Browsing by Keyword "Education"
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Item Achievements, experiences, and lessons learned from the European research infrastructure ERIGrid related to the validation of power and energy systems(2020-11-09) Strasser, T. I.; de Jong, E. C. W.; Sosnina, M.; Rodriguez-Seco, J. E.; Kotsampopoulos, P.; Babazadeh, D.; Mäki, K.; Bhandia, R.; Brandl, R.; Sandroni, C.; Heussen, K.; Coffele, F.; POWER SYSTEMSPower system operation is of vital importance and must be developed far beyond today’s practice to meet future needs. Almost all European countries are facing an abrupt and very important increase of renewables with intrinsically varying yields which are difficult to predict. In addition, an increase of new types of electric loads and a reduction of traditional production from bulk generation can be observed as well. Hence, the level of complexity of system operation steadily increases. Because of these developments, the traditional power system is being transformed into a smart grid. Previous and ongoing research has tended to focus on how specific aspects of smart grids can be developed and validated, but until now there exists no integrated approach for analysing and evaluating complex smart grid configurations. To tackle these research and development needs, a pan-European research infrastructure is realized in the ERIGrid project that supports the technology development as well as the roll-out of smart grid technologies and solutions. This paper provides an overview of the main results of ERIGrid which have been achieved during the last four years. Also, experiences and lessons learned are discussed and an outlook to future research needs is provided. © 2020, CIGRE - Reprint from www.cigre.org with kind permission.Item Evaluating virtual reality and augmented reality training for industrial maintenance and assembly tasks(2015-11-02) Gavish, Nirit; Gutiérrez, Teresa; Webel, Sabine; Rodríguez, Jorge; Peveri, Matteo; Bockholt, Uli; Tecchia, Franco; CIRMETALThe current study evaluated the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) platforms, developed within the scope of the SKILLS Integrated Project, for industrial maintenance and assembly (IMA) tasks training. VR and AR systems are now widely regarded as promising training platforms for complex and highly demanding IMA tasks. However, there is a need to empirically evaluate their efficiency and effectiveness compared to traditional training methods. Forty expert technicians were randomly assigned to four training groups in an electronic actuator assembly task: VR (training with the VR platform twice), Control-VR (watching a filmed demonstration twice), AR (training with the AR platform once), and Control-AR (training with the real actuator and the aid of a filmed demonstration once). A post-training test evaluated performance in the real task. Results demonstrate that, in general, the VR and AR training groups required longer training time compared to the Control-VR and Control-AR groups, respectively. There were fewer unsolved errors in the AR group compared to the Control-AR group, and no significant differences in final performance between the VR and Control-VR groups, probably due to a ceiling effect created by the use of two training trials in the selected task for participants who were expert technicians. The results suggest that use of the AR platform for training IMA tasks should be encouraged and use of the VR platform for that purpose should be further evaluated.Item Fast Real-Time Trajectory Planning Method with 3rd-Order Curve Optimization for Automated Vehicles(IEEE, 2020-09-20) Lattarulo, Ray; Perez, Joshue; CCAMAutomated driving (AD) is one of the fastest-growing tendencies in the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) field with some interesting demonstrations and prototypes. Currently, the main research topics are aligned with vehicle communications, environment recognition, control, and decision-making. A real-time trajectory planning method for Automated vehicles (AVs) is presented in this paper; the contribution is part of AD’s decision-making module. This novel approach uses the properties of the 3er order Bézier curves to generate fast and reliable vehicle trajectories. Online execution and vehicle tracking capacities are considered on the approach. A feasible trajectory is selected based on the criteria: (i) the vehicle must be contained by a collision-free corridor given by an upper decision layer, (ii) the vehicle must be capable to track the generated trajectory, and (iii) the continuity of the path and curvature must be preserved in the joints. Our approach was tested considering a vehicle length (automated bus) of 12 meters. The scenario has the dimension of a real test location with multiple roundabouts.Item HTML5 and the evolution of HTML; tracing the origins of digital platforms(2021-05) Tabarés, Raúl; BIGDATAHTML (Hypertext Markup Language) has experienced a major transformation during the last decade prior to releasing its latest version known as HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language 5). Several elements conceived around HTML during this period introduced significant problems in the development of the standard due to an increasing fragmentation and complexity in protocols, platforms, devices and systems. With the setting up of the WHATWG (Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group) and the popularization of HTML5, initial disagreements between W3C (World Wide Consortium) and other digital platforms around the strategy to follow were put to an end. However, the development of HTML5 has opened up doors to profound changes in the way that web standards are produced and the role of the Web as a techno-social platform. For shedding some light on these issues, this paper provides a retrospective throughout a historical revision of the evolution of HTML, shedding some light into the technical, economic and social factors that helped to create a “Living Standard”. For achieving this objective, the paper is built on the empirical evidence gathered from 21 interviews carried out with different HTML5 experts as well as a documentation analysis around the hypertext standard. This contribution stresses how the platform economy paradigm emerged thanks to different factors contributing to the increasing centralization that can be observed nowadays. Lastly, it is argued that the role of organizations like W3C and others should be strengthened for avoiding the oligopolistic practices of digital platforms in future episodes of socio-technical controversies.Item An integrated pan-European research infrastructure for validating smart grid systems(2018-12-01) Strasser, Thomas I.; Pröstl Andrén, F.; Widl, E.; Lauss, G.; De Jong, E. C. W.; Calin, M.; Sosnina, M.; Khavari, A.; Rodriguez, J. E.; Kotsampopoulos, P.; Blank, M.; Steinbrink, C.; Mäki, K.; Kulmala, A.; van der Meer, A.; Bhandia, R.; Brandl, R.; Arnold, G.; Sandroni, C.; Pala, D.; Morales Bondy, D. E.; Heussen, K.; Gehrke, O.; Coffele, F.; Tran, Q.-T.; Rikos, E.; Nguyen, V. H.; Orue, I.; Degefa, M. Z.; Manikas, S.; POWER SYSTEMSA driving force for the realization of a sustainable energy supply in Europe is the integration of distributed, renewable energy resources. Due to their dynamic and stochastic generation behaviour, utilities and network operators are confronted with a more complex operation of the underlying distribution grids. Additionally, due to the higher flexibility on the consumer side through partly controllable loads, ongoing changes of regulatory rules, technology developments, and the liberalization of energy markets, the system’s operation needs adaptation. Sophisticated design approaches together with proper operational concepts and intelligent automation provide the basis to turn the existing power system into an intelligent entity, a so-called smart grid. While reaping the benefits that come along with those intelligent behaviours, it is expected that the system-level testing will play a significantly larger role in the development of future solutions and technologies. Proper validation approaches, concepts, and corresponding tools are partly missing until now. This paper addresses these issues by discussing the progress in the integrated Pan-European research infrastructure project ERIGrid where proper validation methods and tools are currently being developed for validating smart grid systems and solutions.Item Learning force patterns with a multimodal system using contextual cues(2018-02) Rodríguez, Jorge; Gutiérrez, Teresa; Portillo, Otniel; Sánchez, Emilio J.; CIRMETALPrevious studies on learning force patterns (fine motor skills) have focused on providing “punctual information”, which means users only receive information about their performance at the current time step. This work proposes a new approach based on “contextual information”, in which users receive information not only about the current time step, but also about the past (how the target force has changed over time) and the future (how the target force will change). A test was run to compare the performance of the contextual approach in relation to the punctual information, in which each participant had to memorize and then reproduce a pattern of force after training with a multimodal system. The findings suggest that the contextual approach is a useful strategy for force pattern learning. The advantage of the contextual information approach over the punctual information approach is that users receive information about the evolution of their performance (helping to correct the errors), and they also receive information about the next forces to be exerted (providing them with a better understanding of the target force profile). Finally, the contextual approach could be implemented in medical training platforms or surgical robots to extend the capabilities of these systems.Item Maker culture and its potential for STEM education(2022-04-19) Tabarés, Raúl; Boni, Alejandra; BIGDATADuring the last decade, different values, tools and practices promoted by maker culture have been adopted in formal educational settings with the aim of reinvigorating Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. Higher education institu tions (HEIs) have also engaged with maker culture to explore its potentialities regarding education, entrepreneurship and innovation. However, these collaborations with various stakeholders are not always smooth and educators need to deal with significant challenges that arise in these engagements, despite the problem-solving learning opportunities that they can offer their students. This paper presents the results of a case study that dealt with these issues through the establishment of an open