Sustainable water desalination from the solar energy

Seawater desalination is the main source of water in areas where it is scarce. Reverse osmosis is among the technologies used for that purpose. It implies high energy consumption costs and, accordingly, a significant carbon footprint, as well as the depletion of limited natural resources and pollution from brine generated. AQUA.abib has developed a technology that provides fresh water as well as salt, two products from the same process, derived from seawater with few requirements from conventional energy. The thermal energy required is provided by the Sun. A pyramidal shaped energy collector is comprised of two layers: a transparent outer film and a black inner surface which heats the air between the two. It concentrates heated air at its apex where seawater is sprayed, to fully separate water from salt. The salt is collected and processed for marketing and steam-laden air is driven through a column down to an underground gallery to fully condense and collect distilled water. Latent condensation heat is recovered. No brine is produced, so no pollution is associated with the process. Economic returns come from fresh water, salt, and a multifunctional inner area enclosed in the pyramid. The structure provides a climatic conditioned space suitable for: green housing, animal farming, work and leisure activities, housing or storage. In geographical areas (or during seasons) in which water is scarce, the Sun is an excellent energy source due to its high level of irradiation. Hence, the supply of fresh water fits the demand like a key fits its lock. This technology has been tested and evaluated in different scenarios and has received a grant from the EASME programme of the European Commission. The construction of the first commercial size prototype plant is foreseen to take place at Ciutadella (Menorca, Spain) by Spring, 2018

Restoration of San Pietro in Montorio church in Roma

[EN] The Church of San Pietro in Montorio (1473-1500), is located on Mount Gianicolo, on the property of the Spanish State, where is the Royal Academy of Spain. In its 517 years of existence, it has experienced extensions (chapels Piedad and Raimondi, seventeenth century), partial landslides (French bombing of 1849 and earthquake of Avezzano in 1915), which together with its geo-hydrological situation, supposedly the realization of inadequate structural reinforcement actions during the twentieth century, producing a significant current state of deterioration. The article gathers the historical-constructive evolution, the inquiries to know the current state of conservation and the causes of the damages, exposing the projected actions to give an adequate response to the problems posed, concreted in: geodetic control of the deformations; thermo-hygrometric and strain-gauge control; new floating and flexible roof structure; desiccation of walls with restoration of stuccos and ornamentation; access solution to the bell tower; pedestrian accessibility to the Church.[ES] La Iglesia de San Pietro in Montorio (1473-1500), se sitúa en el monte Gianicolo, en la propiedad del Estado Español, donde está la Real Academia de España. En sus 517 años de existencia, ha experimentado ampliaciones (capillas Piedad y Raimondi, siglo xvii), derrumbes parciales (bombardeo francés de 1849 y terremoto de Avezzano en 1915), que junto a su situación geo-hidrológica, ha supuesto la realización de inadecuadas actuaciones de refuerzo estructural durante el siglo xx, produciendo un importante estado actual de deterioro. El articulo, recoge la evolución histórico-constructiva, las indagaciones para conocer el estado actual de conservación y las causas de los daños, exponiendo las actuaciones proyectadas para dar respuesta adecuada a los problemas planteados, concretadas en: control geodésico de las deformaciones; control termohigrométrico y extensométrico; nueva estructura-cubierta flotante y flexible; desecación de muros con restauración de estucos y ornamentación; solución de acceso al campanario; accesibilidad peatonal a la Iglesia.Bosch Reig, I.; Bosch Roig, L.; Marcenac, V.; Salvador Luján, N. (2018). Restauración de la iglesia de San Pietro in Montorio de Roma. EGA. Revista de Expresión Gráfica Arquitectónica. 23(33):62-77. doi:10.4995/ega.2018.10403SWORD6277233

Linear parks understood as vertebration instruments of the city

[EN] This research raises as thesis the idea that Linear Park is an urban instrument capable of vertebrate the city and, consequently, of regenerate it. To this end, ten parks strategically located in big cities such as Rio de Janeiro, London, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, ​​or in medium or small cities such as Valencia, Castellón or Figueres, have been analyzed. Of this analysis we have deduced some characteristics that are considered key in the linear and transversal vertebration of the city, such as: - Green axis-corridor approach - Sequence of events with integration of public buildings - Continuity derived from the union of different areas - Promotion of active leisure activities, individual or collective: sports, cultural, .... - Capability of relation and regeneration of ecosystems: forest, meadow, orchard, nurseries, water, city, .... - Capability to restore environment, with reduction in CO2, in noise pollution, ... - Establish relations between the city and the territory with definition of natural parks - Contribute to prevent thermal inversion in the city - Establish a beginning and an end as recognizable elements in city. - Confrontation of opposites: static or dynamic; soft (green) or hard (pavement); unitary or fragmentary, cartesian or organic, ... The parks thus understood can be organized in diverse typologies, such us: classic order; in net; upholstery-continuos map; linear order with grooves, tapes or bands; landscaper and naturalist; ... .. The work delves into these themes by recognizing tools of interest such as: harmonic relationship; human scale; non-guided tours; sensory experimentation: spaces, sights, aromas, sounds, colorful, ...; unexpected and random; pragmatic and passionate; order within disorder; activation of spaces without hierarchies or apriorisms; flee from monotony; evocations; ...Bosch Reig, I.; Bosch Roig, L.; Marcenac, V.; Salvador Luján, N. (2018). Linear parks understood as vertebration instruments of the city. En 24th ISUF International Conference. Book of Papers. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 983-993. https://doi.org/10.4995/ISUF2017.2017.6136OCS98399

