A Robust Localization System for Inspection Robots in Sewer Networks †

Sewers represent a very important infrastructure of cities whose state should be monitored periodically. However, the length of such infrastructure prevents sensor networks from being applicable. In this paper, we present a mobile platform (SIAR) designed to inspect the sewer network. It is capable of sensing gas concentrations and detecting failures in the network such as cracks and holes in the floor and walls or zones were the water is not flowing. These alarms should be precisely geo-localized to allow the operators performing the required correcting measures. To this end, this paper presents a robust localization system for global pose estimation on sewers. It makes use of prior information of the sewer network, including its topology, the different cross sections traversed and the position of some elements such as manholes. The system is based on a Monte Carlo Localization system that fuses wheel and RGB-D odometry for the prediction stage. The update step takes into account the sewer network topology for discarding wrong hypotheses. Additionally, the localization is further refined with novel updating steps proposed in this paper which are activated whenever a discrete element in the sewer network is detected or the relative orientation of the robot over the sewer gallery could be estimated. Each part of the system has been validated with real data obtained from the sewers of Barcelona. The whole system is able to obtain median localization errors in the order of one meter in all cases. Finally, the paper also includes comparisons with state-of-the-art Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) systems that demonstrate the convenience of the approach.Unión Europea ECHORD ++ 601116Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades de España RTI2018-100847-B-C2

Space-Dimension Models of Spectrum Usage for Cognitive Radio Networks.

The dynamic spectrum access (DSA) principle, relying on the cognitive radio (CR) paradigm, allows users to access spectrum over time intervals or spatial areas where it remains unused. Due to the opportunistic nature of DSA/CR, the behavior and performance of DSA/CR networks depends on the perceived spectrum usage pattern. An accurate modeling of spectrum occupancy therefore becomes essential in the context of DSA/CR. In this context, this paper addresses the problem of accurately modeling the spectrum occupancy pattern perceived by DSA/CR users in the spatial domain. A novel spatial modeling approach is introduced to enable a simple yet practical and accurate characterization of spectrum. First, a set of models is proposed to characterize and predict the average level of occupancy perceived by DSA/CR users at various locations based on the knowledge of some simple signal parameters. An extension is then proposed to characterize not only the average occupancy level but the instantaneous channel state perceived simultaneously by DSA/CR users observing the same transmitter from different locations as well. The validity and accuracy of the theoretical models are demonstrated with results from an extensive spectrum measurement campaign. Some illustrative examples of their potential applicability are presented and discussed as well

Optical sensing and self-learning approach to estimate the state condition of railway infrastructure sublayers

The objective pursued is the implementation of a technique for intensive information capture of the state of the deep layers of the infrastructure of transport linear works, in order to (a) detect faults, (b) predict the evolution of the state as a function of time, (c) estimate the necessary maintenance operations, and (d) plan the required interventions. All this is focused on achieving greater efficiency in the management of the conservation of this kind of infrastructure. The data obtained in real time correspond to the tests carried out on a substructure section model housed in a scaled sublayer’s test-rig with installed Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) optical sensors. Finally, the methodology is described, based on data analytics and Machine Learning techniques, in order to infer the severity of measured deformations and failures

Sistematización de una práctica pedagógica a través de una secuencia didáctica para el fortalecimiento de la competencia argumentativa en estudiantes de ciclo V de la institución educativa María Dolorosa jornada nocturna, de la ciudad de Pereira

El propósito de esta investigación, es sistematizar una práctica pedagógica, para el fortalecimiento de la competencia argumentativa en estudiantes del ciclo V de la Institución Educativa María Dolorosa, jornada nocturna. La investigación consta de un marco teórico, que abarca el origen de la argumentación y fundamenta apreciaciones respecto a la competencia argumentativa, la sistematización de experiencias y secuencia didáctica. Cuenta con un marco metodológico que enmarca la estructura de una investigación de tipo descriptivo-cualitativo y la secuencia didáctica que describe el proceso llevado a cabo en el aula de clase; dicha secuencia se fundamentó en el concepto utilizado por Ana Camps. Además, la sistematización de experiencias pedagógicas, le permite al docente constituir visiones útiles y plenas en significado, para iniciar su labor investigativa. Dicha labor se ve reflejada cuando el docente toma en cuenta la connotación de los roles que está desempeñando cada actor del proceso educativo, incluyéndose a sí mismo, hace una caracterización de los mismos y del impacto de su trabajo pedagógico sobre esos actores; lo cual cobra sentido cuando se convierte en materia prima para resignificar las prácticas pedagógicas con cada uno de sus componentes y abre las puertas para que tanto los aciertos como los errores sean objeto de estudio para ser reforzados, utilizados nuevamente o corregidos. Se hace de la tarea pedagógica y los modelos usados, un proceso relevante, en la medida que la reflexión y el estudio de los mismos vayan supliendo las distintas insuficiencias y necesidades que se logren evidenciar. En este orden de ideas, la aplicación teórica y práctica de la sistematización se constituye en fuente de nuevos conocimientos para comunicar, conocimientos basados en la clasificación de información, su análisis, su reflexión crítica, la interpretación y resignificación de las experiencias ordenadas y estudiadas. Se trata de saberes que sirven de guía para la realización de nuevos procesos plenos en significado y prestos al mejoramiento y alcance de las demandas que surgieron previamente y que tal vez no se lograron suplir en su momento. Así, cada práctica pedagógica sobre la competencia argumentativa, representó la materia prima para realizar a un proceso de análisis, de crítica, interpretación y de toma de conciencia sobre los procesos, actitudes, contextos, logros, desventajas. Se trata de un antecedente con posibilidad de recobrar, de una reconquista lograda en la medida que se recreen estrategias, que se recontextualicen y resignifiquen, basándose en los conocimientos producidos durante el proceso de sistematización.The purpose of this research, is to systematize a teaching practice, to strengthen the understanding of argumentative competence in the Cycle V students in the Institución Educativa María Dolorosa of the night shift. The research consists of a theoretical framework covering the origin of the argument and findings based on argumentative competition, systematization of experiences and teaching sequence. It has a methodological framework that frames the structure of a descriptive-qualitative research and teaching sequence that describes the process undertaken in the classroom, this sequence was based on the concept used by Ana Camps. Also, the systematization of teaching experiences leave allows to the teacher builds full and useful views with meaning, to start his investigative job. That job is reflected when the teacher takes into account the connotation of the roles that every actor is developing in the school process, including himself. He makes a characterization of those components and the impact of his teaching work about those roles. All that makes sense when it becomes raw material to give a new meaning to the teaching practices with every one of the components. Then, the systematization opens the doors for both the mistakes and successes are the subject of study, for being reinforced, corrected and used again. This process makes the teaching work and the models to become relevant because taking awareness and studying of them helps to fix the different shortcomings and the needs that the teacher makes evident. In this order of ideas, the theoretical application and practice of systematizing it is source of new knowledge to communicate, knowledge based on the classification of information, analysis, critical reflection, interpretation and resignification of the experiences listed and studied. It about nowledge that guide the realization of new meaning and new processes to improve and scope of demands that arose previously and perhaps not be managed supplement at the time. So, each teaching practice on the argumentative competence, represented the raw to carry out a process of analysis, criticism, interpretation and awareness processes, attitudes, contexts, achievements and drawbacks. It's a background with the possibility of recovering from a successful reconquest to the extent that they recreate strategies that are a new meaning and make a new context, based on the knowledge produced during the process of systematization

