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Newsletter CIT UPC nº 57 March 2017

HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES: A DEVICE DESIGNED FOR REHABILITATION OFTHE PELVIC FLOOR IN PATIENTS’ HOMES, WITH GAMES FOR MOBILEPHONES AND REMOTE MEDICAL MONITORING

In September, the Biomedical Engineering Research Centre (CREB UPC) will trial asystem designed to improve treatment for rehabilita�on of the pelvic floor muscles;a treatment recommended to prevent or treat urinary incon�nence. The trial will becarried out as part of the European project WOMEN-UP (led by the CREB UPC), andwill also involve the par�cipa�on of the Academic Medical Center of Amsterdam andthe Kuopio University Hospital in Finland. The technology, which has already beentested on 21 women (11 from the Pelvic Floor Unit of Hospital Clínic and 10 from theKuopio University Hospital in Finland) includes serious games for mobile devices thatare guided by muscle movements, and remote medical supervision through a webpla�orm.

The call for volunteers to par�cipate has already started through the websitestopui.com. In total, 110 volunteers will be recruited in Barcelona, 110 in Amsterdamand 80 in Finland.

Further informa�on

INDUSTRY 4.0: NEW SMART MONITORING PLATFORM WITH A CAPACITYFOR CONTINUOUS LEARNING

The Mo�on Control and Industrial Applica�ons (MCIA UPC) centre is collabora�ngwith the company MAPRO to develop a pla�orm for smart monitoring of industrialmachinery, with a capacity for con�nuous learning. An innova�ve method ofcombined analysis is being developed based on a specific local model for each pieceof machinery and a general model located in the overall informa�on managementsystem, to accumulate in the pla�orm the knowledge generated by each of themachines. In the project, mul�variate analysis technologies based on ar�ficialintelligence will be used to detect and iden�fy characterised and non-characterised(new) anomalies, in order to act on and accumulate knowledge generated during theuseful life of the machines.

The project will end in 2018 and has been jointly funded by the Spanish Ministry ofEconomy, Industry and Compe��veness and the European Union, as part of thestate research, development and innova�on programme aimed at Challenges ofSociety.

The ac�vity of MAPRO is focused on the design and manufacture of test equipmentand assembly lines for the main manufacturers of automobile components and forother industrial sectors.

HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES: CHARACTERISATION OF CARDIAC PATHOLOGIESIN HUTCHINSON-GILFORD SYNDROME

Researchers at the Biomedical Engineering Research Centre (CREB UPC) havecollaborated with the Catalan Ins�tute of Cardiovascular Sciences (ICCC) in a projectcoordinated by the Carlos III Na�onal Centre for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC) tostudy the detec�on of heart anomalies in pa�ents affected by Hutchinson-Gilfordsyndrome, also known as progeria or premature aging syndrome. Fluorescencemicroscopy images have been used to study the behaviour of the calcium ion, whichis responsible for electromagne�c coupling through a mechanism known asexcita�on-contrac�on that is key to detec�ng anomalies in heart failure. The analysisof images revealed abnormal pa�erns of behaviour in a range of indicators such asthe morphology of the electrocardiographic signal, the greater incidence ofventricular arrhythmia, altera�ons in the connec�vity of cardiac �ssue and thedynamics of intracellular calcium. These anomalies show for the first �me thepresence of similar cardiac disorders in 15 progeria pa�ents. This study shows theprogressive development of anomalies in the electrocardiogram signal that arerelated with cardiovascular dysfunc�ons associated with the ageing process.

Further informa�on

CIT UPC JOINS THE RAILGRUP CLUSTER

CIT UPC has officially joined the Railgrup Cluster, an ini�a�ve that began in 2002 andis promoted by the Government of Catalonia to strengthen the compe��veness ofthe rail industry and sector at all levels in Spain. The Cluster is comprised of around100 companies, including operators, original equipment manufacturers and SMEs,whose total revenue is 17 billion euros.

CIT UPC PARTICIPATES IN THE SIXTH SPANISH MAINTENANCECONFERENCE

Through MCIA UPC, CIT UPC par�cipated in the Sixth Spanish MaintenanceConference; a space for discussion and for sharing ideas and experience in themaintenance sector, organised by the Spanish Maintenance Associa�on (AEM). Inthe exhibi�on area, MCIA UPC presented technologies and projects that it hasdeveloped in its specialised field of predic�ve maintenance.

The event took place at the Palau Firal i de Congressos in Tarragona from 28 to 30March, and was a�ended by over 600 people from 270 companies in the sector.

Curso profesional de funcionamiento del mercado eléctrico españolCurso profesional de introducción a la norma IEC 61850Curso profesional de energía para redes eléctricas: una introducción a latecnología y las aplicacionesCurso profesional de protecciones en media tensiónCurso profesional de aplicación de los DSP al control de motoresCurso profesional de energía eólicaCurso profesional de desarrollo de aplicaciones Android con App Inventor

NÚRIA SALÁN, AWARDED THE “WOMAN AND TECHNOLOGY” PRIZE BYTHE ORANGE FOUNDATION

The Orange Founda�on has awarded Núria Salán, a researcher at the StructuralIntegrity and Materials Reliability Centre (CIEFMA UPC), the Women and TechnologyAward – Orange Founda�on award in its second edi�on. This award is given annuallyto women who are notable for their work in the areas of technology and socialinnova�on, with results that have had a notable impact on the development andtransforma�on of society, and have improved people’s quality of life.

Núria Salán is a graduate in Sciences (Metallurgy) from the University of Barcelona(UB), Doctor in Material Science and Metallurgy Engineering from the UniversitatPolitècnica de Catalunya (UPC). She is also a lecturer at the School of Industrial,Aerospace and Audiovisual Engineering of Terrassa (ESEIAAT), which is part of theUPC. Since January 2016, she has been president of the Catalan Technology Society(a subsidiary of the Ins�tute for Catalan Studies [IEC]).

Further informa�on

Do we need to innovate in innova�on?

Barcelona is among the ten European capitals that are consideredtechnology hubs. Furthermore, it was named European Capital ofInnova�on in 2014 and the “smartest city” in the world in 2015. + Reedmore

THE UPC, IN THE 'TOP 10' IN THE WORLD IN THE THREESCIENTIFIC CATEGORIES OF THE CWUR RANKING BY SUBJECT

The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) is the fourth bestuniversity in the world and the leading university in Europe in thescien�fic categories of Mul�disciplinary Engineering andInterdisciplinary Applica�ons in Mathema�cs, according to CWURRankings by Subject. It is also in ninth posi�on in the world and fourthin Europe in Building and Construc�on Technology. It is the onlySpanish university in CWUR to be ranked in these three categories.

Further informa�on.

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION INDICATORS FOR CATALANPUBLIC UNIVERSITIES

The fi�h edi�on of the ACUP report has been published on researchand innova�on indicators for Catalan public universi�es, 2016. Thereport analyses the main indicators of research and innova�on and hasbecome a tool for quan�fying and studying the evolu�on of oursystem.

LABSON UPC IN THETECHNICAL SECRETARIAT OFAIFTOP

The Hydraulic and Pneuma�cSystems Laboratory (LABSON UPC)con�nues to hold the technicalsecretariat of the Iberian Associa�onof Manufacturers and Traders ofHydraulic Oil and Pneuma�cTransmissions (AIFTOP), whichpromotes collabora�on between theassociate manufacturers who arerepresented collec�vely before thegovernment and public and privateins�tu�ons.