Surface movement and cascade processes on debris cones in temperate high mountain (Picos de Europa, northern Spain)

Producción CientíficaDebris talus is a very common landform in the temperate high mountain, so much so that it is the most representative of the periglacial and nival processes. This work studies debris cones in the Picos de Europa, an Atlantic mountain range in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. A detailed geomorphological map was prepared, fieldwork was carried out on the debris cone surface, the ground and air thermal regime was analyzed, and a five-year Terrestrial Laser Scan survey carried out. Annual volume changes on the surface of the debris cones were detected and related to active processes and sediment transfer. Two different behaviors were observed in each cone. Cone A is linear, with equilibrium between accumulation and sediment transfer, while Cone B is concave-convex denoting accumulation processes in the upper part deriving from the greater frequency of snow avalanches. Changes in morphology surpass 50 cm/year with most of the activity taking place in the highest and lowest areas. The presence and action of the ice on the debris slope are moderate or non-existent and freeze-thaw processes are only active on the walls at over 2000 m a.s.l. The main processes on debris cones are debris flow and creep related to snowcover, but sediment transfer on the slopes involves high intensity-low frequency (debris flow, avalanches) and high frequency-low intensity processes (creep, shift, solifluction and wasting).Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad - Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (project CGL2015-68144-R)Junta de Extremadura - Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (project GR10071

Eco‐Holonic 4.0 Circular Business Model to Conceptualize Sustainable Value Chain Towards Digital Transition

The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize a circular business model based on an Eco-Holonic Architecture, through the integration of circular economy and holonic principles. A conceptual model is developed to manage the complexity of integrating circular economy principles, digital transformation, and tools and frameworks for sustainability into business models. The proposed architecture is multilevel and multiscale in order to achieve the instantiation of the sustainable value chain in any territory. The architecture promotes the incorporation of circular economy and holonic principles into new circular business models. This integrated perspective of business model can support the design and upgrade of the manufacturing companies in their respective industrial sectors. The conceptual model proposed is based on activity theory that considers the interactions between technical and social systems and allows the mitigation of the metabolic rift that exists between natural and social metabolism. This study contributes to the existing literature on circular economy, circular business models and activity theory by considering holonic paradigm concerns, which have not been explored yet. This research also offers a unique holonic architecture of circular business model by considering different levels, relationships, dynamism and contextualization (territory) aspects

Building Suitable Datasets for Soft Computing and Machine Learning Techniques from Meteorological Data Integration: A Case Study for Predicting Significant Wave Height and Energy Flux

Meteorological data are extensively used to perform environmental learning. Soft Computing (SC) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques represent a valuable support in many research areas, but require datasets containing information related to the topic under study. Such datasets are not always available in an appropriate format and its preparation and pre-processing implies a lot of time and effort by researchers. This paper presents a novel software tool with a user-friendly GUI to create datasets by means of management and data integration of meteorological observations from two data sources: the National Data Buoy Center and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction and for Atmospheric Research Reanalysis Project. Such datasets can be created using buoys and reanalysis data through customisable procedures, in terms of temporal resolution, predictive and objective variables, and can be used by SC and ML methodologies for prediction tasks (classification or regression). The objective is providing the research community with an automated and versatile system for the casuistry that entails well-formed and quality data integration, potentially leading to better prediction models. The software tool can be used as a supporting tool for coastal and ocean engineering applications, sustainable energy production, or environmental modelling; as well as for decision-making in the design and building of coastal protection structures, marine transport, ocean energy converters, and well-planned running of offshore and coastal engineering activities. Finally, to illustrate the applicability of the proposed tool, a case study to classify waves depending on their significant height and to predict energy flux in the Gulf of Alaska is presented

Semi-wildlife gait patterns classification using Statistical Methods and Artificial Neural Networks

Several studies have focused on classifying behavioral patterns in wildlife and captive species to monitor their activities and so to understanding the interactions of animals and control their welfare, for biological research or commercial purposes. The use of pattern recognition techniques, statistical methods and Overall Dynamic Body Acceleration (ODBA) are well known for animal behavior recognition tasks. The reconfigurability and scalability of these methods are not trivial, since a new study has to be done when changing any of the configuration parameters. In recent years, the use of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) has increased for this purpose due to the fact that they can be easily adapted when new animals or patterns are required. In this context, a comparative study between a theoretical research is presented, where statistical and spectral analyses were performed and an embedded implementation of an ANN on a smart collar device was placed on semi-wild animals. This system is part of a project whose main aim is to monitor wildlife in real time using a wireless sensor network infrastructure. Different classifiers were tested and compared for three different horse gaits. Experimental results in a real time scenario achieved an accuracy of up to 90.7%, proving the efficiency of the embedded ANN implementation.Junta de Andalucía P12-TIC-1300Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TEC2016-77785-

Comparación de estrategias de control para sistemas MPPT: optimización de la potencia entregada a la carga vs optimización de la potencia extraída del generador fotovoltaico

Los sistemas de seguimiento del punto de máxima potencia (MPPT) tratan de maximizar el rendimiento de una instalación fotovoltaica mediante el ajuste dinámico del ciclo de trabajo (δ) del convertidor CC/CC empleado para conectar el generador con la carga. Tradicionalmente, el algoritmo de control empleado para la definición del ciclo de trabajo determina el valor de este parámetro con objeto de maximizar la potencia generada por el generador fotovoltaico. Estas técnicas no tienen en cuenta el carácter no ideal del convertidor CC/CC, cuyo rendimiento real depende también del ciclo de trabajo (δ) con el que opera. Considerando las características del convertidor CC/CC no puede afirmarse, a priori, que el método que optimiza la generación de potencia del generador fotovoltaico maximiza también la entrega de potencia en la carga, objetivo final de un sistema MPPT. Este trabajo adapta el ampliamente extendido algoritmo "Perturbación/Observación, P&O" para optimizar la entrega de potencia en la carga, midiendo las variables que determinan el comportamiento del algoritmo a la salida del convertidor CC/CC, y compara el rendimiento obtenido con el que se obtiene con el planteamiento clásico de optimización de la potencia entregada por el generador fotovoltaico, en el que la medida de las variables que determinan el funcionamiento del algoritmo se realizan en la entrada del convertidor CC/CC. Se ha analizado un sistema fotovoltaico que emplea un convertidor boost para conectar el generador fotovoltaico (PVG) con la carga, el cual ha sido sometido a condiciones atmosféricas variables, en cuanto a radiación y temperatura, y a distintos requerimientos de consumo de carga, obteniendo los rendimientos ofrecidos por el sistema para las dos filosofías de control. Estos resultados se discuten para determinar si hay una pérdida significativa de rendimiento en el planteamiento clásico frente a la nueva propuesta y la conveniencia de desarrollar sistemas que optimicen la potencia útil, esto es, la entregada a la carga.The maximum power point tracking systems (MPPT) try to maximize the performance of a photovoltaic installation by dynamically adjusting the duty cycle (δ) of the DC/DC converter used to connect the generator to the load. Traditionally, the control algorithm used to define the duty cycle determines the value of this parameter in order to maximize the power generated by the photovoltaic generator. These techniques do not take into account the non-ideal character of the DC/DC converter, whose real efficiency also depends on the duty cycle with which it operates. Considering the characteristics of the DC/DC converter can not be said, a priori, that the method that optimizes the power generation of the photovoltaic generator also maximizes the power delivery in the load, the final objective of an MPPT system. This work adapts the well-known algorithm "Perturbation / Observation, P&O" to optimize the delivery of power in the load, measuring the variables that determine the behavior of the algorithm at the output of the DC / DC converter, and compares its performance with the performance that it is obtained with the classical approach of optimizing the power delivered by the photovoltaic generator, in which the measurement of the variables that determine the operation of the algorithm are made at the input of the DC / DC converter. A photovoltaic system that uses a boost converter to connect the photovoltaic generator with the load has been analyzed, which has been subjected to variable atmospheric conditions, in terms of radiation and temperature, and to different load consumption requirements, obtaining the performances offered by the system for the two control philosophies. These results are discussed to determine if there is a significant loss of performance in the classical approach with respect to the new proposal and the convenience of developing systems that optimize the useful power, that is, the power delivered to the load

Un rapprochement à la réalité des plates-formes virtuelles des universités espagnoles: le premier défi pour un enseignement personnalisé pour les personnes ayant un handicap moteur ou visuel

The starting point to provide a university education-based custom environments online education to people with functional diversity must focus on ensuring the optimal accessibility to your web content and learning resources. At present, most of the universities now have virtual platforms of education, with an important weight for the correct development of their studies and for the optimization of learning of its students. On the other hand, the virtual environments pose a major access point to the possible enrolment in these university students with disabilities. This paper has two objectives. The first of them is to define which are the optimal conditions for web accessibility in the virtual platforms of education and the web sites of universities for people who have visual impairment or motor disabilities, according to international standards. The second objective of this work aims to deliver a brief approximation on the degree of accessibility of the web sites of the Spanish universities for students with these two disabilities. The work follows a descriptive design based on two elements of analysis. On the one hand, the review of studies of accessibility and functional diversity; and on the other hand, the analysis of web accessibility of the web sites of the 78 Spanish universities. It is concluded that there are difficulties of web accessibility and navigation in the virtual environments of the Spanish universities, a situation that, therefore, leads to limitations in the learning from the collective of students with disabilities.El punto de partida para ofrecer una educación universitaria personalizada basada en entornos de educación online a personas con diversidad funcional debe centrarse en garantizar la óptima accesibilidad a su contenido web y a los recursos de aprendizaje. En la actualidad, la mayoría de las universidades disponen de plataformas virtuales de educación, con un importante peso para el correcto desarrollo de sus estudios y para la optimización del aprendizaje de su alumnado. Por otro lado, los entornos virtuales suponen un importante punto de acceso a la posible matriculación en dichas universidades del alumnado con discapacidad. Este trabajo tiene dos objetivos. El primero de ellos consiste en definir cuáles son las condiciones óptimas de accesibilidad web de las plataformas virtuales de educación y de los sitios web de las universidades para personas que presentan discapacidad visual o discapacidad motórica, de acuerdo a los estándares internacionales. El segundo objetivo del trabajo persigue ofrecer una breve aproximación al grado de accesibilidad de los sitios web de las universidades españolas para el alumnado con esas dos discapacidades. El trabajo sigue un diseño descriptivo basado en dos elementos de análisis. Por un lado, la revisión de estudios de accesibilidad y diversidad funcional y, por otro, el análisis de la accesibilidad web de los sitios web de las 78 universidades españolas. Se concluye que existen dificultades de accesibilidad web y navegación en los entornos virtuales de las universidades españolas, situación que, por lo tanto, redunda en limitaciones en el aprendizaje de los colectivos de estudiantes con limitaciones.Le point de départ pour offrir une éducation universitaire personnalisée fondée dans des environnements de l’éducation online à personnes avec diversité fonctionnelle doit viser à assurer l’optimale accessibilité à son contenu Web et aux ressources d’apprentissage. Actuellement, la plupart des universités disposent de plates-formes virtuelles de l’éducation, avec un poids important pour le bon déroulement de leurs études et pour l’optimisation de l’apprentissage des élèves. D’autre part, les environnements virtuels représentent un important point d’accès à l’éventuelle inscription dans ces universités des élèves handicapés. Ce travail a deux objectifs. Le premier d’entre eux est à définir quels sont les conditions optimales d’accessibilité Web des plates-formes virtuels de l’éducation et des sites Web des universités de personnes qui présentent incapacité visuelle ou d’invalidité motrice, conformément aux normes internationales. Le deuxième objectif du travail poursuit offrir un bref rapprochement au degré d’accessibilité des sites Web des universités espagnoles pour les élèves avec ces deux handicaps. Le travail est une conception descriptive fondée sur deux éléments d’analyse. D’une part, la révision des études d’accessibilité et la diversité fonctionnelle; et d’autre part, l’analyse de l’accessibilité Web des sites Web des 78 universités espagnoles. Il est conclu qu’il existe des difficultés d’accessibilité Web et de la navigation dans les environnements virtuels des universités espagnoles, situation qui, par conséquent, sert limitations à l’apprentissage des collectifs d’étudiants handicapés

An ordinal CNN approach for the assessment of neurological damage in Parkinson’s disease patients

3D image scans are an assessment tool for neurological damage in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. This diagnosis process can be automatized to help medical staff through Decision Support Systems (DSSs), and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are good candidates, because they are effective when applied to spatial data. This paper proposes a 3D CNN ordinal model for assessing the level or neurological damage in PD patients. Given that CNNs need large datasets to achieve acceptable performance, a data augmentation method is adapted to work with spatial data. We consider the Ordinal Graph-based Oversampling via Shortest Paths (OGO-SP) method, which applies a gamma probability distribution for inter-class data generation. A modification of OGO-SP is proposed, the OGO-SP- algorithm, which applies the beta distribution for generating synthetic samples in the inter-class region, a better suited distribution when compared to gamma. The evaluation of the different methods is based on a novel 3D image dataset provided by the Hospital Universitario ‘Reina Sofía’ (Córdoba, Spain). We show how the ordinal methodology improves the performance with respect to the nominal one, and how OGO-SP- yields better performance than OGO-SP

