Mathematical models in education for sustainable development

L’objectiu d’aquest projecte és la realització d’un material docent innovador per a l’ambientalització curricular en les àrees docents de l’Enginyeria de Sistemes, Automàtica i Informàtica Industrial. La primera part del projecte ha consistit en l’edició i publicació del llibre Automàtica i Sostenibilitat, d’Edicions UPC, mentre que la segona part ha consistit en la creació d’uns recursos pedagògics on-line penjats en la web MODEL.UPC.EDU i que són un recull de models matemàtics i la seva implementació amb Java per ser usats en les pràctiques docents d’assignatures de modelització i simulació de sistemes dinàmics. Aquests recursos pedagògics de marcat caràcter sostenibilista poden ser exportats a altres disciplines del món tecnològic.Peer Reviewe

Gain-scheduled Smith predictor PID-based LPV controller for open-flow canal control

In this paper, a gain-scheduled Smith Predictor PID controller is proposed for the control of an open-flow canal system that allows for dealing with large variation in operating conditions. A linear parameter varying (LPV) control-oriented model for open-flow canal systems based on a second-order delay Hayami model is proposed. Exploiting the second-order structure of this model, an LPV PID controller is designed using H∞ and linear matrix inequalities pole placement. The controller structure includes a Smith Predictor, real time estimated parameters from measurements (including the known part of the delay) that schedule the controller and predictor and unstructured dynamic uncertainty, which covers the unknown portion of the delay. Finally, the proposed controller is validated in a case study based on a single real reach canal: the Lunax Gallery at Gascogne (France).This work has been funded by contract ref. HYFA DPI2008-01996 and WATMAN DPI2009-13744 of Spanish Ministry of Education.Peer Reviewe

Gain-scheduling multivariable LPV control of an irrigation canal system

The purpose of this paper is to present a multivariable linear parameter varying (LPV) controller with a gain scheduling Smith Predictor (SP) scheme applicable to open-flow canal systems. This LPV controller based on SP is designed taking into account the uncertainty in the estimation of delay and the variation of plant parameters according to the operating point. This new methodology can be applied to a class of delay systems that can be represented by a set of models that can be factorized into a rational multivariable model in series with left/right diagonal (multiple) delays, such as, the case of irrigation canals. A multiple pool canal system is used to test and validate the proposed control approach.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Didactical resources for sustainability

In this paper we discuss the use of computer simulations for sustainable systems. Specifically, we propose laboratory practices for Automatic Control subjects where the plants are sustainable systems. The interest is the simulation of this kind of systems to forecast their behaviour in order to control and actuate over them. In this paper, the use of a didactic material for laboratory practices is explained. This pedagogical resource is published in a web (http://model.upc.edu) where the student can find the practice statements, the explanations and the software to develop sustainable models in form of laboratory practices for the subjects related with simulation and modelling in different engineering degrees, because we have the belief that undergraduate students must receive an Education for Sustainability independently of their career without learning the basic and specifically concepts of the own subject.Postprint (published version

Public entities driven robotic innovation in urban areas

Cities present new challenges and needs to satisfy and improve lifestyle for their citizens under the concept “Smart City”. In order to achieve this goal in a global manner, new technologies are required as the robotic one. But Public entities unknown the possibilities offered by this technology to get solutions to their needs. In this paper the development of the Innovative Public Procurement instruments is explained, specifically the process PDTI (Public end Users Driven Technological Innovation) as a driving force of robotic research and development and offering a list of robotic urban challenges proposed by European cities that have participated in such a process. In the next phases of the procedure, this fact will provide novel robotic solutions addressed to public demand that are an example to be followed by other Smart Cities.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Modelling of tidal power with EasyJava simulations

Recerca d'un model de generació elèctrica a partir de les marees oceàniquesThis report is devoted to the study of a mathematical model to simulte the behaviour of a power generation plant from the ocean tidals. The simulation has been implemented with EasyJava Simulations (EJS) environment.Preprin

Recent Developments in Monocular SLAM within the HRI Framework

This chapter describes an approach to improve the feature initialization process in the delayed inverse-depth feature initialization monocular Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM), using data provided by a robot’s camera plus an additional monocular sensor deployed in the headwear of the human component in a human-robot collaborative exploratory team. The robot and the human deploy a set of sensors that once combined provides the data required to localize the secondary camera worn by the human. The approach and its implementation are described along with experimental results demonstrating its performance. A discussion on the usual sensors within the robotics field, especially in SLAM, provides background to the advantages and capabilities of the system implemented in this research

Ejercicios de Laboratorio Ambientalizados: Un Recurso Docente para la Sostenibilidad en Materias de Informática Industrial

Desde que la Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña, UPC, aprobó el segundo Plan de Medio Ambiente en 2002, se ha elaborado un Plan de Ambientalización Curricular con el fin de introducir aspectos medioambientales dentro de sus actividades docentes, reconsiderando los contenidos (teóricos, ejercicios, problemas y prácticas) y su didáctica. Para ello se han realizado diferentes acciones tales como la creación de recursos docentes y herramientas para que los profesores tengan un modelo a seguir. Uno de estos recursos es la ambientalización de las prácticas de laboratorio en diferentes áreas de conocimiento impartidas en las escuelas y facultades de la UPC. En este artículo se explican la motivación, los objetivos y la metodología llevada a cabo para elaborar dichas prácticas de laboratorio. Además, en concreto, se describen algunas de estas prácticas, como complemento a la enseñanza de la informática, que los autores han desarrollado

Humanoid seminar assessment in high technological studies

This paper presents a qualitative assessment of the experience of integrating a humanoid robotics seminar in a mobile robotics-related subject at the Master’s degree on Automatic Control and Robotics. In this way, social robotics is included as a part of the syllabus of this Master’s subject taught using the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) methodology. The assessment of our experience shows high interest in the new robotics approach and students are satisfied.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft