Using Scratch to Teach Undergraduate Students' Skills on Artificial Intelligence

This paper presents a educational workshop in Scratch that is proposed for the active participation of undergraduate students in contexts of Artificial Intelligence. The main objective of the activity is to demystify the complexity of Artificial Intelligence and its algorithms. For this purpose, students must realize simple exercises of clustering and two neural networks, in Scratch. The detailed methodology to get that is presented in the article.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, workshop presentatio

The communication of word of mouth communication vs. electronic word of mouth communication. Analysis of the principal differences

La rápida irrupción de Internet y, en particular, la implantación de los Medios Sociales a través de blogs, de redes sociales, de foros o comunidades de contenido han contribuido decisivamente a que la comunicación de “boca de boca” y la comunicación de “boca en boca electrónica” cambien la actitud y el comportamiento de los seres humanos respecto de una organización, medio, marca, servicio o producto. Teniendo en cuenta las múltiples áreas en las que estas dos formas de comunicación influyen, el propósito de este trabajo se limita, de una parte, a presentar una visión general de lo que se ha investigado hasta el momento sobre ello y, de otra parte, a establecer las principales diferencias entre ambos conceptos a partir de una metodología en la que se utilizan técnicas de carácter cualitativo y, si es posible, llegar a una mejor conceptualización.The rapid emergence of the Internet and, in particular, the implementation of social media through blogs, social networks, forums or content communities have contributed significantly to “WOM” communication and “e-WOM” communication change the attitude and behavior of humans with respect to an organization, mean, brand, service or product. Given the many areas in which these two forms of media influence, the purpose of this work is limited, firstly, to present an overview of what has been investigated so far on this and on the other hand, to establish the main differences between the two concepts from a methodology that qualitative techniques are used and, if possible, reach a better conceptualization

The experience of online service quality as a precedent for online satisfaction: An empirical study on travel websites

El presente trabajo de investigación tiene por objeto conocer la relación entre las principales dimensiones que forman la calidad de servicio online (experiencia de compra, diseño, seguridad, información y comunicación) y la satisfacción de los usuarios de los sitios web de viajes. La metodología utilizada consiste en entrevistas en profundad y en la revisión de la bibliografía para identificar las dimensiones aislables como conformadoras de la calidad de servicio y de la satisfacción. Una vez propuesto el modelo conceptual, utilizamos la técnica de la encuesta para poder medir cada uno de los ítems. Para los resultados, se utiliza el análisis factorial para la fase exploratoria y las ecuaciones estructurales para la confirmatoria. Como conclusión, podemos afirmar que existe una relación positiva entre las dimensiones que forman la calidad de servicio en los sitios web de viajes y la satisfacción de los usuarios, en concreto, las dimensiones de la comunicación y de la información tienen un papel determinante en la satisfacción de los servicios de los sitios web de viajes.This research project aims to identify the relationship between the principal dimensions that contribute to ensuring the quality of online service (shopping, design, security, information and communication experience) and the satisfaction of the users of travel websites. The methodology used consists of in-depth interviews and a review of the literature to identify the dimensions that can be identified as comprising the quality of service and satisfaction. After proposing the conceptual model, the survey technique is used to measure each of the items. For the results, the factorial analysis is used for the exploratory phase and the structural equations for the confirmatory phase. In conclusion, we can affirm that there is a positive relationship between the dimensions that comprise the quality of service in travel websites and the satisfaction of users. Specifically, the dimensions of communication and information have a determining role in the satisfaction of the services of travel websites

Blockchain technology and the sustainable development goals

Blockchain is an emerging technology from the Fourth Industrial Revolution that has the potential to be applied to different sectors and address issues related to sustainability. However, research on Blockchain has tended to focus on its technical characteristics, with no studies analysing its positive and negative impact on sustainability. This article presents an analysis of how this technology can help to achieve each one of the different Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), along with a series of case examples that can serve as a model; as well as an identification of the negative impacts that the Blockchain has for sustainability. The findings of this study are useful for engineers, since they identify the technological aspects of BC that need to be improved; for company managers, since they can appreciate the positive impact that this new technology could have on sustainability if it is applied correctly; and for politicians, to whom it poses a series of challenges and the need to carry out regulatory reforms