High Dimension Granite Pavement Bio-Desalination Practical Implementation

[EN] Featured Application This work has developed an innovative and optimized in situ high dimension bio-desalination application protocol that has been applied for the bio-desalination of the 233 m(2) Conxo Chapel granite pavement. This optimized protocol has the potential to be transferable to other large scale in situ biocleaning strategies. Biocleaning technology is based on the use of safe environmental microorganisms for green cultural heritage (CH) restoration. Compared with traditional cleaning products, this biological technique is very specific, effective, and nontoxic. This innovative biotechnological application has been used for recovering diverse monuments and artworks. Most CH in situ surfaces that are treated with microorganisms are small areas; however, some important pathologies, such as salt contamination, can affect high dimension artistic surfaces. The purpose of this study is to analyze and overcome the problems and limitations of scaling up the bio-desalination protocol for in situ applications. Three water-based gel delivery systems and three heating systems were tested in situ and evaluated in terms of performance difficulty, efficacy, and costs. The tests were carried out on the salt contaminated granite pavement of Cristo Chapel of Sta Ma de Conxo in Santiago de Compostela (Spain). Ground agar 2% and a heating electric mat were selected as the best performing systems. The implemented protocol was applied for the bio-desalination of the 233 m(2) Chapel pavement. Conductivity, nitrate-nitrite measurements, biological monitoring, and digital image analysis were performed to determine the efficacy of the treatment. This research allowed for the development of an innovative and optimized in situ, high dimension bio-desalination application protocol transferable to other large scale, in situ biocleaning strategies.This research was funded by CONSORCIO DE LA CIUDAD DE SANTIAGO, which promotes intervention studies in this building.Bosch-Roig, P.; Pérez-Castro, L.; Fernández-Santiago, Á.; Bosch Roig, I. (2021). High Dimension Granite Pavement Bio-Desalination Practical Implementation. Applied Sciences. 11(14):1-18. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11146458S118111

Strengthening education in rehabilitation: Assessment technology and digitalization

Rehabilitation is a discipline increasingly growing around the world due to several reasons, but probably the most important one is aging population and chronicity. A need to harmonize education has been identified, and although several International organizations such as the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS) and the International Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ISPRM) have defined standards, given the quick growth of new evidence and assessment methods an urge to establish new ones arises. Functional assessment and tools used to do so are key in rehabilitation processes. This comprises self-reported questionnaires, conventional clinical evaluation but more notably high technology assessment methods, such as movement analysis systems, posturography, different types of dynamometers and kinesiologic electromyography among others. More recently, a wide range of wearable systems has been introduced in patient assessment. This is generating many published protocols as well as reliability and validity studies. The objective of this narrative review is to present main assessment technologies relevant to rehabilitation, its situation of this specific area in pre-graduate and post-graduate rehabilitation educational programs, and to elaborate a formative proposal including technological foundations of assessment and also highlighting the importance of solid reliability and validity of assessment methods comprehension. The main objective of this proposal is to provide basic knowledge about rehabilitation and methodologies for outcomes evaluation, including new technologies, to all health professionals, but especially to those who work or will work in the field of Rehabilitation

Algoritmos de detección distribuida en sistemas monosensor

La presente tesis aborda la elaboración de algoritmos de detección distribuida en sistemas monosensor. Tradicionalmente, la detección distribuida se ha aplicado a la fusión de decisiones tomadas por sensores espacialmente dispersos. No obstante, puede ser de utilidad en la implementación de detectores que tratan de explotar diferentes tipos de información sobre las diferencias existentes entre las dos hipótesis sobre las que decidir. El objetivo es sustituir un único detector complejo, cuando no inabordable, por una combinación de detectores más sencillos, implementables a partir de la teoría de detección óptima. Frente a la posibilidad de un enfoque general, se ha preferido focalizar la tesis en dos aplicaciones de especial interés para el grupo de investigación, en cuyo seno se ha desarrollado esta tesis: detección de incendios forestales a partir de señales infrarrojas y detección de ecos en ruido de fondo granular, en ensayos no destructivos por ultrasonidos. En cuanto a la detección de incendios forestales se ha propuesto un esquema de detección que fusiona dos tipos de detectores que hemos denominado detector de persistencia y detector de crecimiento. La idea subyacente es tratar de explotar la misma información que utiliza el propio vigilante humano, al que se trata de reemplazar. El detector de persistencia se basa a su vez en la fusión de decisiones correspondientes a pequeños intervalos de observación consecutivos. En cada intervalo se implementa un detector de filtro adaptado en subespacio que trata de explotar el comportamiento de persistencia en tiempo a corto plazo de un fuego, frente a otros efectos de carácter impulsivo que también pueden producir incrementos de temperatura esporádicos en la celda bajo vigilancia (coches, personas, sol, ). Por su parte el detector de crecimiento trata de explotar mediante un filtro adaptado a un crecimiento de tipo lineal, el esperado crecimiento en temperatura que, a medio y largo plazo, debe producir un fuego desBosch Roig, I. (2005). Algoritmos de detección distribuida en sistemas monosensor [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/1898Palanci

