Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria de la telecomunicació::Radiocomunicació i exploració electromagnètica, Wireless communication systems, and Comunicació sense fil, Sistemes de

In this paper we present our approach regarding the implementation of new wireless radio receiver exploiting filterbank techniques, using a software-development driven approach. Since most of the common radio communications systems share a similar structure, this can be exploited creating a framework which provides a generic layout and tools to construct a reconfigurable transmitter and/or receiver. By combining the use of the Universal Software Radio Peripheral version 2 (USRP2) with a generic object-oriented framework of our own built on top of the GNU Radio software framework, we have been able to quickly implement a working proof of concept of an Uplink (UL) Filterbank Multicarrier (FBMC) receiver, both for Single- Input Single-Output (SISO) and Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) scenario, within the project of the 7th European framework called PHYDYAS. We described here the methodology we have applied from software engineering in order to build this demonstrator, which shows the suitability of using Software Defined Radio (SDR) technologies for fast prototyping of new wireless communication systems.

care, arrangements, independent living, critical making, prototypes, cura, mesures, vida independent, fabricació crítica, prototips, cuidado, medidas, vida independiente, fabricación crítica, prototipos, Dependents -- Government policy, Persones dependents -- Política governamental, and Personas dependientes -- Política gubernamental

In this paper we reflect empirically on some collective attempts at intervening the ways in which care for and by disabled people is being devised and carried out in Spain in austerity times. We highlight the novelties and challenges of the way in which these projects seek to tackle the current crisis of care through different forms of self-fabrication of 'open' and 'low cost' technical aids. We analyse them as forms of 'critical making' expanding the repertoire of independent-living and disabled people's rights politics to the experimentation with technological production. Through the deployment of an empirical example of the prototyping process by the Barcelona-based activist design collective 'En torno a la silla' we show how open prototyping constitutes a major challenge for the radicalisation of the independent-living movement's precepts of control and choice, displaying the matter of care arrangements and making available its transformation.

care, arrangements, independent living, critical making, prototypes, cuidado, disposiciones, vida independiente, prototipos, cura, disposicions, vida independent, prototips, People with disabilities, Discapacitats, and Discapacitados

In this paper, we reflect empirically on some collective attempts at intervening the ways in which care for and by disabled people is being devised and carried out in Spain in austerity times. We highlight the novelties and challenges of the way in which these projects seek to tackle the current crisis of care through different forms of self-fabrication of 'open' and 'low cost' technical aids. We analyse them as forms of 'critical making' expanding the repertoire of independent-living and disabled people's rights politics to the experimentation with technological production. Through the deployment of an empirical example of the prototyping process by the Barcelona-based activist design collective En torno a la silla, we show how open prototyping constitutes a major challenge for the radicalisation of the independent-living movement's precepts of control and choice, displaying the matter of care arrangements and making available its transformation.
En este trabajo se reflexiona empíricamente sobre algunos intentos colectivos de intervenir en la forma cómo se está llevando a cabo el cuidado de las personas con discapacidad en España en tiempos de austeridad. Destacamos las novedades y los retos de la forma en que estos proyectos buscan hacer frente a la crisis actual de la atención a la discapacidad a través de diferentes formas de auto-fabricación de ayudas técnicas 'abiertas' y de 'low cost'.
En aquest treball es reflexiona empíricament sobre alguns intents col·lectius d'intervenir en la forma com s'està duent a terme la cura de les persones amb discapacitat a Espanya en temps d'austeritat. Destaquem les novetats i els reptes de la forma en què aquests projectes busquen fer front a la crisi actual de l'atenció a la discapacitat a través de diferents formes d'auto-fabricació d'ajudes tècniques 'obertes' i de 'low cost'.

Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria mecànica, Manufacturing processes, Microfabrication, New technology, Rapid manufacturing, Mechanical engineering, Fabrication, Particle image velocimetry, Fabricació, and Microfabricació

This paper aims to present a new methodology to manufacture micro-channels suitable for high operating pressures and micro particle image velocimetry (µPIV) measurements using a rapid-prototyping high-resolution 3D printer. This methodology can fabricate channels down to 250 µm and withstand pressures of up to 5 ± 0.2 MPa. The manufacturing times are much shorter than in soft lithography processes. The novel manufacturing method developed takes advantage of the recently improved resolution in 3D printers to manufacture an rapid prototyping technique part that contains the hose connections and a micro-channel useful for microfluidics. A method to assemble one wall of the micro-channel using UV curable glue with a glass slide is presented – an operation required to prepare the channel for µPIV measurements. Once built, the micro-channel has been evaluated when working under pressure and the grease flow behavior in it has been measured using µPIV. Furthermore, the minimum achievable channels have been defined using a confocal microscopy study. This technique is much faster than previous micro-manufacturing techniques where different steps were needed to obtain the micro-machined parts. However, due to current 3D printers ' resolutions (around 50 µm) and according to the experimental results, channels smaller than 250-µm2 cross-section should not be used to characterize fluid flow behaviors, as inaccuracies in the channel boundaries can deeply affect the fluid flow behavior. The present methodology is developed due to the need to validate micro-channels using µPIV to lubricate critical components (bearings and gears) in wind turbines. This novel micro-manufacturing technique overcomes current techniques, as it requires less manufacturing steps and therefore it is faster and with less associated costs to manufacture micro-channels down to 250-µm2 cross-section that can withstand pressures higher than 5 MPa that can be used to characterize microfluidic flow behavior using µPIV.

Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria química, Colloids, Polymerization, Supercapacitors, Electroactive hydroge, l Organic electrochemical supercapacitor, Poly(3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene), Col·loides, Supercondensadors, and Polimerització

Flexible symmetric supercapacitor prototypes composed of electrodes that were prepared by polymerizing poly(hydroxymethyl-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) inside a poly-¿-glutamic acid (¿PGA) biohydrogel matrix, previously loaded with microparticles of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and alumina (Al2O3), have been fabricated and characterized. Prototypes have been assembled in a totally solid, compact and lightweight configuration, where the supporting electrolytic medium is a ¿PGA hydrogel prepared in presence of NaHCO3. The elements of the prototypes have been characterized and their optimized to obtain the highest specific capacitance. The electrochemical performances of the prototypes have been investigated by cyclic voltammetry, charge-discharge galvanostatic cycles and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. After 2000 charge-discharge cycles (i.e. 60.000¿s of continuous operation), the loss of specific capacitance is of only 8%, revealing an excellent stability. Results are very promising for the development of compact, flexible, lightweight and biocompatible supercapacitors to be employed like energy-autonomous electronic devices.