001 cartif newsview december 2013

number 001. December 2013

2013: LIFE year

CONTENTS published CARTIF Research Centre Boecillo Technology Park.

Valladolid, Spain www.cartif.com

staff Dunia Etura, Ana García, María Parcero

collaborations Energy and environment Area.

Health Area

CARTIF news

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Keywords

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Talking with…

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The project

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One of us

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CARTIF selection

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design oopscooperative@gmail.com

photography Cover picture: Sergio Saludes Illustration: Ana García Hidalgo Back cover picture: Aníbal Reñones

EDITOR'S NOTE Newsview is not the first CARTIF corporate newsletter. We published InfoCartif between 2008 and 2012, a simpler project but with the same spirit as a current project: inform our stakeholders about our broad range of activities in our centre.

The fact that two hundred people works on more than hundred projects offers us a lot of possibilities. Our researchers are asked as experts to many nationals and internationals forums. We are leading big projects with a deep impact for the citizens.

We innovate in developments that improve everyday life.

This is our raison d'etre and is also the reason of publishing this new magazine with a more innovative and accessible format: to involve everybody who is working with us and the society as a whole about the impact that R&D has on people's daily life.

cartif news This news selection is just a small sample of the Center activities in the last month.

You can follow us through our web and social networks.

CARTIF RESEARCHER, RUBÉN GARCÍA, SPEAKS IN CONCERTO INITIATIVE One of Europe's flagship initiatives for building and district energy efficiency innovation, CONCERTO, held its final conference last October in Brussels.

Rubén García delivered a presentation entitled “Cofinancing issues in FP7 Smart Cities projects” during which he explained the various options for co-funding the large investments needed for demonstration projects. He also presented the R2CITIES project before concluding that it is crucial to take into account building ownership when addressing the risks, costs and benefit of energy efficient solutions.

CARTIF WORKS IN THE SPANISH PILOT OF ECALL PROJECT The Second HeERO International conference presented the results of the implementation of the pan-European in vehicle emergency service - eCall, deployed in the framework of the HeERO (Harmonised eCall European Pilot) project. The event took place under the auspices of the EC last November in Bucharest (Romania).

The HeERO consortium is currently testing and validating in real conditions pilots the common European eCall standards defined and approved by the European Standardisation Bodies.

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CARTIF RESEARCHERS TAKE PART IN ICT 2013 This event held at Vilnius (Lithuania) is organized by the EC to meet the most important professionals and researchers in the field of ICT's.

The main objective of the 2013 edition was to address important issues that affect the development of communication and information technologies such as cloud computing, infrastructures or system computer security, furthermore to giving the keys to participate in Horizon 2020.

FACTORIES OF THE FUTURE First steps have already been taken to set in motion the REEMAIN Project. Last October, CARTIF organized the kick of meeting of this FP 7 Project, that involves 16 partners from 6 countries and counts with a total budget of 9,8 â‚Ź.

REEMAIN's overall purpose is to deliver innovative solutions for efficiency in the use of resources and renewable energy within manufacturing. These solutions will be trialled and validated within three different manufacturing settings.

R2CITIES: A PROJECT AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY Many international and national communications media have echoed the R2cities. This FP7 Project lead by CARTIF, aims to develop and demonstrate an open and easily replicable strategy for designing, constructing, and managing large scale district renovation projects for achieving nearly zero energy cities.

Three demo-sites will be used to check the efficiency of the system. Developed technologies will be installed in buildings of Valladolid, Istanbul and Genoa.

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keywords LIFE + TCR

dioxin mixed plant

EPS fertilizers

Right from the moment that we became part of European Union, we have used to see the ERDF logo on sings that set our roads and public works, for some time it is LIFE logo which is being imposed. This is a good sign for two reasons: because that means we are a country interested in the environment and - even more important - that we have scientific teams and first-rate class technicians who are able to bring EU funds to develop R&D projects.

Spain has been the country with more projects approved in the last LIFE call. And CARTIF has been the European entity with more LIFE+ projects obtained in 2012 and the first Spanish entity that has received more funds.

It has not been our first experience in this call.

We had worked in others LIFE projects, which have allowed us to give a better standpoint on the proposals, taking advantage our experience in several lines of research that match with the topics proposed by call.

