Health-aware control of an octorotor UAV system based on actuator reliability

A major goal in modern flight control systems is the need of improving the reliability. This work presents a reliable control approach of an octorotor UAV that allows distributing the control effort among the actuators using health actuator information. The octorotor is an over-actuated system where the redundancy of the actuators allows the redistribution of the control effort among the existing actuators according to a given control strategy. The priority is given to each actuator according to the capabilities and reliability of this actuatorPeer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

A recursive LMI-based algorithm for efficient vertex reduction in LPV systems

This paper proposes a new algorithm to reduce the number of gains of a polytopic LPV controller considering generic tuples of vertices, for which a common controller gain can be used. The use of Frobenius norm and the inclusion of the input matrix in the LMIs perturbation matrix allows decreasing the conservativeness to select vertices which are combinable, with respect to a previous approach based on Gershgorin circles. A combinability metric that can be applied to an arbitrary partition of the set of vertices is defined. Then, a recursive algorithm finds a lesser-fragmented combinable partition at each iteration by combining together two elements of a partition. The algorithm aims at finding combinable partitions with minimal cardinality in fewer attempts, always preserving the original control performance specifications. The proposed method is validated using numerical examples, a twin rotor MIMO system and a two-link robotic manipulator.This work has been co-financed by the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERFD) through the project SCAV (ref. MINECO DPI2017-88403-R), by the European Regional Development Fund of the European Union in the framework of the ERDF Operational Program of Catalonia 2014-2020 (ref. 001-P-001643 Looming Factory) and by the DGR of Generalitat de Catalunya (SAC group ref. 2017/SGR/482).Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Health-aware and fault-tolerant control of an octorotor UAV system based on actuator reliability

A major goal in modern flight control systems is the need for improving reliability. This work presents a health-aware and fault-tolerant control approach for an octorotor UAV that allows distributing the control effort among the available actuators based on their health information. However, it is worth mentioning that, in the case of actuator fault occurrence, a reliability improvement can come into conflict with UAV controllability. Therefore, system reliability sensitivity is redefined and modified to prevent uncontrollable situations during the UAV’s mission. The priority given to each actuator is related to its importance in system reliability. Moreover, the proposed approach can reconfigure the controller to compensate actuator faults and improve the overall system reliability or delay maintenance tasks.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Desarrollo de Proyectos Europeos: SYDDARTA

[ES] SYDDARTA es un proyecto de ámbito europeo, bajo el 7º Programa Marco y dentro de la Convocatoria de Patrimonio Cultural, centrado en el desarrollo de un sistema de digitalización 3D por visión híper-espectral. El consorcio está liderado por AIDO, instituto tecnológico de Óptica de Valencia, y tiene miembros de 8 países de la Unión Europea. La base tecnológica del prototipo a desarrollar está basada en la unión de la técnica de digitalización 3D por proyección de patrones, que permite obtener la geometría del objeto a analizar, y la técnica de visión híper-espectral, que permite la realización de análisis químicos y estructurales a partir de la lectura de las capas interiores del objeto a analizar gracias a la capacidad de penetración de determinadas longitudes de onda no visibles (principalmente infrarrojo).[EN] SYDDARTA is an European-range project, under the 7ht framework program, focused on the development of a hyper-spectral based 3D digitizing system. The consortium is led by AIDO, Technological Institute for Optics in Valencia, and has members of 8 countries from the European Union. The technological base of the prototype to-be-developed is the combination of the pattern projection 3D digitizing technique, that generates the 3D shape of the object analyzed, and the hyperspectral vision technique, that makes possible to perform chemical and structural analysis from the data taken from the interior layers of the object analyzed, an information that is provided by the penetration capability of the non visible wavelengths used (mainly infra-red).Sanjuan Sanz, Y.; Granero Montagud, L.; Díaz Gómez, F. (2015). Desarrollo de Proyectos Europeos: SYDDARTA. Virtual Archaeology Review. 4(8):42-45. https://doi.org/10.4995/var.2013.4286OJS42454

