Developing a strategic controller with haptic and audio feedback for autonomous driving

Traffic accidents cause over 1.2 million deaths, and tens of millions of people are injured or disabled every year. Advanced driver assistant systems and other safety features have the possibility to reduce traffic accidents but do not account for human errors. Studies show that over 90% of all traffic accidents are caused by human errors. One way to reduce human errors is to introduce automation, and several major car manufacturers predict that autonomous vehicles will be available on the consumer marker as early as 2020. In theory automated cars could reduce deaths and injuries caused by traffic accidents, but there are several issues which need to be solved before it can be realized. One of these issues is how to keep the driver in the loop while the car is in autonomous mode. A human-machine interface of a strategic controller for autonomous driving was developed. Multimodal feedback consisting of auditory and haptic signals was developed for the strategic controller using an iterative design process. A user study was carried out in order to evaluate the multimodal feedback and identify usability issues, and a simulator study was carried out in order to benchmark the concept’s usability. The strategic controller prototype developed in this thesis allows the driver to take part of the driving process and control of the car by inputting commands. The controller also provides the driver with multimodal feedback based on an analysis of mock-up sensor/image data from the vehicle. User input is either denied or accepted depending on the analysed data, and on demand feedback is also provided related to the general state of the autonomous system. Multimodal feedback was found to be promising for communicating complex information in humanmachine interactions. Although users had little to no experience of autonomous driving, they found the developed concept to be attractive and would use it for daily commuting. As it is difficult to mirror reality in simulators, test subjects may have had a more positive attitude towards the concept. However, the issue of keeping the user in the loop still persists. Feedback needs to be designed thoroughly and should not be limited to two modalities. Instead, information should be distributed through several modalities in order to reduce cognitive load and increase the user’s situational awareness. The benchmark of the developed concept showed promising results, although the results may have suffered due to hardware limitations

Diseño de un mueble infantil multifuncional

Treball Final de Grau en Enginyeria en Disseny Industrial i Desenvolupament de Productes. Codi: DI1048. Curs: 2014/2015Este proyecto tiene por objeto el diseño de un mueble infantil multifuncional que deberá cumplir distintas funciones mediante cambios de posición y/o reconfiguraciones del mismo. El objetivo es crear un diseño de mueble pensado para satisfacer distintas necesidades del niño durante su crecimiento, con un diseño cómodo y práctico, pensado para que sea el propio niño el que interactúe con el mueble y lo modifique a su antojo. Se buscará un diseño moderno y divertido, que llame la atención de los más pequeños y les ayude en su desarrollo psicomotriz y de su imaginación. El producto en concreto deberá servir como mesa de dibujo o estudio con asiento pero también como objeto de juegos, por ejemplo, como balancín. Se trata de un diseño que ofrecerá una gama con variedad de colores, cualidades estéticas y una forma sencilla y agradable, por lo que quedará sin mayor problemaperfectamente integrado en cualquier hogar moderno y actual. Además, el presente proyecto también tiene por objeto demostrar los conocimientos adquiridos durante los estudios universitarios de la titulación de Grado en Ingeniería Técnica en Diseño Industrial y Desarrollo de Producto, en el marco de la asignatura DI1048 Trabajo de Final de Grado, en la Universidad Jaume I de Castellón

Incidencia de los recursos tecnológicos en la enseñanza-aprendizaje de los estudiantes de informática

PDFEl desarrollo del presente trabajo consiste en la incidencia de los recursos tecnológicos en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje de los estudiantes de informática; específicamente aquellos que forman parte del 2do año de Bachillerato de la especialidad de Administración de Sistemas, de la Unidad Educativa Fiscal Francisco De Orellana. Su principal objetivo radica en la elaboración de una guía didáctica para el uso de los recursos tecnológicos

Tendencias de las rachas máximas diarias de velocidad del viento en España y Portugal, 1961-2014

