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Item 3D Active Surfaces for Liver Segmentation in Multisequence MRI Images(2016-08-01) Bereciartua, Arantza; Picon, Artzai; Galdran, Adrian; Iriondo, Pedro M.; COMPUTER_VISION; Tecnalia Research & InnovationBiopsies for diagnosis can sometimes be replaced by non-invasive techniques such as CT and MRI. Surgeons require accurate and efficient methods that allow proper segmentation of the organs in order to ensure the most reliable intervention planning. Automated liver segmentation is a difficult and open problem where CT has been more widely explored than MRI. MRI liver segmentation represents a challenge due to the presence of characteristic artifacts, such as partial volumes, noise and low contrast. In this paper, we present a novel method for multichannel MRI automatic liver segmentation. The proposed method consists of the minimization of a 3D active surface by means of the dual approach to the variational formulation of the underlying problem. This active surface evolves over a probability map that is based on a new compact descriptor comprising spatial and multisequence information which is further modeled by means of a liver statistical model. This proposed 3D active surface approach naturally integrates volumetric regularization in the statistical model. The advantages of the compact visual descriptor together with the proposed approach result in a fast and accurate 3D segmentation method. The method was tested on 18 healthy liver studies and results were compared to a gold standard made by expert radiologists. Comparisons with other state-of-the-art approaches are provided by means of nine well established quality metrics. The obtained results improve these methodologies, achieving a Dice Similarity Coefficient of 98.59.Item 3D additive manufactured composite scaffolds with antibiotic-loaded lamellar fillers for bone infection prevention and tissue regeneration(2021-04) Cámara-Torres, María; Duarte, Stacy; Sinha, Ravi; Egizabal, Ainhoa; Álvarez, Noelia; Bastianini, Maria; Sisani, Michele; Scopece, Paolo; Scatto, Marco; Bonetto, Alessandro; Marcomini, Antonio; Sanchez, Alberto; Patelli, Alessandro; Mota, Carlos; Moroni, Lorenzo; Biomateriales; ECOEFICIENCIA DE PRODUCTOS DE CONSTRUCCIÓNBone infections following open bone fracture or implant surgery remain a challenge in the orthopedics field. In order to avoid high doses of systemic drug administration, optimized local antibiotic release from scaffolds is required. 3D additive manufactured (AM) scaffolds made with biodegradable polymers are ideal to support bone healing in non-union scenarios and can be given antimicrobial properties by the incorporation of antibiotics. In this study, ciprofloxacin and gentamicin intercalated in the interlamellar spaces of magnesium aluminum layered double hydroxides (MgAl) and α-zirconium phosphates (ZrP), respectively, are dispersed within a thermoplastic polymer by melt compounding and subsequently processed via high temperature melt extrusion AM (~190 °C) into 3D scaffolds. The inorganic fillers enable a sustained antibiotics release through the polymer matrix, controlled by antibiotics counterions exchange or pH conditions. Importantly, both antibiotics retain their functionality after the manufacturing process at high temperatures, as verified by their activity against both Gram + and Gram - bacterial strains. Moreover, scaffolds loaded with filler-antibiotic do not impair human mesenchymal stromal cells osteogenic differentiation, allowing matrix mineralization and the expression of relevant osteogenic markers. Overall, these results suggest the possibility of fabricating dual functionality 3D scaffolds via high temperature melt extrusion for bone regeneration and infection prevention.Item 3D cell cultures as prospective models to study extracellular vesicles in cancer(2021-01-15) Bordanaba-Florit, Guillermo; Madarieta, Iratxe; Olalde, Beatriz; Falcón-Pérez, Juan M.; Royo, Félix; BiomaterialesThe improvement of culturing techniques to model the environment and physiological conditions surrounding tumors has also been applied to the study of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in cancer research. EVs role is not only limited to cell-to-cell communication in tumor physiology, they are also a promising source of biomarkers, and a tool to deliver drugs and induce antitumoral activity. In the present review, we have addressed the improvements achieved by using 3D culture models to evaluate the role of EVs in tumor progression and the potential applications of EVs in diagnostics and therapeutics. The most employed assays are gel-based spheroids, often utilized to examine the cell invasion rate and angiogenesis markers upon EVs treatment. To study EVs as drug carriers, a more complex multicellular cultures and organoids from cancer stem cell populations have been developed. Such strategies provide a closer response to in vivo physiology observed responses. They are also the best models to understand the complex interactions between different populations of cells and the extracellular matrix, in which tumor-derived EVs modify epithelial or mesenchymal cells to become protumor agents. Finally, the growth of cells in 3D bioreactor-like systems is appointed as the best approach to industrial EVs production, a necessary step toward clinical translation of EVs-based therapy.Item 3D convolutional neural networks initialized from pretrained 2D convolutional neural networks for classification of industrial parts(2021-02-04) Merino, Ibon; Azpiazu, Jon; Remazeilles, Anthony; Sierra, Basilio; ROBOTICA_FLEX; Medical TechnologiesDeep learning methods have been successfully applied to image processing, mainly using 2D vision sensors. Recently, the rise of depth cameras and other similar 3D sensors has opened the field for new perception techniques. Nevertheless, 3D convolutional neural networks perform slightly worse than other 3D deep learning methods, and even worse than their 2D version. In this paper, we propose to improve 3D deep learning results by transferring the pretrained weights learned in 2D networks to their corresponding 3D version. Using an industrial object recognition context, we have analyzed different combinations of 3D convolutional networks (VGG16, ResNet, Inception ResNet, and EfficientNet), comparing the recognition accuracy. The highest accuracy is obtained with EfficientNetB0 using extrusion with an accuracy of 0.9217, which gives comparable results to state-of-the art methods. We also observed that the transfer approach enabled to improve the accuracy of the Inception ResNet 3D version up to 18% with respect to the score of the 3D approach alone.Item 3D numerical simulation of slope-flexible system interaction using a mixed FEM-SPH model(2021) Jimenez Fernandez, Jose Carlos; Castanon-Jano, Laura; Gaute Alonso, Alvaro; Blanco-Fernandez, Elena; Gonzalez Fernandez, Juan Carlos; Centeno Gonzalez, Victor; Castro-Fresno, Daniel; Garcia-Sanchez, David; Tecnalia Research & Innovation; E&I SEGURAS Y RESILIENTESFlexible membranes are light structures anchored to the ground that protect infrastructures or dwellings from rock or soil sliding. One alternative to design these structures is by using numerical simulations. However, very few models were found until date and most of them are in 2D and do not include all their components. This paper presents the development of a numerical model combining Finite Element Modelling (FEM) with Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) formulation. Both cylindrical and spherical failure of the slope were simulated. One reference geometry of the slope was designed and a total of 21 slip circles were calculated considering different soil parameters, phreatic level position and drainage solutions. Four case studies were extracted from these scenarios and simulated using different dimensions of the components of the system. As a validation model, an experimental test that imitates the soil detachment and its retention by the steel membrane was successfully reproduced.Item Absolute position calculation for a desktop mobile rehabilitation robot based on three optical mouse sensors(2011) Zabaleta, Haritz; Valencia, David; Perry, Joel; Veneman, Jan; Keller, Thierry; Tecnalia Research & InnovationArmAssist is a wireless robot for post stroke upper limb rehabilitation. Knowing the position of the arm is essential for any rehabilitation device. In this paper, we describe a method based on an artificial landmark navigation system. The navigation system uses three optical mouse sensors. This enables the building of a cheap but reliable position sensor. Two of the sensors are the data source for odometry calculations, and the third optical mouse sensor takes very low resolution pictures of a custom designed mat. These pictures are processed by an optical symbol recognition algorithm which will estimate the orientation of the robot and recognize the landmarks placed on the mat. The data fusion strategy is described to detect the misclassifications of the landmarks in order