|
If the displayed content is not correct, please click here
|
Follow us:
|
|
Newsletter CIT UPC nº48 |
May 2016 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
BEAMAGINE: NEW SPIN-OFF FROM CD6 UPC
The Center for Sensors, Instruments and Systems Development ( CD6 UPC) has created a spin-off called Beamagine S.L., to market the LIDAR imaging technology developed by the center. LIDAR technology is used to obtain 3D images in real time using compact cameras, by measuring the time-of-flight of a laser pulse reflected on an object. This precise measurement is converted into an image by means of a scanning system or detector arrays. The technology, which was developed and patented by CD6 UPC as a result of the center’s research in the field of metrology, has cost and performance advantages over current commercial systems. This may mean that Beamagine can benefit from new market opportunities, for example, in robotics and safety.
Beamagine was founded by Dr. Santiago Royo and Jordi Riu, who are both CD6 UPC researchers. Research in this field that led to the emergence of the spin-off was funded with the groups own resources, with the support of the Government of Catalonia and the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
INNOTEX CENTER ADVISES PERUVIAN TEXTILE COMPANIES
Innotex Center/CTF is advising the main Peruvian textile companies on the development of new products with greater added value. The focus has been Pima and Tangüis cottons, which have extra-long fibres and are part of Peru’s heritage. These cottons are considered among the best in the world, due to their excellent technical characteristics. Innotex’s work in Peru was sponsored by Cotton USA, a US multinational company that markets all high-quality American cotton, and by the Peruvian National Society of Industries.
Innotex Center is currently collaborating with Inca Tops in Arequipa, an integrated company with over 1,000 employees specialised in the manufacture of products using alpaca and fibres from other Andean camelids, which also form part of Peru’s heritage. The aim is to increase the company’s product range and find new technical applications for these natural fibres, which are currently only used in fashion items.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CREB UPC PARTICIPATES IN THE BIO INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION 2016
The Biomedical Engineering Research Centre ( CREB UPC) has taken part in Bio International Convention 2016, the leading international trade fair for the biotechnology sector, held in San Francisco (California, USA) on 6-9 June. CREB UPC presented its technological capabilities, as well as the patents that it is currently marketing, which include: "Method for conditioning stem cells", "Portable device and method for measuring electromyographic signals of a user" and "Systems and methods to assess infracted myocardial tissue by measuring electrical impedance during the cardiac cycle".
Participants at the Bio Convention San Francisco 2016 included 42 Catalan companies and organisations, and 28 companies from the rest of Spain, all coordinated by Biocat. CREB UPC took part in meetings with companies, foundations and hospitals to seek new partners with whom to develop new technology that can have a real impact on the market and on society.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CARNET: THE FIRST MAJOR URBAN MOBILITY HUB IN BARCELONA
On 1 June, Cooperative Automotive Research Network ( CARNET) was launched. This is the first major hub for research and innovation focused on the automobile sector and future urban mobility in Barcelona. CARNET is promoted by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), SEAT and the Volkswagen Group Research.
CARNET was launched during a meeting entitled Creating the Urban Mobility of the Future. The Network was presented by Dr. Enric Fossas, Rector of the UPC; Dr. Matthias Rabe, SEAT Vice-President for R&D; and Dr. Jürgen Leohold, Executive Director of Volkswagen Group Research. Other participants included ??Mrs. Mercedes Vidal, Barcelona City Counsellor for Mobility; Dr. Christoph Wäller, Technical Director of CARNET and SEAT Manager of Innovation and Alternative Mobility; and Dr. Jaume Barceló, Academic Director of CARNET and UPC professor emeritus. At the same time, a showroom was organised to display some of the projects that are being developed, and a session of talks on urban mobility was held.
CARNET, which is a SEAT UPC Chair initiative coordinated by the UPC Technology Center (CIT UPC), is supported by other business partners, including Altran, Applus + Idiada, Ficosa, the RACC and Rucker Lypsa.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NEXT COURSES 2016
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IT'S AN ILL WIND... THAT BENEFITS THE ELECTRICITY COMPANIES
The winds of change indicate that the next government will repeal Royal Decree 900/2015, regulating the administrative, technical and economic conditions of methods of electricity supply based on self-consumption and production with self-consumption, so that it will never be applied. Nevertheless, the 8 th of April has been and gone: the day that marked the end of the six-month moratorium established in the Decree. [...] + Read more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
THE UPC LEADS CATALAN UNIVERSITIES IN EUROPEAN HORIZON 2020 PROJECTS FOR 2014-2015
A report by the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology ( CDTI) ranks the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya ( UPC) as the Catalan institute with the highest number of projects funded through Horizon 2020 in the 2014-2015 period. The UPC participated in 41 of the approximately 200 projects with Catalan university involvement, and is leading 13 of these projects. To date, the UPC has been awarded 61 projects in this programme, most of which have been undertaken in the area of “excellent science”.
In terms of return on investment, the UPC is the top Catalan university, and ranks sixth in Spain.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PUBLICATION OF THE COTEC 2016 REPORT
On 13 May, the COTEC 2016 Report was presented at an event presided over by His Majesty King Felipe VI. This annual report, which has been compiled since 1996, reflects the situation of research, development and innovation in Spain. This year, in its updated format, the report contains both the main indicators in this area and new chapters on education, social innovation and innovation in funding, as well as the opinions of the main experts in this field and forecasts of future development.
The report highlights that R&D investment in relation to Spain’s GDP was 12.821 billion euros in 2014, which is down 1.5% on 2013, and represents 1.23% of GDP. Therefore, the difference with the rest of Europe (UE28) is 0.72 points; the highest level since 2002.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CABLE RAILWAY IN NEPAL
The Centre for Industrial Equipment Design ( CDEI UPC) has designed a cable railway that works without energy in the district of Kalicot, in the Karnali area of north western Nepal. Due to the lack of resources in the area, CDEI UPC came up with a system to improve the reliability of cable railways designed by Practical Action when intermediate towers are required (because of large distances between the upper and lower stations). The cable railway is used to make it easier to sell products to inhabitants of the highland areas. The cable railway can take 3 baskets down 500 m in 2 minutes; when on foot the same journey takes 2 hours and requires 3 people.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|