Ponencia presentada en: X Congreso de la Asociación Española de Climatología celebrado en Alicante entre el 5 y el 8 de octubre de 2016.[ES]Dadas las inconsistencias en las tendencias de las rachas máximas diarias de velocidad del viento (DPWG) bajo un escenario de “stilling” (descenso de la velocidad media del viento), este estudio evalúa las tendencias de dos parámetros de las DPWG en España y Portugal durante 1961-2014: (i) la frecuencia (percentil 90); y (ii) la magnitud (velocidad máxima del viento). Las 80 series observadas de las DPWG fueron homogeneizadas a resolución diaria utilizando series de referencia obtenidas a partir del modelo MM5. A escala anual, la frecuencia media de las DPWG mayores que su percentil 90 disminuyó en -1.49 días década-1 (p<0.05), con marcadas diferencias estacionales: descensos en invierno (-0.73 días década-1; p<0.05) y ascensos en verano (+0.18 días década-1; p>0.10). A su vez, la tendencia en la magnitud de las DPWG a escala anual no resultó significativa (-0.005 m s-1 década-1; p>0.10), pero sí estacionalmente: descenso en invierno (-0.168 m s-1 década-1; p<0.10) y ascenso en verano (+0.130 m s-1 década-1; p<0.05). Estos resultados revelan que las DPWG son menos frecuentes e intensas durante el semestre frío (noviembre-abril) y más frecuentes e intensas durante el semestre cálido (mayo-octubre).[EN]Given the inconsistencies of wind gust trends under the widespread decline in near-surface wind speed (“stilling”), our study aimed to assess trends of observed daily peak wind gusts (DPWG) across Spain and Portugal for 1961-2014 by analyzing trends of: (i) the frequency (90th percentile); and (ii) the magnitude (wind speed maxima) of DPWG. Wind gust series were homogenized on a daily basis, using MM5- simulated series as reference, resulting in 80 suitable station-based datasets. The average frequency of DPWG greater than the 90th percentile declined by -1.49 days decade-1 (p<0.05) annually. This showed marked seasonal differences: decreasing in winter (-0.73 days decade-1; p<0.05) and increasing in summer (+0.18 days decade- 1; p>0.10). A negligible trend was calculated for the annual magnitude of DPWG (-0.005 m s-1 decade-1; p>0.10), with distinct seasonality: declining in winter (-0.168 m s-1 decade-1; p<0.10) and increasing in summer (+0.130 m s-1 decade-1; p<0.05). Combined these results reveal less frequent and declining DPWG during the cold semester (November-April) and more frequent and increasing DPWG during the warm semester (May-October).Este estudio fue liderado por C. A.-M durante la estancia de investigación realizada en el CSIRO Land and Water (Canberra, Australia) bajo la ayuda José Castillejo (CAS14/00314), el contrato posdoctoral JCI-2011-10263, y el proyecto CGL2014- 517221-REDT (Red RECLIM) financiado por el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad

Tendencias de las rachas máximas diarias de velocidad del viento en España y Portugal, 1961-2014

Dadas las inconsistencias en las tendencias de las rachas máximas diarias de velocidad del viento (DPWG) bajo un escenario de “stilling” (descenso de la velocidad media del viento), este estudio evalúa las tendencias de dos parámetros de las DPWG en España y Portugal durante 1961-2014: (i) la frecuencia (percentil 90); y (ii) la magnitud (velocidad máxima del viento). Las 80 series observadas de las DPWG fueron homogeneizadas a resolución diaria utilizando series de referencia obtenidas a partir del modelo MM5. A escala anual, la frecuencia media de las DPWG mayores que su percentil 90 disminuyó en -1.49 días década-1 (p0.10). A su vez, la tendencia en la magnitud de las DPWG a escala anual no resultó significativa (-0.005 m s-1 década-1; p>0.10), pero sí estacionalmente: descenso en invierno (-0.168 m s-1 década-1; p0.10). A negligible trend was calculated for the annual magnitude of DPWG (-0.005 m s-1 decade-1; p>0.10), with distinct seasonality: declining in winter (-0.168 m s-1 decade-1; p<0.10) and increasing in summer (+0.130 m s-1 decade-1; p<0.05). Combined these results reveal less frequent and declining DPWG during the cold semester (November-April) and more frequent and increasing DPWG during the warm semester (May-October).Este estudio fue liderado por C. A.-M durante la estancia de investigación realizada en el CSIRO Land and Water (Canberra, Australia) bajo la ayuda José Castillejo (CAS14/00314), el contrato posdoctoral JCI-2011-10263, y el proyecto CGL2014-517221-REDT (Red RECLIM) financiado por el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. D.C. ha sido financiado con los proyectos BECC, MERGE y VR

Analysis of prognostic factors associated with longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study is to report the clinical profile and outcome of longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM). Methods: We prospectively studied adult patients who presented with LETM from January 2008 to December 2011. Information on demographic, clinical course, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and outcome was collected. HLA-DRB1 genotype was compared with those of 225 normal controls and patients with MS (228) and neuromyelitis optica (NMO) (22). Results: In total, 23 patients (16 female) with a median age of 44.5 years (range: 20–77 years) were included. Most (74%) had moderate–severe disability at nadir (48% non-ambulatory), normal/non-multiple sclerosis (MS) brain MRI (96%) and a median MRI cord lesion of 5 vertebral segments (range: 3–19). Laboratory analysis showed cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis (45%), NMO-IgG (9%), antinuclear antibodies (70%), and genotype HLA-DRB1*13 (57%). The frequency of DRB1*13 genotype was higher compared with controls (p=0.002), MS (p=0.001) and NMO (p= 0.003) patients. After a median follow-up of 32 months, one patient converted to MS, two had relapsing LETM with NMO-IgG, and 20 remained as idiopathic with recurrences in four (20%). Twelve (52%) patients recovered with minimal disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) <2.5) and three (13%) remained wheelchair dependent. Disability at nadir was associated with the final outcome and extension of the spinal cord lesion with risk of recurrence. Recurrence was not associated with worse outcome. Conclusions: Inflammatory LETM is mostly idiopathic with a good outcome. It includes a relatively homogenous group of patients with an overrepresentation of the HLA-DRB1*13 genotype. EDSS at nadir is a predictor of the final outcome and extension of the myelitis of the recurrence risk