to fuse only reliable information. The orientation given by the optical symbol recognition (OSR) algorithm is used to improve significantly the odometry and the recognition of the landmarks is used to reference the odometry to a absolute coordinate system. The system was tested using a 3D motion capture system. With the actual mat configuration, in a field of motion of 710 450 mm, the maximum error in position estimation was 49.61 mm with an average error of 36.70 22.50 mm. The average test duration was 36.5 seconds and the average path length was 4173 mm.Item AC Magnetron Sputtering: An Industrial Approach for High-Voltage and High-Performance Thin-Film Cathodes for Li-Ion Batteries(2021-05-21) Rikarte, Jokin; Madinabeitia, Iñaki; Baraldi, Giorgio; Fernández-Carretero, Francisco José; Bellido-González, Víctor; García-Luis, Alberto; Muñoz-Márquez, Miguel Ángel; Fernández‐Carretero, Francisco José; Bellido‐González, Víctor; García‐Luis, Alberto; Muñoz‐Márquez, Miguel Ángel; TECNOLOGÍAS DE HIDRÓGENOIndustrial-oriented mid-frequency alternating current (MF-AC) magnetron sputtering technique is used to fabricate LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 high-voltage thin-film cathodes. Films are deposited on bare stainless-steel substrate at room temperature and then annealed to induce crystallization in disordered spinel phase. In situ X-ray diffraction is used to follow film structural evolution from room temperature to 900 °C. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy are used to study the evolution with temperature of film morphology, surface chemical composition, and crystal structure arrangement, respectively. Film structure evolves almost continuously in the studied temperature range. A pattern corresponding to spinel phase is observed after annealing at 600 °C, while poor crystallization is obtained for lower temperatures, and additional unwanted phase changes are observed for higher temperatures. Cyclic voltammetry, rate capability, and cycling performance of fabricated films are tested. Only the film annealed at 600 °C shows redox peaks corresponding to Ni oxidation from 2+ to 3+ and 3+ to 4+ oxidation states, confirming that this film crystallizes in disordered spinel phase. The thin-film cathode shows good rate performance and outstanding cyclability, despite the impurities formed upon electrolyte decomposition at high voltage.Item Accelerated aging test of solar reflectors according to the new AENOR standard – results of a round Robin test(American Institute of Physics Inc., 2018-11-08) Fernández-García, Aránzazu; Martínez-Arcos, Lucía; Sutter, Florian; Wette, Johannes; Sallaberry, Fabienne; Erice, Raquel; Diamantino, Teresa; Carvalho, M. João; Raccurt, Olivier; Pescheux, Anne-Claire; Imbuluzqueta, Gorka; Machado, Maider; Mancilla, Rodrigo; Richter, Christoph; SISTEMAS FOTOVOLTAICOS; Tecnalia Research & InnovationDurability tests of reflector materials for concentrating solar applications are crucial to guarantee the profitability of the plants and to ensure a proper efficiency during their lifetime. A standard including a set of five accelerated aging tests is close to be published by the Spanish standardization entity AENOR, within the sub-committee AEN/CTN 206/SC117. Under the framework of the STAGE-STE project, a Round Robin Test was organized by six partners to evaluate the comparability of results obtained in their respective laboratories after performing these durability tests. According to the results, in general a good agreement among the partners was found, with negligible to slight reflectance losses. In addition, it was noticed that the reference standard used in the reflectance measurements is of high importance. The conclusions of this work will help to improve the standard in future versions.Item Accessible Ubiquitous Services for Supporting Daily Activities: A Case Study with Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities(2018-12-28) Aizpurua, Amaia; Miñón, Raúl; Gamecho, Borja; Cearreta, Idoia; Arrue, Myriam; Garay-Vitoria, Nestor; HPAUbiquitous environments have considerable potential to provide services supporting daily activities (using public transportation to and from workplace, using ATM machines, selecting and purchasing goods in ticketing or vending machines, etc.) in order to assist people with disabilities. Nevertheless, the ubiquitous service providers generally supply generic user interfaces which are not usually accessible for all potential end users. In this article, a case study to verify the adequacy of