Recubrimientos recomendables por razones de durabilidad, a disponer en estructuras de hormigón sometidas a la clase específica de exposición Qb (ataque químico de intensidad media)

Es una realidad cada vez más aceptada que la durabilidad del hormigón es una propiedad igual de importante que la resistencia mecánica o la estabilidad de volumen. No es el objeto del presente trabajo ahondar en las causas de esta evidencia sino en contribuir a hacer del diseño de la durabilidad una materia incorporada al quehacer diario de los técnicos y especialistas. Solo si la durabilidad de una estructura se puede proyectar y verificar, será posible conseguir vidas útiles con una cierta garantía o seguridad en que se alcanzarán los periodos de servicio que se especifiquen. En el diseño de la durabilidad se ha dedicado mucho tiempo en el pasado a aclarar los mecanismos de ataque (por ejemplo: por sulfatos o por reacción árido-álcali) o como realizar ensayos acelerados en estos casos y también en el caso concreto de la corrosión de la armadura. En el caso de la corrosión, la envergadura de los costes de reparaciones ha estimulado la publicación de modelos y ensayos que, si bien necesitan todavía calibración, al menos suponen una cierta ayuda para el proyectista

Amoxicillin in the Aquatic Environment, Its Fate and Environmental Risk

Amoxicillin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic widely used for treating both human and animal diseases, and it belongs to a group that are excreted unchanged within urine and faeces; therefore, it is possible to find traces of this drug or its degradation products in environmental water bodies. In water, it is rapidly degraded by biotic and abiotic factors, yielding different intermediate products; these are suspected of being more resistant to degradation, and potentially more toxic, than the parent compound. In the water bodies, these compounds may produce toxic effects on the aquatic organisms from different trophic levels and produce an ecological imbalance. Amoxicillin may bioaccumulate in fish muscle tissues, with the possibility of the occurrence of these drugs in food, leading to a passive consumption of this antibiotic resulting in undesirable effects on consumer health such as immunoallergic responses. However, the main problem related with the presence of this antimicrobial compounds in fish tissues is the possibility of inducing bacterial resistance genes. At present, the available scientific knowledge is less than what is needed to fully assess the risks that amoxicillin pose to the environment, and it is still necessary to conduct large amount of research works before a thorough understanding of this severe environmental issue

Foot Anatomical Structural Variations Increase the Risk of Falls in Older Adults

Falls are common among older adults. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the relationship between foot anatomical structural variations and balance in older adults and quantify foot posture and stabilometry as predictors of fall risk. This case-control study of older adults classified cases or controls according to falls in the last five years. All subjects were healthy women and men > 65 years old (n = 164), who were divided into two groups: 83 individuals who had suffered from a fall in the previous five years (case group) and 81 individuals who had not suffered from a fall (control group). Hallux abductus valgus (HAV) and tailor’s bunion are stability-determining factors. Women have a higher probability of falling. HAV (p = 0.042) and tailor’s bunion (p = 0.069) also increased the fall probability. Morphological foot variations (HAV and tailor’s bunion) linked to gender and age increase fall risk among older adults. In women fallers with HAV, there was a higher possibility of falling (63.9%). According to age, in older adults with HAV, the percentage of falls is high (62%). Fallers with tailor’s bunion (60.7%) are more numerous than fallers without this pathology. Older adults with HAV and tailor´s bunion had twice the probability of suffering a fall than older people without foot anatomical structural. Foot morphology is decisive in falling risk

Incorporation of the PBL methodology to the subject of Environmental Technology of the Degree in Chemical Engineering at the Alcoy campus

