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[EN] The management of people and vehicles mobility is an aspect of continuous study due to its contribution to pollution. Traffic light control determines the queues that can form at crossroads. Usually, this control is not adapted to the existing traffi at a specific time since the adaptation implies knowing the pedestrians and vehicles circulating at all times. This article proposes using modular intelligent devices that allow vehicles to be detected and access times to the intersection to be changed depending on the circumstances. A simulation has been carried out generating loads in MatLab and simulating the control with Simulink. A traffic light cycle with fixed times has been simulated and compared with cycles with varying service times depending on a load of pedestrians and vehicles. In the article, the Op and Sat indicators are proposed to measure the optimisation of the control algorithm on the crossing state. Using these indicators, it has been shown that it is possible to optimise the waiting time by 50%, almost independently of the traffic load in the best case., [ES] La gestión de la movilidad de personas y vehículos es un aspecto de continuo estudio debido a la relevancia que tiene en la contribución a la polución. El control de los semáforos determina las colas que en los cruces se pueden formar. Habitualmente este control no está adaptado al tráfico existente en un momento concreto, dado que la adaptación implica conocer los peatones y vehículos que se encuentran circulando en cada momento. Para resolver este problema, en el artículo se propone el uso de unos dispositivos inteligentes modulares que permiten detectar los vehículos y cambiar los tiempos de acceso al cruce dependiendo de las circunstancias. Para validar el sistema se ha realizado una simulación generando cargas en MatLab y simulando el control con Simulink. Se ha simulado un ciclo de semáforo con tiempos fijos y se ha comparado con ciclos de tiempos variables en función de la carga de peatones y de vehículos. En el artículo se proponen los indicadores Op y Sat como método de medición de la optimización del algoritmo de control sobre el estado del cruce. Por medio de dichos indicadores se ha comprobado que en el mejor de los casos es posible optimizar en un 50 % el tiempo de espera de forma casi independiente de la carga de tráfico., Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación de España Proyecto MICINN: CICYT PRECON-I4: Sistemas informáticos predecibles y confiables para la Industria 4.0 TIN2017-86520-C3-1-R

[Resumen] En los entornos de movilidad, calles o carreteras, los cruces y las rotondas pueden generar problemas de atascos. Poder optimizar el tráfico entrante y saliente de un cruce o rotonda es uno de los campos de investigación de los sistemas de control inteligente. Para optimizar el tráfico se debe disponer de dispositivos capaces de detectar los vehículos así como de actuar, regulando el tráfico, de forma dinámica para adaptarse a las distintas circunstancias. El sistema presentado busca la adaptación a las necesidades de tráfico en una rotonda. Dependiendo de la saturación de cada carril de entrada se intenta crear un tráfico fluido y continuo en el interior de la misma. Para lograr mejorar el tráfico, en este trabajo se presenta una arquitectura modular que permite adaptarse a cualquier cruce o rotonda para, a partir del control específico de un sector, mejorar el rendimiento global. El sistema simulado está compuesto por dispositivos independientes, que, dependiendo de la información adquirida varían el tiempo de paso. Se presenta, asimismo, un experimento de simulaci ón en el que se pone en valor la capacidad de reducir el tráfico adaptando los tiempos de paso en función de la demanda. Los resultados muestran que es posible descongestionar una rotonda cuando se automatizan dinámicamente los tiempos de paso sobre los que se tiene control. [Abstract] Crossroads and roundabouts, can produce traffic jams if traffic management is not optimized. To manage these elements, it is necessary to have devices able to detect the level of traffic as well as to act dynamically in order to adapt the cross access time in each street. The system seeks to adapt to the traffic needs in the roundabout, depending on the saturation of each entrance lane, trying to create a fluid and continuous traffic inside it. In order to optimize the traffic, in this work, a simulation experiment is presented in which the ability to reduce traffic is valued by adapting the access times to a roundabout according to the traffic demand. The simulated system is composed of independent devices, which, depending on the information acquired, can change the access time to the roundabout. The results show that it is possible to reduce the traffic load in a roundabout when access times are dynamically automated. Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; TIN2017-86520- C3-1-R

[EN] Object recognition, which can be used in processes such as reconstruction of the environment map or the intelligent navigation of vehicles, is a necessary task in smart city environments. In this paper, we propose an architecture that integrates heterogeneously distributed information to recognize objects in intelligent environments. The architecture is based on the IoT/Industry 4.0 model to interconnect the devices, which are called smart resources. Smart resources can process local sensor data and offer information to other devices as a service. These other devices can be located in the same operating range (the edge), in the same intranet (the fog), or on the Internet (the cloud). Smart resources must have an intelligent layer in order to be able to process the information. A system with two smart resources equipped with different image sensors is implemented to validate the architecture. Our experiments show that the integration of information increases the certainty in the recognition of objects by 2-4%. Consequently, in intelligent environments, it seems appropriate to provide the devices with not only intelligence, but also capabilities to collaborate closely with other devices., This research was funded by the Spanish Science and Innovation Ministry grant number MICINN: CICYT project PRECON-I4: "Predictable and dependable computer systems for Industry 4.0" TIN2017-86520-C3-1-R.

[EN] Robot behavior definition aims to classify and specify the robot tasks execution. Behavior architecture design is crucial for proper robot operation performance. According to this, this work aims to establish a robot behavior architecture based on distributed intelligent services. Therefore, behavior definition is set in a high-level delegating the task execution to distributed services provided by network abstractions characterized as Smart Resources. In order to provide a mechanism to measure the performance of this architecture, an evaluation mechanisms based on a service performance composition is introduced. In order to test this proposal it is designed a real use case implementing the proposed robot behavior architecture on a real navigation task., Work supported by the Spanish Science and Innovation Ministry MICINN: CICYT 866 project M2C2: Codiseño de sistemas de control con criticidad mixta basado en 867 misiones TIN2014-56158-C4-4-P and PAID (Polytechnic University of Valencia): 868 UPV-PAID-FPI-2013.

[EN] Mobile robots execute complexes tasks that involve the management of several embedded sensors and actuators. Therefore, in many cases, a robot is characterized as an intelligent distributed system formed with a central unit, which manages the on-board embedded devices and distributes the tasks execution. Embedded devices are also evolving to more complex systems. These systems are developed not only for executing simple tasks but also for offering some advanced mechanisms. Thus, complex data processing, adaptive execution, or fault-tolerance routines are some common system features. The Smart Resource topology has been developed in order to manage these embedded systems. This topology offers high-level routines that rely on a certain physical hardware execution. Therefore, Smart Resources are defined as distributed services providers, which operates within some context and quality requirements. Provided services can adapt its execution in order accomplish the set requirements and maximize the system performance. How to improve the versatility of the Smart Resources by making their services compatibles with the Robot Operating System (ROS) is addressed along this work. This solution integrates all the execution mechanisms provided by ROS with the service distribution, adaptive execution, and fault-tolerance routines offered by the Smart Resources. This integration is tested through a set of experiments using the Turtlebot robot platform and a simulated version of it. In both approaches ROS mechanisms are used to access the Smart Resource Services. Finally, obtained results are used to characterize the performance of this proposal., Work supported by the Spanish Science and Innovation Ministry MICINN: CICYT project M2C2: "Codiseno de sistemas de control con criticidad mixta basado en misiones" TIN2014-56158-C4-4-P and PAID (Polytechnic University of Valencia): UPV-PAID-FPI-2013.

[Resumen] Actualmente, las plataformas para robots que implementan ROS son ampliamente usadas en investigación. Éstas han probado ofrecer una solución fiable para reutilizar algoritmos. No obstante, estos cuentan con ciertos inconvenientes. Aunque la arquitectura ROS ha sido diseñada con la posibilidad de trabajar de forma distribuida, este diseño presenta algunos problemas al gestionar un gran numero de dispositivos los cuales requieren de un flujo de datos en tiempo real. En este trabajo se presenta una arquitectura de comunicaciones para solucionar este problema. Además se valida dicha arquitectura por medio de un robot modular a partir de dispositivos totalmente desacoplados. Un robot modular puede presentarse como un Sistema de Control Distribuido (DCS, por sus iniciales en inglés), donde las tasas de transmisión y el flujo de datos debe ser acotado para poder garantizar una correcta ejecución. Por lo tanto, se detalla como solucionar el problema de comunicación distribuida entre nodos ROS posibilita el intercambio de datos de forma fácil y segura. Como consecuencia se propicia el desarrollo de sistemas modulares basados en ROS. Por ultimo se realiza una comparación entre el desempeño del sistema obtenido cuando se implementa una distribución ROS clásica, y el obtenido cuando se utiliza la arquitectura de comunicaciones propuesta. Este trabajo ha sido financiado por el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación de España (MICINN): CICYT project M2C2 Co-diseño de sistemas de control con criticidad mixta basado en misiones TIN2014-56158-C4-4-P y el programa PAID (Universidad Politécnica de Valencia): UPV-PAIDFPI-2013 Universitat Politècnica de València; UPV-PAIDFPI-2013 https://doi.org/10.17979/spudc.9788497498081

The student-centered learning is being promoted worldwide in higher education, from 2005, in North-American universities [Principles of teaching. Carnegie Mellon University [Online]. Available www.cmu.edu/ teaching/principles/ teaching.html], in 2010 in the European Union, but also in Asian countries like Japan [J. M. Bachnik, Roadblocks on the Information Highway: The IT Revolution in Japanese Education, ser. Studies of Modern Japan. Lexington Books, 2003.]. This paradigm is characterized by applying innovative methods of teaching that involve students as active participants in their own learning. In this paper, it is proposed a method based on detecting the students’ learning gains by using low time consuming “Pretests” and “Posttests”, on a selection of learning activities. The overload of introducing the “Pretest-Posttest” is minimized by using information and communication technologies. The results of the “Pretests” and “Posttests”, provided online, allow the students to be aware of their learning progress. The analysis of these results helps teachers adapt their strategies when presenting the learning activities. The method has been applied on a first-year course on Computer Engineering, during the 2010–2011, 2011–2012 and 2012–2013 academic years. To verify that the method works, two student groups, one control and one experimental, were created. The method was applied in the experimental group. The statistical analysis of the obtained results by the experimental and control groups, shows that the method enhances the grades of the experimental group. Additionally, the support of Information and Communication Technologies minimizes the overload of using this method. 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 23:610–620, 2015; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.21633, Contract grant sponsor: Spanish Government; Contract grant number: TIN 2012-32180

[EN] This paper introduces how mobile robots can perform navigation tasks by implementing a system based on the control kernel middleware (CKM), and how can take benefit of this. Smart resources are also included into the topology of the system, improving the processing and distribution of the computational load required by the system tasks. The CKM and the smart resources are both highly reconfigurable, even on execution time, and they also implement fault detection mechanisms and Quality of Service (QoS) policies. By combining of these capabilities, the system can be dynamically adapted to the requirements of its tasks. Furthermore, this solution is designed to be implemented by almost every type of robot. The distribution of load make this system suitable even for those configurations which are provided with a low computational power. All these benefits are improved by exploiting the smart resources capabilities, and the dynamic performance of the system., This work has been partially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness under the CICYT project Mission Based Control (COBAMI): DPI2011-28507-C02-02.

[EN] This paper presents the architecture of a mobile-based distributed system which aims to minimize the social impact of abandoned or lost animals. To reach this purpose the distributed system has two main goals: to obtain the best pets quality information and to optimize the reporting process that allows their rescue. The distributed system is based on the client-server paradigm. By using smart mobile devices clients may provide message warnings of animals localized. In order to enter data such as photographs, audio and artificial images, this system uses different mobile device interfaces. Messages with the pet information are stored in a server database to be processed intelligently. Data processing consists mainly in matching localized animals with lost animals, assigning abandoned animals to shelters and generating notifications for animal shelters or authorities. This matching uses an efficient selection algorithm based on common meta-information to each image. This efficient selection facilitates selective notification deliveries avoiding redundancy. This article shows the architecture details, as well as the first achieved results with prototypes and real data., The study described in this paper is a part of the coordinated project COBAMI: Mission-based Hierarchical Control. Education and Science Department, Spanish Government. CICYT: MICINN: DPI2011-28507-C02-01/02 and the project "Real time distributed control systems" of the Support Program for Research and Development 2012 UPV (PAID-06-12)