CARTIF is the European entity with more LIFE+ projects obtained in 2012

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NOx pig manure

digestate pyrolysis

What is LIFE+?

LIFE+ is the financial tool of EU for environment with a global budget of 2.143M€ for the 20072013 period. The EC launches calls for proposals of LIFE+ projects every year. In 2012, there were more than 1.200 proposals across EU. LIFE+ projects cover actions in the field of nature conservation, climate change, environmental policy and information and communication over environmental issues in all EU member states.

The projects coordinated by CARTIF correspond to the so called Policy and Environmental Governance area. They are pilot projects that contribute to develop policy concepts, technologies, methods, and innovation tools.

Within this section, the EC will contribute with more than 34,6 M€ to 29 projects, directly engaged in such climate changing, with a global budget of 81,1M€. There are others sectors of interest really important such as water, waste, natural resources, chemicals, urban area, soil and air quality.

CARTIF researchers that work in LIFE projects

In June 2013, it was achieved an unofficial agreement consensus in Brussels about the next funding period of LIFE program (2014 2020). The changes included a specific section on mitigation and adaptation related to climate change and a new category of funding for “integrated projects”. This should give a boost to the implementation of environmental legislation and to the projects, through of the mobilisation of additional funding either public or private or EU. Now, it may require the final official approval.

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LIFE PROJECTS COORDINATED BY CARTIF DIOXDETECTOR It will develop a new analytical technique for the quantification of dioxin tracking PCDDs/PCDFs concentrations in air, soil and biota (vegetal) at the surroundings of a MSW incineration facility.The new analytical technique will help to evaluate these pollutants dispersion and deposition in the environment, in order to reduce this environmental problem. Dioxins are a group of chemical compounds that are persistent environmental pollutants. They are present in the environment around the world and accumulate in the food chain so could be ingested by humans.

EQUINOX It will show the effectiveness of a treatment system of application on asphalt paving for the elimination of Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) in the urban environments.

The main idea is to develop the concept of “new antipolluting roads� with application inside the cities that combined it with the new management structures and the urban traffic control and with other measures, it will help with the NOx concentration reduction in urban environments as stressed in the Directive 2008/50/EC.

MIX_FERTILIZER Within the framework of the project, it will be formulated a new type of fertilizer with an organic / mineral mixed base and gradual release. New fertilizers will be obtained through the agronomic valorization of the pig manure digestate, ie. wastes from the anaerobic digestion.

This new type of fertilizer will have a series of unprecedented advantages compared to current market products. Those will be environmental (improve the soil quality, reduce the nitrogen losses by leaching or GHG emissions as nitrogen oxides) and economic (reduce costs due to one application).

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EUCALYTPUS It will build a demonstration plant of pyrolysis from eucalyptus wastes, which will produce electric and thermal energy and will take

COLRECEPS It will give a solution of environmental problem such as is the accumulation of large amounts of expanded polystyrene waste in landfills, which are not biodegradable and because of its low density occupy a large volume.

The main objective of this project is develops a prototype plant to recycle EPS waste to obtain pearls of EPS that will be used to manufacture new prototype products for food sector.

The Project will also fulfill with environmental policy and legislation of the European Union through the implementation of Directive 2008/98/EC on waste management, reducing waste in landfill and increasing recycling in a more environmentally sustainable.

HUELLAS It will develop a new methodology to support the railway infrastructure construction companies, to be more sustainable by minimizing the environmental impact from their infrastructure works.

The proposed methodology combines LCA techniques with the intelligent analysis of the data associated to railway constructions. As a result of the project, it is expected to reduce the carbon and hydric footprint by 10% and 5% respectively helping to reduce the effects of climate change.

REVAWASTE biochar excess as fertilizer. It will develop an innovative gas cleaning system of pyrolysis using bio-solvents to produce energy and obtain gas usable as engine fuel.

An integrated plant will start-up to the sustainable management of a broad spectrum of waste streams: industrial waste, agrofood waste and nonrecyclable fraction proceeding from waste treatment plants. A “mixed plant� concept will be used to implement a new waste management strategy, based on the separation, pre-treatment, recycling and valorization. These objectives agreed with the rules established in the Directive 2008/98/EC that promotes a new waste hierarchy as a priority order in waste prevention.