La Villa Bianca de Terragni. Panorámica temporal de una promenade architecturale

[EN] During his short but brilliant professional career Terragni carried out some residential projects, including the outstanding Villa Bianca in Seveso. By means of the rationalist architect’s drawings we will understand why the form is truly the result of the function and that the envelope responds to the resolution of man’s needs. The initial state of the villa is analysed through the original plans, which contain the key to this villa, while the unpublished graphic documentation of the architect who restored it will give us an idea of its evolution over time and we will experience its current condition by an in-situ visit. Through the comparative analysis of the plans of the different periods we will discover its state of conservation as the architectural heritage of the Modern Movement.[ES] Durante su corta pero brillante carrera profesional, Terragni realizó algunos ejercicios residenciales, entre los que destaca la Villa Bianca en Seveso. A través de los dibujos del arquitecto racionalista, comprenderemos que verdaderamente la forma es el resultado de la función, que la envolvente responde a la resolución de las necesidades del hombre. Se analiza el estado inicial de la villa a través de la planimetría original, donde encontraremos las claves de esta villa, su evolución en el tiempo a través de la documentación gráfica inédita del arquitecto que la restauró y su estado actual mediante la experiencia de la visita in situ. Mediante el análisis comparativo de las planimetrías de las distintas épocas descubriremos  cuál es su estado de conservación como patrimonio arquitectónico del Movimiento Moderno.Carrau Carbonell, T.; Bosch Reig, I.; Burgos Vijande, A. (2020). Terragni’s Villa Bianca: the time horizon of an architectural promenade. EGA Expresión Gráfica Arquitectónica. 25(40):230-241. https://doi.org/10.4995/ega.2020.14571OJS230241254

A Novel Multi-User Codebook Design for 5G in 3D-MIMO Heterogeneous Networks

[EN] The 2D precoding technology can only adjust the beam in a horizontal direction through data processing, which will cause serious problems for multiuser systems, especially at the edge of the base station it will cause serious inter-cell interference. To solve this problem, in the frequency-division duplex (FDD) 3D-MIMO Heterogeneous network system, the influence of feedback overhead on system performance under limited feedback mechanism is studied using random geometry. Based on the deployment of a uniform planar array (UPA) at the base station, a 3D-MIMO multiuser codebook design scheme based on horizontal transmission angle and the vertical down-tilt angle is proposed, and the codebook design scheme is simulated and analyzed. The results show that the feedback overhead and the micro base station density affect the system throughput and even affect the bit error rate (BER) of the 3D precoding scheme. Compared with the precoding scheme based on 2D and 3D discrete Fourier transform (DFT) codebooks, this scheme greatly reduces the system¿s BER, improves the system¿s throughput, and optimizes system performance.This work has been partially supported by the "Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad" in the "Programa Estatal de Fomento de la Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnica de Excelencia, Subprograma Estatal de Generacion de Conocimiento" within the project under Grant BIA2017-87573-C2-2-P.Arshad, M.; Khan, I.; Lloret, J.; Bosch Roig, I. (2018). A Novel Multi-User Codebook Design for 5G in 3D-MIMO Heterogeneous Networks. Electronics. 7(8):1-17. doi:10.3390/electronics7080144S1177

Systems and WBANs for Controlling Obesity

According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimations, one out of five adults worldwide will be obese by 2025. Worldwide obesity has doubled since 1980. In fact, more than 1.9 billion adults (39%) of 18 years and older were overweight and over 600 million (13%) of these were obese in 2014. 42 million children under the age of five were overweight or obese in 2014. Obesity is a top public health problem due to its associated morbidity and mortality. This paper reviews the main techniques to measure the level of obesity and body fat percentage, and explains the complications that can carry to the individual's quality of life, longevity and the significant cost of healthcare systems. Researchers and developers are adapting the existing technology, as intelligent phones or some wearable gadgets to be used for controlling obesity. They include the promoting of healthy eating culture and adopting the physical activity lifestyle. The paper also shows a comprehensive study of the most used mobile applications and Wireless Body Area Networks focused on controlling the obesity and overweight. Finally, this paper proposes an intelligent architecture that takes into account both, physiological and cognitive aspects to reduce the degree of obesity and overweight