RF Transimpedance Amplifier for CATV Applications over PON

In this work, we present a fully differential transimpedance amplifier (TIA) with controllable transimpedance for use in RF overlay downstream communication systems. The transimpedance amplifier has been designed in a standard 180-nm CMOS technology and it is intended for 47 MHz to 870 MHz subcarrier multiplexed RF signals. It performs a 18 dBΩ transimpedance gain control range for extended optical input range from -6 dBm up to +2 dBm

Evaluating the impact of new trends in urban freight transportation attending the triple bottom line: A case study

Urban freight transportation is considered one of the activities that has the greatest impact on urban areas in terms of sustainability and livability, therefore, new trends are emerging to reduce its impacts. However, there is a lack of methodologies to evaluate and validate the implementation of these trends. In this context, the proposed methodology presents the implementation of three KPIs attending the triple bottom line approach, which look at impacts from the social, environmental, and economic perspectives. This methodology is tested on a case study and the results conclude that the implementation of new trends in UFT can reduce its impact in urban areas

Study and Analysis of the Implementation of 4.0 Technologies in the Agri-Food Supply Chain: A State of the Art

Industry 4.0 is changing the industrial environment. Particularly, the emerging Industry 4.0 technologies can improve the agri-food supply chain throughout all its stages. This study aims to highlight the benefits of implementing Industry 4.0 in the agri-food supply chain. First, it presents how technologies enhance the agri-food supply chain development. Then, it identifies and highlights the most common challenges that Industry 4.0 implementation faces in agri-food’s environment. After that, it proposes key performance indicators to measure the advantages of this implementation. To achieve this, a systematic literature review was conducted. It combined conceptual and bibliometric analyses of 78 papers. As a result, the most suitable technologies were identified, e.g., Internet of Things, Big Data, blockchain and cyber physical systems. The most used indicators are proposed and the challenges of implementation were detected and classified in three groups, i.e., technical, educational and governmental. This paper highlights and exemplifies the benefits of implementing Industry 4.0 facing the lack of knowledge that exists nowadays. Moreover, it fulfils the gaps in literature, i.e., the lack of information about the implementation of technologies 4.0 or the description of the most relevant indicators for Industry 4.0 implementation.This research study received no external fundin

The Importance of Implementing Cyber Physical Systems to Acquire Real-Time Data and Indicators

Among the new trends in technology that have emerged through the Industry 4.0, Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) and Internet of Things (IoT) are crucial for the real-time data acquisition. This data acquisition, together with its transformation in valuable information, are indispensable for the development of real-time indicators. Moreover, real-time indicators provide companies with a competitive advantage over the competition since they enhance the calculus and speed up the decision-making and failure detection. Our research highlights the advantages of real-time data acquisition for supply chains, developing indicators that would be impossible to achieve with traditional systems, improving the accuracy of the existing ones and enhancing the real-time decision-making. Moreover, it brings out the importance of integrating technologies 4.0 in industry, in this case, CPS and IoT, and establishes the main points for a future research agenda of this topic.This research received no external fundin

Public Support for the Imposition of a Tax on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and the Determinants of Such Support in Spain

Background: Taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages are an effective public health intervention, but can be difficult to implement in the absence of public support. This is the first study to analyze the Spanish population's support for a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of a representative sample of the Spanish adult population (n = 1002), using a computer-aided telephone interview with a questionnaire on nutritional policies. The support for the tax was calculated by the percentage of those who agreed plus those who strongly agreed with the measure. The sociodemographic determinants of support for the tax were analyzed using chi-squared test (χ2) and Poisson multiple regression models with robust variance. Results: Of the participants, 66.9% supported a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. Support for the tax was 9.2% higher (70% vs. 64.1%) when responders were first asked about support for tax relief and subsidies for healthy foods (p = 0.049). Support for the tax was 16% and 35% lower among persons reporting center and right-wing political sympathies (p < 0.01), and 16% lower among regular consumers of sugar-sweetened beverages (p = 0.01). Conclusions: A clear majority of the Spanish population is in favor of imposing a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. Awareness-raising campaigns and a policy of combining the measure with subsidies or tax cuts on healthy foods could increase the level of support among those currently against the intervention.This research was funded by the Spanish Health Research Fund of the Institute of Health Carlos III (Project ENPY 120/18).S