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talking with…

The responsibles of LIFE projects in CARTIF The seven projects in which CARTIF is working now, are the results of the extensive experience of researchers specialized in Environmental Management and Technology in CARTIF. Most of them have been working for over 10 years in R&D projects related with water management, pollution control, waste management and recovery. For someone, like Dolores Hidalgo and Marta Gómez, is their second experience in managing a LIFE project. For all, these projects are special because the innovative proposals they Marta Gómez. contain and have MSc in Chemistry. been chosen Pollutant emissions. among dozens of equally valuable projects, but, especially, for long hours of work that they have invested in preparation and implementation. Fully involved in technology tasks, this team has prepared 8 proposals more for the 2013 call and have started to plan the proposals for 2014.

Because of the high variety of projects, the first question that arise is: Whence ideas come to build a project? The answers agree.

They come from active research lines and

results of previous projects that have left the doors open to new developments. In some cases the proposal came from the needs of companies that wanted to take the demonstration phase of some Raquel López. technology already PhD in Chemistry. developed, as in the Advanced treatments for project coordinated wastewater.

by Alicia Aguado.

Another question is: How much time is needed to prepare one project? Researchers agree: no less than one year. After the submission of the initial proposal, follows an exhaustive administrative process that supposes several revisions until European Commission approves your idea, said Raquel López. Ana Urueña adds details about thorough indicators, numbers, areas for the demonstrations, the characteristics of the facilities, which the evaluators demand. Everything has been to set to guarantee the success of the project and the financial transparency.

Ana Urueña.

MEng in Chemical Engineering. Gasification and pyrolysis.

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Laura Pablos.

Chemical Engineer.

Environmental sustainability.

A decisive factor in achieving a successful proposal is the consortium composition, this task involves the knowledge of suitable profile of partners. But, even when located the company or the suitable organization is identified, it can appear doubts about taking part or not. The reasons are different. Laura Pablos thinks that even in the twenty-first century, there are companies and industrial sectors who see R&D as risky, despite calls like LIFE that funds an important part of the budget.

even in the twentyfirst century, there are companies and industrial sectors who see R&D as risky

Dolores Hidalgo remembers cases of SMEs which not be able to confront the challenge of technological tasks in the proposals and Ana Urueña recalled the fear of not executing correctly. However, there are an important number of companies that are ready to get involved in innovative ideas because they see clear benefits. Every company involved in European projects repeats. As notes David Díez, there are companies that know well the program, have clear goals and know

that it's more than punctual economic support. José Fermoso agrees with this view due to the fact that interested companies are also contributing to the financing of the project in the same share as the José Fermoso.

MSc in Chemical one provided by the Engineer.

EU. Photocatalytic material

Another question development. that frequently arises is, what happens with the results of a project? Are they finally exploited? For projects related to the environment, such as LIFE ones, it seems clear that there is always an advantage for the citizen who benefits from a reduction of pollution, purer water or even, the removal of harmful substances for health. Marta Gómez, responsible of a project that studies a new system for the detection of dioxins and furans, sees clearly that these research activities have a positive impact for the society and the public authorities. In the case of others projects that obtains a particular product, such as fertilizer based on Alicia Aguado. pig manure or Chemical Engineer.

Plastic chemical recycling. recycling of difficult materials, it is a business line that will be profitable in the short term.

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Although Programs funded by EU seek a clear benefit for citizens and companies, LIFE is David Díez.

Industrial Chemist. known for its goal Thermochemical of integrating Biorefineries. environmental policies into the rest of EU policies. As José Fermoso said, the fact that Europe continues betting on the LIFE call after more than 20 years as a separated program from the general framework calls implies that Europe is different in this aspect. In the USA the same environmental concept is not perceived in the same way; they are at the cutting-edge of environmental technology that it is considered like a business. But it's not really the same philosophy.

Spain is the second country in the EU with more investment in LIFE projects

The coordinators of LIFE Projects in CARTIF

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Raquel López recalls that Spain is the second country in the EU with more investment in LIFE projects, about 40 millions € returning as project funding, Dolores Hidalgo.

PhD in Chemistry. Water which does not sustainable management. happen in others research programs.

David Díez agrees and adds that authorities are there to show companies that taking care of the environment can also help them making money.