and collaborative learning ecosystem (OCLE) between different educators, students and external stakeholders. The empirical work was based on thirty-three semi-structured interviews across four countries, eight focus groups and a final participatory workshop. The study argues that maker culture can offer several potentialities for pushing forward an integrative vision of STEM education as well as other disciplines from social sciences and humanities. An emphasis is placed on how tertiary education can benefit greatly from the adoption of OCLEs and how these communities of practices can encourage an education oriented to meeting societal chal lenges. The paper also warns that these kinds of interventions face significant organisa tional challenges in HEIs that demand significant institutional recognition and support to overcome this organisational resistance.Item A Pragmatic Approach for Evaluating and Accrediting Digital Competence of Digital Profiles: A Case Study of Entrepreneurs and Remote Workers: A Case Study of Entrepreneurs and Remote Workers(2021-04-29) Bartolomé, Juan; Garaizar, Pablo; Larrucea, Xabier; ADV_INTER_PLAT; Tecnalia Research & InnovationDuring the last decades, digital competence has become essential at workplace. Nowadays, it is difficult to find a job where no ICT skills are required. At the same time, there is a lack of ecosystems for adult reskilling in digital competence. Moreover, most of them do not use of a common language and terminology, decreasing the possibilities of being used by a wider public. In addition, the assessment of digital competence cannot be done using simple self-assessment tests, but more complex tools such as simulations or other activities based on real scenarios. Considering this, we designed a performance-based evaluation system following a pragmatic approach based on DigComp framework. We carried out a needs analysis based on expert consultation (63 teleworkers and 82 entrepreneurs) to create an assessment syllabus and implement the assessment modules. Then, we conducted an analysis by experts (n=21) of the relationship between the content of the tests and the construct it was intended to measure. After refinement, the system was piloted by end-users all over Europe (n=525). Results confirmed that DigComp was the most appropriate reference when considering the transversality of digital competence, providing researchers with well-defined clear criteria.Item A tale of two innovation cultures: Bridging the gap between makers and manufacturers: Bridging the gap between makers and manufacturers(2020-11) Tabarés, Raúl; Kuittinen, Hanna; Tecnalia Research & Innovation; BIGDATA; Policies for Innovation and TechnologyMaker communities have been widely popularized during the last decade throughout the development of numerous shared spaces in the form of makerspaces, fab labs and hackerspaces across the globe. This phenomenon has drawn the attention of many stakeholders interested in establishing bridges with them for exploring their innovation potential. However, synergies between producer innovation and free innovation paradigms remain quite uncertain. To meet this gap, the authors provide an analysis of the 22 collaborative innovations between makers and manufacturers funded by the OPENMAKER project as well as relevant empirical evidence gathered throughout 126 semi-structured interviews. The findings of this contribution stress the misalignment of makers and manufacturers in society as well as their different values and motivations around innovation, and the lack of shared spaces. At the same time, the paper highlights the benefits that the interaction between these two communities could have for meeting societal challenges, increasing social welfare and speeding up innovation processes if proper incentives and conditions are orchestrated. In this sense, we propose a set of considerations and implications based on the empirical material gathered, for providing future directions for innovation policies and research agendas.Item Transfer Learning and Online Learning for Traffic Forecasting under Different Data Availability Conditions: Alternatives and Pitfalls(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2020-09-20) Manibardo, Eric L.; Laña, Ibai; Del Ser, Javier; IAThis work aims at unveiling the potential of Transfer Learning (TL) for developing a traffic flow forecasting model in scenarios of absent data. Knowledge transfer from high-quality predictive models becomes feasible under the TL paradigm, enabling the generation of new proper models with few data. In order to explore this capability, we identify three different levels of data absent scenarios, where TL techniques are applied among Deep Learning (DL) methods for traffic forecasting. Then, traditional batch learning is compared against TL based models using real traffic flow data, collected by deployed loops managed by the City Council of Madrid (Spain). In addition, we apply Online Learning (OL) techniques, where model receives an update after each prediction, in order to adapt to traffic flow trend changes and incrementally learn from new incoming traffic data. The obtained experimental results shed light on the advantages of transfer and online learning for traffic flow forecasting, and draw practical insights on their interplay with the amount of available training data at the location of interest.