Las regletas de Cuisenaire; una estrategia olvidada para la enseñanza de las matemáticas en Educación Básica

Esta investigación de corte cualitativo, presenta a través de un estudio de caso, la respuesta a la interrogante ¿Qué importancia le dan los docentes en formación y los maestros en servicio al uso de las regletas de Cuisenaire como un material didáctico efectivo en la enseñanza de las matemáticas de educación primaria?, mediante la captura, análisis, sistematización y obtención de resultados de los elementos aportados por dos grupos de enfoque; Uno integrado por docentes en formación del 8vo. semestre de la licenciatura en educación primaria, muy próximos a titularse mediante un documento referente a las habilidades matemáticas en los niños de educación primaria y otro integrado por docentes en servicio que utilizan como material didáctico, las regletas de Cuisenaire, para la enseñanza de las matemáticas en la primaria, respetando su enfoque, Constructivista y funcional, ambos con experiencia en el uso de este material concreto. Se recuperaron una serie de evidencias según la propuesta de Yin (1994), respetando los estándares de confiabilidad, a través de entrevistas, encuestas, la observación directa y datos estadísticos que permitieron un acercamiento con dichos grupos mencionados, para descubrir, interpretar y comprender la perspectiva de los involucrados en la realidad social. Es importante mencionar que este es el primero de tres acercamientos a la investigación del uso de las Regletas de Cuisenaire, como un seguimiento en el impacto real de la enseñanza de las matemáticas con alumnos de educación primaria en diversos contextos del Estado de Chihuahua

Marco de referencia para la incorporación de la sostenibilidad social al diseño de productos industriales

En el presente trabajo se propone un marco de referencia que atienda especialmente la dimensión de sostenibilidad social, bajo el enfoque de la Triple E, estableciéndose un doble objetivo: la mejora continua de la inclusividad de producto, y facilitar la visibilidad de dicha inclusividad. Para lograrlo se ha trabajado bajo las bases del marco GERAM, que desde una triple dimensión posibilita abordar los distintos puntos de vista del modelo de diseño y desarrollo de productos inclusivos, con aproximaciones de menor a mayor especificidad. Para mejorar los productos y dotarlos de mayor inclusividad mediante un proceso de mejora continua se desplegarán las cinco etapas (DMAIC) de Seis Sigma, que se centra en los usuarios y busca, detecta y reduce y/o elimina los errores que causan las inconformidades. Para facilitar la visibilidad del nivel de mejora inclusiva conseguido, se hará uso de una calificación de la inclusividad basado en un ranking similar a la medida de la eficiencia energética (niveles A al D), y un radar que permita identificar la distribución de las mejoras en las características inclusivas. Se ilustrará con la aplicación a una familia de mobiliario de cocina.In this paper we propose a framework that addresses especially the social dimension of sustainability, under the approach of the Triple E, setting two targets, continuous improvement of product inclusiveness, and facilitate the visibility of such inclusiveness. To achieve this we have worked on the basis of GERAM framework, that enables a threefold dimension addressing different views of the design and development process, with approaches from low to high specificity. To improve products and make them more inclusiveness through a process of continuous improvement will deploy five phases (DMAIC) of Six Sigma, which focuses on users and searches, detects and reduces and / or eliminates errors caused by disagreements. To facilitate the visibility of the inclusiveness enhancement level achieved, will make use of a rating of inclusiveness based on a ranking similar to the measure of energy efficiency (levels A to D), and a radar to identify the distribution of improvements in the inclusiveness features

Design of an Intelligent Front-End Signal Conditioning Circuit for IR Sensors

This paper presents the design of an intelligent front-end signal conditioning system for IR sensors. The system has been developed as an interface between a PbSe IR sensor matrix and a TMS320C67x digital signal processor. The system architecture ensures its scalability so it can be used for sensors with different matrix sizes. It includes an integrator based signal conditioning circuit, a data acquisition converter block, and a FPGA based advanced control block that permits including high level image preprocessing routines such as faulty pixel detection and sensor calibration in the signal conditioning front-end. During the design phase virtual instrumentation technologies proved to be a very valuable tool for prototyping when choosing the best A/D converter type for the application. Development time was significantly reduced due to the use of this technology