the user interfaces automatically generated by the Egoki system for two supporting ubiquitous services adapted to young adults with moderate intellectual disabilities was presented. The task completion times and the level of assistance required by participants when using the interfaces were analyzed. Participants were able to access services through a tablet and successfully complete the tasks, regardless of their level of expertise and familiarity with the service. Moreover, results indicate that their performance and confidence improved with practice, as they required fewer direct verbal and pointer cues to accomplish tasks. By applying observational methods during the experimental sessions, several potential improvements for the automated interface generation process were also detected.Item Accuracy and Surface Quality Improvements in the Manufacturing of Ti-6Al-4V Parts Using Hot Single Point Incremental Forming(2019-06) Ortiz, Mikel; Penalva, Mariluz; Iriondo, Edurne; López de Lacalle, Luis Norberto; FABRIC_INTELThe present work focuses on the manufacturing of Ti-6Al-4V parts using hot single point incremental forming (SPIF), a non-conventional forming technology mainly oriented toward the fabrication of prototypes, spare parts, or very low volume series. In the used procedure, the entire sheet is heated and kept at uniform temperature while the tool incrementally forms the part, with the limited accuracy of the obtained parts being the major drawback of the process. Thus, this work proposes two approaches to improve the geometric accuracy of Ti-6Al-4V SPIF parts: (i) correct the tool path by applying an intelligent process model (IPM) that counteracts deviations associated with the springback, and (ii) skip overforming deviations associated with the deflection of the sheet along the perimeter of the part based on a design improvement. For this purpose, a generic asymmetric design that incorporates features of a typical aerospace Ti-6Al-4V part is used. The results point out the potential of both solutions to significantly improve the accuracy of the parts. The application of the IPM model leads to an accuracy improvement up to 49%, whereas a 25.4% improvement can be attributed to the addendum introduction. The geometric accuracy study includes the two finishing operations needed to obtain the part, namely decontamination and trimming.Item Accurate calculation of conductive conductances in complex geometries for spacecrafts thermal models(2016-02-15) Garmendia, Iñaki; Anglada, Eva; Vallejo, Haritz; Seco, Miguel; CIRMETAL; MAQUINASThe thermal subsystem of spacecrafts and payloads is always designed with the help of Thermal Mathematical Models. In the case of the Thermal Lumped Parameter (TLP) method, the non-linear system of equations that is created is solved to calculate the temperature distribution and the heat power that goes between nodes. The accuracy of the results depends largely on the appropriate calculation of the conductive and radiative conductances. Several established methods for the determination of conductive conductances exist but they present some limitations for complex geometries. Two new methods are proposed in this paper to calculate accurately these conductive conductances: The Extended Far Field method and the Mid-Section method. Both are based on a finite element calculation but while the Extended Far Field method uses the calculation of node mean temperatures, the Mid-Section method is based on assuming specific temperature values. They are compared with traditionally used methods showing the advantages of these two new methodsItem Acellular human corneal matrix sheets seeded with human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells integrate functionally in an experimental animal model(2015-03-01) Alio del Barrio, Jorge L.; Chiesa, Massimo; Garagorri, Nerea; Garcia-Urquia, Nerea; Fernandez-Delgado, Jorge; Bataille, Laurent; Rodriguez, Alejandra; Arnalich-Montiel, Francisco; Zarnowski, Tomasz; Álvarez de Toledo, Juan P.; Alio, Jorge L.; De Miguel, Maria P.; Tecnalia Research & Innovation; BiomaterialesPurpose: To evaluate the invivo biocompatibility of grafts composed of sheets of decellularized human corneal stroma with or without the recellularization of human adipose derived adult stem cells (h-ADASC) into the rabbit cornea. Methods: Sheets of human corneal stroma of 90μm thickness were decellularized, and their lack of cytotoxicity was assayed. The recellularization was achieved by the injection of 2×105 labeled h-ADASC in the graft followed