Marketing de relaciones: un análisis de su definición

[Resumen] La mayor dificultad para definir el Marketing de Relaciones radica principalmente en que el concepto denota un conjunto de actividades que varían según el contexto. Por ello, hay autores como Dann y Dann que sostienen que, para definir y obtener una idea clara del Marketing de Relaciones, bastaría con recurrir a cuatro definiciones que se realizan sobre el término y a cinco variables que se desarrollan sobre su proceso. En consecuencia, una investigación como la que proponemos está más que justificada, marcándonos un único objetivo, que es proporcionar unas características que definan el Marketing de Relaciones. Para alcanzar a dicho objetivo, conviene, pues, empezar por analizar y revisar la literatura existente sobre dicho concepto[Abstract] The greatest difficulty to define relationship marketing lies mainly in the concept denotes a set of activities that vary according to context. Therefore, some authors like Dann and Dann who argue that, to define and get a clear idea of relationship marketing, suffice to use four definitions that are made on the term and five variables that develop on their process. Accordingly, an investigation as performed is more than justified, marking us one goal, which is to provide features that define the relationship marketing. To reach this goal we will use a literature revie

Autonomous flying in real-time with RPAS

[EN] It is proposed to carry out several iterations of the SDLC (Systems Development Life Cycle) in order to develop an artificial intelligence algorithm capable of making decisions in real time in the field of RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft System). It must be able to maintain the integrity and security of the environment, providing autonomy to one or several RPAS that make up a network to fulfil a common mission. Real-time vision and analysis of images obtained from the RPAS will be used for the algorithm to analyse and redirect them appropriately to the RPAS. On the other hand, it must also obtain the telemetry of each one of the RPAS in order to have an image of the positioning of each one of them, adopting the correct actions without endangering any of the RPAS that make up the network

Modeling of reciprocating renewable gas engines

[EN] Sewage and landfill reciprocating gas engines have proven to be a reliable energy power generation system when a proper maintenance schedule is done. The intrinsic nature of the stroke mechanism that creates parts movements and reciprocating masses supposes a challenge in order to improve maintenances schedules, reliability and availability. In the case of sewage and landfill gases that could not be properly cleaned, the engine reliability is more concerned. Asset monitoring systems that monitor and creates alerts when some variables are out of some limits are highly desirable. In this paper authors show how to create a virtual twin model from real data that could be optimized and compared in real time with working variables of the actual engines in order to predict future maintenance schedules and increase the engine availability. In sewage and landfill reciprocating gas engines this could have a positive impact of increasing the reliability and due to this, also the customer satisfaction. An accurate computational model is created taking some inputs and outputs to use it in an online cloud asset monitoring system so that it could be used as an extra supervisor agent

Power Control Optimization of an Underwater Piezoelectric Energy Harvester

Over the past few years, it has been established that vibration energy harvesters with intentionally designed components can be used for frequency bandwidth enhancement under excitation for sufficiently high vibration amplitudes. Pipelines are often necessary means of transporting important resources such as water, gas, and oil. A self-powered wireless sensor network could be a sustainable alternative for in-pipe monitoring applications. A new control algorithm has been developed and implemented into an underwater energy harvester. Firstly, a computational study of a piezoelectric energy harvester for underwater applications has been studied for using the kinetic energy of water flow at four different Reynolds numbers Re = 3000, 6000, 9000, and 12,000. The device consists of a piezoelectric beam assembled to an oscillating cylinder inside the water of pipes from 2 to 5 inches in diameter. Therefore, unsteady simulations have been performed to study the dynamic forces under different water speeds. Secondly, a new control law strategy based on the computational results has been developed to extract as much energy as possible from the energy harvester. The results show that the harvester can efficiently extract the power from the kinetic energy of the fluid. The maximum power output is 996.25 mu W and corresponds to the case with Re = 12,000.The funding from the Government of the Basque Country and the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU through the SAIOTEK (S-PE11UN112) and EHU12/26 research programs, respectively, is gratefully acknowledged. The authors are very grateful to SGIker of UPV/EHU and European funding (ERDF and ESF) for providing technical and human

Fast start reciprocating engines in the flexible power generation

[EN] The Energy transition towards renewable energy is going to need an increase in flexible power generating capacity. Different approaches are taken into consideration in different countries. The paper analyzes the Spanish case and the UK case. One of the technologies that could be key in providing this extra flexible capacity when needed are reciprocating engines that could make use of different fuels of that (hydrogen, sewage, landfill, natural gas, etc.). Reciprocating engines fast start and flexible capabilities are presented based on different engine tests already done. Reciprocating engines could be a proper renewable solution in the future if they are consuming hydrogen gas