, augmented with specialized energy monitoring components including the RPICT7V1 module, SCT-013-000 current transformers, and ZMPT101B voltage sensors. This configuration enabled granular measurement of electrical parameters with ten-second sampling intervals. The software architecture was constructed on a Linux-based server environment using MicroK8s for lightweight Kubernetes orchestration. This containerized microservices framework incorporated InfluxDB for time-series data storage, Grafana for real-time visualization, and a Large Language Model (LLM) for predictive analytics. External data integration was achieved through a REE API connection that provided real-time electricity pricing information from the Spanish market. Additionally, a decentralized energy trading system was conceptually designed using the Cardano blockchain, featuring smart contracts implemented in Plutus and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for transaction traceability. The testing and validation phase confirmed the successful deployment and operational functionality of the core system components. The hardware sensing layer demonstrated accurate data acquisition capabilities, reliably capturing voltage and current measurements across multiple channels. The containerized software infrastructure exhibited stable operation and effective inter-service communication within the Kubernetes environment. End-to-end data flow validation verified the complete pathway from sensor readings through storage in InfluxDB to visualization in Grafana dashboards. The integration of external energy market data from the REE API was successfully implemented, enabling real-time electricity price monitoring. Functional Grafana dashboards provided intuitive visualization of key energy metrics including power consumption, voltage levels, current intensity, and PVPC pricing. While computational constraints of the Raspberry Pi platform limited full LLM functionality, and the peer-to-peer trading system remained at the architectural design stage rather than full implementation, these limitations were clearly identified as areas for future development. In conclusion, this research successfully demonstrated the viability of integrating real-time monitoring, containerized microservices, and foundational blockchain technologies within a residential energy management context. The prototype represents a significant advancement toward democratized energy management through its modular, open-source architecture and cost-effective hardware implementation. Future work will focus on migrating the computational stack to more powerful hardware such as the NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano platform to enable full LLM integration, implementing the complete peer-to-peer trading functionality, and developing advanced features including dynamic load balancing, demand response integration, and multi-site energy management. This research contributes to the evolving field of intelligent energy systems by providing a blueprint for scalable, decentralized solutions that enhance grid resilience, empower energy prosumers, and support the transition toward sustainable, efficient energy ecosystem