by five days of cell culture. The grafts were implanted invivo into a stromal pocket at 50% depth. After a triple-masked three-month follow-up, the animals were euthanized and the biointegration of the graft, the viability of the stem cells and the expression of keratocan (human keratocyte-specific protein) were assessed. Results: The decellularized stromal sheets showed an intact extracellular matrix with a decellularization rate of 92.8% and an excellent recellularization capacity invitro with h-ADASC. A complete and stable graft transparency was observed during the full follow-up, with absence of any clinical sign of rejection. The postmortem analysis demonstrated the survival of the transplanted human stem cells inside the graft and their differentiation into functional keratocytes, as assessed by the expression of human keratocan. Conclusions: We report a new model of lamellar keratoplasty that requires only a simple and safe procedure of liposuction and a donor allogeneic cornea to provide an optically transparent autologous stromal graft with excellent biocompatibility and integration into the host tissue in a rabbit model.Item Achievements of European projects on membrane reactor for hydrogen production(2017-09-10) Di Marcoberardino, Gioele; Binotti, Marco; Manzolini, Giampaolo; Viviente, José Luis; Arratibel, Alba; Roses, Leonardo; Gallucci, Fausto; TECNOLOGÍA DE MEMBRANAS E INTENSIFICACIÓN DE PROCESOSMembrane reactors for hydrogen production can increase both the hydrogen production efficiency at small scale and the electric efficiency in micro-cogeneration systems when coupled with Polymeric Electrolyte Membrane fuel cells. This paper discusses the achievements of three European projects (FERRET, FluidCELL, BIONICO) which investigate the application of the membrane reactor concept to hydrogen production and micro-cogeneration systems using both natural gas and biofuels (biogas and bio-ethanol) as feedstock. The membranes, used to selectively separate hydrogen from the other reaction products (CH4, CO2, H2O, etc.), are of asymmetric type with a thin layer of Pd alloy (<5 μm), and supported on a ceramic porous material to increase their mechanical stability. In FERRET, the flexibility of the membrane reactor under diverse natural gas quality is validated. The reactor is integrated in a micro-CHP system and achieves a net electric efficiency of about 42% (8% points higher than the reference case). In FluidCELL, the use of bio-ethanol as feedstock for micro-cogeneration Polymeric Electrolyte Membrane based system is investigated in off-grid applications and a net electric efficiency around 40% is obtained (6% higher than the reference case). Finally, BIONICO investigates the hydrogen production from biogas. While BIONICO has just started, FERRET and FluidCELL are in their third year and the two prototypes are close to be tested confirming the potentiality of membrane reactor technology at small scale.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 Activating inclusive growth in railway SMEs by workplace innovation(2020-09) Carranza, Garazi; Garcia, Marta; Sanchez, Begoña; Policies for Innovation and TechnologyThe digital revolution is happening, transforming the way we move and produce. Success in the digital revolution means that the rail industries need to use the best available technologies focusing on people. The managerial and organizational practices adopted by railway entities have considerable significance for Railway's ability to succeed in global competition. One of the challenges for railway entities is to deliver innovative products, offering quickness and flexibility to respond to changing demands from their customers. Non-technological innovations and especially Workplace innovation, have a key role to play in the digitalization and acceleration of technological developments, therefore in the railway sector competitiveness. This draws attention to the importance of innovation climate and employees' commitment aiming at improving staff motivation and working conditions, thereby enhancing labor productivity, organizational performance, innovation capability, reactivity to market change, and consequently business competitiveness. As with any emerging opportunity, there is no established path to follow to activate inclusive growth in railway SMEs to uptake Workplace innovation. To address these issues, this paper develops and tests a research model that covers individual behavior, organizational practices, and process practices of innovation among employees, analyzing