OG-SGG: Ontology-Guided Scene Graph Generation-A Case Study in Transfer Learning for Telepresence Robotics

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License. For more information, see https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/Scene graph generation from images is a task of great interest to applications such as robotics, because graphs are the main way to represent knowledge about the world and regulate human-robot interactions in tasks such as Visual Question Answering (VQA). Unfortunately, its corresponding area of machine learning is still relatively in its infancy, and the solutions currently offered do not specialize well in concrete usage scenarios. Specifically, they do not take existing ‘‘expert’’ knowledge about the domain world into account; and that might indeed be necessary in order to provide the level of reliability demanded by the use case scenarios. In this paper, we propose an initial approximation to a framework called Ontology-Guided Scene Graph Generation (OG-SGG), that can improve the performance of an existing machine learning based scene graph generator using prior knowledge supplied in the form of an ontology (specifically, using the axioms defined within); and we present results evaluated on a specific scenario founded in telepresence robotics. These results show quantitative and qualitative improvements in the generated scene graphs

Educación para la convivencia en contextos escolares: una propuesta de intervención contra los malos tratos entre iguales

Presentamos un programa de intervención contra los malos tratos entre iguales que está integrado en dos proyectos de investigación europeos – el Proyecto TMR para el estudio de la naturaleza y prevención de los malos tratos entre iguales y el Proyecto Sócrates – y se desarrolla a través de la formación del profesorado y del alumnado de un centro de enseñanza secundaria. El programa tiene como objetivo la mejora de las habilidades sociales de los miembros de la comunidad educativa, como medio para desarrollar relaciones interpersonales positivas, que se consideran básicas para la mejora del clima de convivencia. Mostramos los efectos que la mejora del clima de convivencia tiene sobre la incidencia de los malos tratos en el centro donde se realiza el estudio. Los resultados señalan una mejora del clima de convivencia en el centro tras la implementación del programa y una reducción de la incidencia del maltrato entre iguales.An intervention program against bullying is presented in this article. The intervention program is integrated in two European research projects – the TMR Project about nature and prevention of bullying and the Sócrates Project – and it is developed through out pupils and teachers’ training. The intervention program persecutes the improvement of social skills in order to develop positive interpersonal relationships those are considered the base for improving the conviviality climate. Finally, we show the effects of this climate improvement on bullying incidence in the centre where the study was made. The results point out an improvement of climate after the implementation of the program as well as a reduction of the bullying incidence

Elaboración de una guía interactiva en línea sobre el turismo del cantón mejía, dirigido a turistas con la finalidad de difundir la historia y tradición cultural del cantón

The present investigation was done in Pichincha Province in the Mejia canton, to all of the tourists that visit this beautiful valley, asking about if they know every place in this wonderful town and it permits to get information about cultural and food places that are in Mejia Canton, with the researching was taking account the people opinion, in the surveys done, we could get information and develop the proposal. It consists in an interactive on- line guide which it will visit by tourists for visiting places and go there. It permits that the tourism in the Canton will increase and the tourist can get information easily and fastest about touristic attractive places, restaurants, traditions and cultural parties.La presente investigación se realizó en la Provincia de Pichincha en el Cantón Mejía a los turistas que visitan este hermoso valle, en lo que se refiere a que si conocen de todos los lugares que ofrece este maravillo rincón y permitiendo saber las falencias por la falta de información sobre los lugares que existen tanto culturales, gastronómicos y naturales. Dentro de la investigación se tomó muy en cuenta la opinión de las personas encuestadas para recabar información y de esta manera desarrollar la propuesta que consiste en una guía interactiva en línea para que pueda ser visitada por turistas que gustan saber que lugares visitar y donde ir. Todo esto permitirá que el turismo se de en el Cantón Mejía con más frecuencia ya que el usuario de la guía puede acceder con más rapidez y fácil manejo en internet y conocer de los atractivos turísticos, artesanías, gastronomía y fiestas