La Epigrafía griega y latina en la enseñanza de las materias de Filología Clásica: aplicación de nuevas metodologías y nuevas tecnologías (VII)

Este proyecto es continuación de varios proyectos INNOVA concedidos anteriormente. La epigrafía es una disciplina fundamental para el conocimiento del mundo antiguo en todas sus manifestaciones: religión, sociedad e instituciones, literatura, lengua, etc. En efecto, gracias a las inscripciones podemos acceder a las fuentes antiguas de manera más inmediata y directa, libres de las posibles modificaciones de la transmisión posterior. En suma, tanto Grecia como Roma fueron civilizaciones en las que las inscripciones desempeñaron una importante función en todos los ámbitos. El propósito de este proyecto ha sido ofrecer a los estudiantes, no solo de Filología Clásica, sino también de Historia y del Doble Grado, una aproximación a estas civilizaciones a través de las técnicas epigráficas.Depto. de Filología ClásicaFac. de FilologíaFALSEsubmitte

Women with psychotic episodes during pregnancy show increased markers of placental damage with Tenney-Parker changes

y. Psychosis is a hazardous and functionally disruptive psychiatric condition which may affect women in pregnancy, entailing negative consequences for maternofetal well-being. The precise pathophysiological basis and consequences of a psychotic episode in pregnancy remain to be further elucidated. The placenta is a pivotal tissue with many functions in the gestational period, critically influencing the fate and development of pregnancy. Although detrimental alterations have been observed in women undergoing severe psychiatric disorders in pregnancy, there are little studies evaluating the consequences of suffering from a psychotic episode in the placental tissue In this work, we have evaluated the histopathological consequences of a first episode of psychosis in pregnancy (FE-PW; N=22) and compare them with healthy pregnant women (HC-PW; N=20) by using histological, immunohistochemical and gene expression techniques. Our results define that the placental tissue of FE-PW display an increase in the number of placental villi, bridges, syncytial knots and syncytial knots/villi. Besides, we have also observed an enhanced gene and protein expression in FE-PW of the hypoxic marker HIF-1α, together with the apoptotic markers BAX and Bcl-2. To our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating significant histopathological changes in the placenta of women suffering a new-onset psychotic episode in pregnancy. Further studies should be aimed at deepening the knowledge about the pernicious effects of psychosis in the maternofetal tissues, as well as the potential implications of these alterations

Exploratory Monitoring of the Quality and Authenticity of Commercial Honey in Ecuador

Honey is one of the oldest sweetening foods and has economic importance, making this product attractive to adulteration with cheap sugars. This can cause a critical problem in the honey industry and a possible health risk. The present work has the aim of evaluating the authenticity of honey commercialized in two different provinces of Ecuador (Pichincha and Loja) by performing physicochemical and spectroscopic analyses. For this study 25 samples were collected from different places and markets and characterized by water, sucrose, reducing sugars and electric conductivity measurement. Also, their Raman and Infrared (IR) spectra were recorded and analysed using a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) in order to verify the quality of the honeys. In addition, a screening of several pesticides was performed in order to verify possible chemical threats to human health and honey bees. It was found that 8 samples have a deviation from the Standard established parameters. Two of them have a high difference in the content of sucrose and reducing sugars, which are located deviated from all the other samples in the PCA of the applied vibrational spectroscopy (IR/Raman), shaping two clear clusters. The results show that Raman and IR spectroscopy is appropriate techniques for the quality control of honey and correlates well with the physicochemical analyses.Centro de Química Inorgánic

La Epigrafía griega y latina en la enseñanza de las materias de Filología Clásica: aplicación de nuevas metodologías y nuevas tecnologías (III)

El objeto de este proyecto es familiarizar con la epigrafía griega y la epigrafía latina a los alumnos de Filología Clásica y a todos aquellos interesados en el mundo antiguo. En el desarrollo de este proyecto se aplicarán las nuevas metodologías y las nuevas tecnologías existentes en este campo