the impact of Workplace Innovation on firm performance.Item Adaptable Emergency Braking Based on a Fuzzy Controller and a Predictive Model(IEEE, 2018-11) Alarcon, Leonardo Gonzalez; Vaca Recalde, Myriam Elizabeth; Marcano, Mauricio; Marti, Enrique; Tecnalia Research & Innovation; CCAMThis work presents the implementation of an adaptable emergency braking system for low speed collision avoidance, based on a frontal laser scanner for static obstacle detection, using a D-GPS system for positioning. A fuzzy logic decision process performs a criticality assessment that triggers the emergency braking system and modulates its behavior. This criticality is evaluated through the use of a predictive model based on a kinematic estimation, which modulates the decision to brake. Additionally a critical study is conducted in order to provide a benchmark for comparison, and evaluate the limits of the predictive model. The braking decision is based on a parameterizable braking model tuned for the target vehicle, that takes into account factors such as reaction time, distance to obstacles, vehicle velocity and maximum deceleration. Once activated, braking force is adapted to reduce vehicle occupants discomfort while ensuring safety throughout the process. The system was implemented on a real vehicle and proper operation is validated through extensive testing carried out at Tecnalia facilities.Item Adaptation of a Branching Algorithm to Solve the Multi-Objective Hamiltonian Cycle Problem(2020) Murua, Maialen; Galar, Diego; Santana, Roberto; FACTORY; Tecnalia Research & InnovationThe Hamiltonian cycle problem (HCP) consists of finding a cycle of length N in an N-vertices graph. In this investigation, a graph G is considered with an associated set of matrices, in which each cell in the matrix corresponds to the weight of an arc. Thus, a multi-objective variant of the HCP is addressed and a Pareto set of solutions that minimizes the weights of the arcs for each objective is computed. To solve the HCP problem, the Branch-and-Fix algorithm is employed, a specific branching algorithm that uses the embedding of the problem in a particular stochastic process. To address the multi-objective HCP, the Branch-and-Fix algorithm is extended by computing different Hamiltonian cycles and fathoming the branches of the tree at earlier stages. The introduced anytime algorithm can produce a valid solution at any time of the execution, improving the quality of the Pareto Set as time increases.Item ADAPTATION TO FLOODING EVENTS THROUGH VULNERABILITY MAPPING IN HISTORIC URBAN AREAS(2018-03-06) Gandini, Alessandra; Prieto, Iñaki; Garmendia, Leire; San-José, José Tomás; Egusquiza, Aitziber; LABORATORIO DE TRANSFORMACIÓN URBANA; Tecnalia Research & InnovationHistoric urban areas are complex and inter-reliant systems, vulnerable to natural hazards. Over the recent years, the increase frequency in extreme precipitation events and sea-level rise, have impacted on a large number of historic areas, growing concern over disaster mitigation related to climate change. Most of the changes in the climatological indicators may have adverse impacts on historic areas, leading to physical, social and cultural consequences and should be included in urban planning practice. The importance of addressing cultural heritage in disaster risk has also been included in The Sendai Framework, considering the dimensions of vulnerability, adaptive capacity and exposure through systematic evaluation. Urban planning decisions involve an understanding of complex interactions between different aspects of the city, in its constructive, social, economic, environmental and cultural system. The analysis of these interactions requires a systemic approach as the components operate on different spatial and temporal scales and generate a large amount of data. This information can be used to determine the vulnerability of historic areas by assessing it at the building level, through the creation of typologies representing the building stock, often characterized by similarities and common constructive elements. The comprehension of the information can be supported and homogenized by a multi-scale urban model, to facilitate the understanding of interactions and the link among the different disciplines involved. This paper describes the methodology proposed for vulnerability mapping in historic urban areas, by using a categorization method supported by an information strategy and a multiscale urban model.Item Added value services for EV charging management(IEEE, 