Transimpedance Amplifier for Short-Reach SI-POF Links

This paper presents the design of a low-power lowvoltage transimpedance amplifier for short reach applications through low-cost step index plastic optical fiber. The amplifier has been designed in a 180 nm CMOS technology and dissipates 6 mW from a supply voltage of only 1 V. The design achieves 1.25 Gb/s through 50 m POF and a sensitivity of -20 dBm considering a 10-12 BER

Development of a New KPI for the Economic Quantification of Six Big Losses and Its Implementation in a Cyber Physical System

The purpose of this work is to develop a new Key Performance Indicator (KPI) that can quantify the cost of Six Big Losses developed by Nakajima and implements it in a Cyber Physical System (CPS), achieving a real-time monitorization of the KPI. This paper follows the methodology explained below. A cost model has been used to accurately develop this indicator together with the Six Big Losses description. At the same time, the machine tool has been integrated into a CPS, enhancing the real-time data acquisition, using the Industry 4.0 technologies. Once the KPI has been defined, we have developed the software that can turn these real-time data into relevant information (using Python) through the calculation of our indicator. Finally, we have carried out a case of study showing our new KPI results and comparing them to other indicators related with the Six Big Losses but in different dimensions. As a result, our research quantifies economically the Six Big Losses, enhances the detection of the bigger ones to improve them, and enlightens the importance of paying attention to different dimensions, mainly, the productive, sustainable, and economic at the same time

A Double Loop Continuous-Time Adaptive Equalizer

This paper presents an adaptive equalizer for shorthaul gigabit optical communications. It includes two adaptation loops to compensate the changes in level and spectrum of the input signal. It consumes 29.3 mW for a 1.25 Gb/s signal, transmitted through a 50-m length 1-mm core SI-POF

Development of a New Green Indicator and Its Implementation in a Cyber–Physical System for a Green Supply Chain

This work investigates Industry 4.0 technologies by developing a new key performance indicator that can determine the energy consumption of machine tools for a more sustainable supply chain. To achieve this, we integrated the machine tool indicator into a cyber–physical system for easy and real-time capturing of data. We also developed software that can turn these data into relevant information (using Python): Using this software, we were able to view machine tool activities and energy consumption in real time, which allowed us to determine the activities with greater energy burdens. As such, we were able to improve the application of Industry 4.0 in machine tools by allowing informed real-time decisions that can reduce energy consumption. In this research, a new Key Performance Indicator (KPI) was been developed and calculated in real time. This KPI can be monitored, can measure the sustainability of machining processes in a green supply chain (GSC) using Nakajima’s six big losses from the perspective of energy consumption, and is able to detect what the biggest energy loss is. This research was implemented in a cyber–physical system typical of Industry 4.0 to demonstrate its applicability in real processes. Other productivity KPIs were implemented in order to compare efficiency and sustainability, highlighting the importance of paying attention to both terms at the same time, given that the improvement of one does not imply the improvement of the other, as our results show.The authors would like to acknowledge the participation of TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATIONS through their the implementation of the cyber–physical system and for their expertise in electronics and communication, as well as the Precision Mechanic Service of the Universidad de Zaragoza and their contributions during the essays

Mejora de la linealidad de un VCSEL mediante técnicas de predistorsión para aplicaciones de radio sobre fibra

En este trabajo se presenta el modelado de un láser emisor de superficie de cavidad vertical (VCSEL) para el diseño de un láser driver programable en ganancia y con una elevada linealidad para su uso en un sistema de antenas distribuidas (DAS). Todo ello con una arquitectura que utiliza la transmisión de datos de frecuencia intermedia sobre fibra (IFoF) con tecnología CMOS nanométrica