[EN] In the subject of Environmental Technology of the Degree in Chemical Engineering at the UPV on the Alcoy campus, a modification is incorporated in the methodology followed until now. The classes were based on the participatory lecture with resolution of questions and problems in the classroom, and the subsequent evaluation of theoretical tests through tests and open response activities at the end of each didactic unit. This methodology can lead to the student not feeling fully motivated, thus favoring superficial learning of the subject. To ensure that their learning is deep, it is proposed to add in the 2021-2022 academic year a task for each didactic unit in which the student is the protagonist of his own learning and in which he can develop his critical thinking about the problem posed. Once the tasks were carried out by the students, it was observed that a high percentage of students had managed to solve the problems by linking different theoretical concepts explained in class, so the objective of promoting deep learning had been achieved.[ES] En la asignatura de Tecnología del medio ambiente del Grado en Ingeniería Química de la Universitat Politècnica de València en el campus de Alcoy se incorpora una modificación en la metodología seguida hasta ahora. Las clases se basaban en la lección magistral participativa con resolución de cuestiones y problemas en el aula, y la posterior evaluación de pruebas teóricas mediante test y actividades de respuesta abierta al finalizar cada unidad didáctica. Esta metodología puede llevar a que el estudiante no se sienta del todo motivado, favoreciendo así el aprendizaje superficial de la materia. Para conseguir que su aprendizaje sea profundo, se propone añadir en el curso académico 2021-2022 una tarea para cada unidad didáctica en la que el alumno sea el protagonista de su propio aprendizaje y en la cual pueda desarrollar su pensamiento crítico sobre el problema planteado. Una vez realizadas las tareas por los alumnos, se observó que un elevado porcentaje de alumnos habían conseguido solucionar los problemas enlazando distintos conceptos teóricos explicados en clase, por lo que se había alcanzado el objetivo de favorecer el aprendizaje profundo.Mora Gómez, J.; Montañés Sanjuan, MT.; Blasco Tamarit, ME. (2022). Incorporación de la metodología ABP a la asignatura de Tecnología del medio ambiente del Grado en Ingeniería Química en el campus de Alcoy. En In-Red 2022 - VIII Congreso Nacional de Innovación Educativa y Docencia en Red. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1007-1016. https://doi.org/10.4995/INRED2022.2022.158711007101

Nurses’ Perceptions on the Implementation of a Safe Drug Administration Protocol and Its Effect on Error Notification

Patient safety and quality of care are fundamental pillars in the health policies of various governments and international organizations. The purpose of this study is to evaluate nurses’ perceptions on the degree of implementation of a protocol for the standardization of care and to measure its influence on notification of adverse events related to the administration of medications. This comparative study used data obtained from questionnaires completed by 180 nurses from medical and surgical units. Our analyses included analysis of variance and regression models. We observe that the responses changed unevenly over time in each group, finding significant differences in all comparisons. The mean response rating was increased at 6 months in the intervention group, and this level was maintained at 12 months. With the new protocol, a total of 246 adverse events and 481 incidents without harm was reported. Thus, actions such as the use of protocols and event notification systems should be implemented to improve quality of care and patient safety

Study of the chlorfenvinphos pesticide removal under different anodic materials and different reactor configuration

The present manuscript focuses on the study of the electrochemical oxidation of the insecticide Chlorfenvinphos (CVP). The assays were carried out under galvanostatic conditions using boron-doped diamond (BDD) and low-cost tin dioxide doped with antimony (Sb-doped SnO2) as anodes. The influence of the operating variables, such as applied current density, presence or absence of a cation-exchange membrane and concentration of supporting electrolyte, was discussed. The results revealed that the higher applied current density the higher degradation and mineralization of the insecticide for both anodes. The presence of the membrane and the highest concentration of Na2SO4 studied (0.1 M) as a supporting electrolyte benefited the oxidation process of CVP using the BDD electrode, while with the ceramic anode the elimination of CVP was lower under these experimental conditions. Although the BDD electrode showed the best performance, ceramic anodes appear as an interesting alternative as they were able to degrade CVP completely for the highest applied current density values. Toxicity tests revealed that the initial solution of CVP was more toxic than the samples treated with the ceramic electrode, while using the BDD electrode the toxicity of the sample increased