2013-11) Rodríguez-Sánchez, Raúl; Vidal, Narcís; Zabala, Eduardo; Tecnalia Research & InnovationThe deployment of Electrical Vehicles (EV) is not taking place at the expected rate. Consumers’ tendency to value losses higher than gains works against electric vehicles when comparing them to traditional solutions. In this context, added value services may support business models with additional incomes, business differentiation or appealing mobility concepts. In the frame of the Green eMotion FP7 project, added value services will be proposed and their implementation in backend systems studied, in order to permit a widespread and sustainable deployment of EVs. Services and functionalities are delimited by business models defining the overall stakeholder relationship framework. Therefore, the latter will have direct influence, not only at economical level but also in technical aspects of the implementation of added value services. EV services are classified in two main groups: those provided by the EVs to the network and those provided by service providers to end-users. EVs characteristics make them especially suitable for service oriented business, while ICT solutions appear as key enablers of new sustainable mobility concepts. It is very important to decide which services and how these services need to be implemented to allow a wide range of business models to be applied. Interoperability is another essential aspect when dealing with EVs, since all systems involved in service provision should be able to communicate with each other. This will allow EV users to have transparent and efficient driving experiences, together with lower cost solutions. New advances in communication standards definition and in interoperability assessment (COTEVOS FP7 EU project) are currently going on and will tackle this challenge.Item Additive Manufactured Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering: Physical Characterization of Thermoplastic Composites with Functional Fillers: Physical Characterization of Thermoplastic Composites with Functional Fillers(2021-08-13) Sinha, Ravi; Sanchez, Alberto; Camara-Torres, Maria; Uriszar-Aldaca, Iñigo Calderon; Calore, Andrea Roberto; Harings, Jules; Gambardella, Ambra; Ciccarelli, Lucia; Vanzanella, Veronica; Sisani, Michele; Scatto, Marco; Wendelbo, Rune; Perez, Sergio; Villanueva, Sara; Matanza, Amaia; Patelli, Alessandro; Grizzuti, Nino; Mota, Carlos; Moroni, Lorenzo; ECOEFICIENCIA DE PRODUCTOS DE CONSTRUCCIÓN; Tecnalia Research & InnovationThermoplastic polymer–filler composites are excellent materials for bone tissue engineering (TE) scaffolds, combining the functionality of fillers with suitable load-bearing ability, biodegradability, and additive manufacturing (AM) compatibility of the polymer. Two key determinants of their utility are their rheological behavior in the molten state, determining AM processability and their mechanical load-bearing properties. We report here the characterization of both these physical properties for four bone TE relevant composite formulations with poly(ethylene oxide terephthalate)/poly(butylene terephthalate (PEOT/PBT) as a base polymer, which is often used to fabricate TE scaffolds. The fillers used were reduced graphene oxide (rGO), hydroxyapatite (HA), gentamicin intercalated in zirconium phosphate (ZrP-GTM) and ciprofloxacin intercalated in MgAl layered double hydroxide (MgAl-CFX). The rheological assessment showed that generally the viscous behavior dominated the elastic behavior (G″ > G′) for the studied composites, at empirically determined extrusion temperatures. Coupled rheological–thermal characterization of ZrP-GTM and HA composites showed that the fillers increased the solidification temperatures of the polymer melts during cooling. Both these findings have implications for the required extrusion temperatures and bonding between layers. Mechanical tests showed that the fillers generally not only made the polymer stiffer but more brittle in proportion to the filler fractions. Furthermore, the elastic moduli of scaffolds did not directly correlate with the corresponding bulk material properties, implying composite-specific AM processing effects on the mechanical properties. Finally, we show computational models to predict multimaterial scaffold elastic moduli using measured single material scaffold and bulk moduli. The reported characterizations are essential for assessing the AM processability and ultimately the suitability of the manufactured scaffolds for the envisioned bone regeneration application.