A positive and inspiring view of our country as a pioneer in research, respect and preservation of environment and with the ability of exporting cutting-edge technology to the world.

the project DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION FOR FUTURE REHABILITATION One of the research lines of CARTIF in Biomedical Engineering is focused on the rehabilitation of patients through robotic.

REHABILITA project has concluded after three years of work from their 20 partners, companies and research centres that are specialist in developing new technologies for rehabilitation of patients. Its main objective is lay the scientific and technological foundation for rehabilitation of XXI century through different technologies, devices, methods and algorithms to cause that break needed and overcome barriers that have impeded the penetration of technologies on the rehabilitation field.

As a result, it has achieved smart textil platform, where a wearable device acquires biomechanical and physiological signals, interactive virtual environment for rehabilitation, bionic devices with perception and action capacities, and new technologies for intelligent rehabilitation therapies.

the exoskeleton, and allow to carry out active rehabilitation therapies.

CARTIF has contributed with its experience in this field and has collaborated in development of exoskeleton (mechanic skeleton that help to user to move and doing activities) for rehabilitation of upper limbs of patients who have had some types of stroke and suffer mobility problems.

From now on, the project will evolve towards developing working prototypes that will address a pre industrialization process with different market solutions. The main idea is that activities of rehabilitation can be done without the presence of a therapist, through technological interaction devices that provide virtual assistance and create confidence in patients who make them.

In particular, CARTIF has been commissioned of haptic control which has been implanted in

This project is co-funded by the Spanish National Strategic Consortia for Technical Research.

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one of us Ángela Ruiz Robles (León 1945, Ferrol 1975) Teacher, researcher, business woman and inventor. She arrives 22 years earlier than Michael Hart, the father of e-book, with the invention of her mechanic book.

Nobody is a prophet in their homeland. With this popular proverb we could sum up the absence of recognition that many scientists and inventors had suffered along the history. Ángela Ruíz's case is not an exception but rather a confirmation of the difficulty that sometimes R&D faces in our country.

In 1949, this teacher born in León (Spain) registered the origins of what we now call electronic book.

Her constant concern to adapt the subjects to the characteristic of each student, to change the learning in something more fascinating and to reduce the load and volume of books led her to design this artefact.

The main difference between this machine and current e-books is only the design due to technological advances however, the concept of the content is the same.

This mechanic book was characterized by its versatility but mostly for being interactive, intuitive and easy to handle. It had light, sound

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and a magnifying glass and was prepared to study languages and also other teacher could incorporate their contributions.

It was transportable because only weighed 5 kg, quite a feat for the time, and it was possible to read in horizontally and vertically positions.

The invention obtained the permission from Ministry of Education and Science but not found investor support needed to manufacture and market it.

It is said that Ruíz Robles received an offer from an American company to buy the patent, but she refused it because she had the hope it would be developed in Spain At last, the mechanic book did not see the light of day as a commercial product, and we know already the rest of the story... Michael Hart became the inventor of the e-book in 1971 through his project Gutemberg and Ángela Ruíz went to the limbo of forgotten scientists.

cartif selection

The last published article in the center, a useful app if you are thinking to buy a car and several suggestions for your free time, are our choices for this month.

COMPUTER METHODS AND PROGRAMS IN BIOMEDICINE. Using “human state aware” robots to enhance physical human robots interaction in a cooperative scenario.

Carlos Rodriguez, Juan Carlos Fraile, Javier Pérez, Víctor Muñoz This paper reviews the impact of the emotions on the motor control performance, and studies the possibility of improving the perceives skill/challenge relation on a multi-modal neural rehabilitation scenario. By means of a biocybernetic controller that modulates the assistance provided by a haptic controlled robot interaction to undesirable physical and mental states.

CHICEL, HAMMER AND STONE. History of the Science in Spain.

José M. Sánchez Ron. Ed. Taurus, 1999.

CEVNE

by CARTIF CEVNE is an application 100 per cent CARTIF, which allows the user to calculate the consumption of any electric vehicle compared to the consumption of combustion vehicle. The app analyses its savings, equal time of accumulated cost, average cost per km in each case and fuel or threshold prices.

Is Spain a science-based country ? Have we made some progress in the last hundred years?

The classic book of Sánchez Ron is today more relevant than ever, because of the funding cutbacks for public and private R&D that endanger all the country achievements.

PROMISED LAND directed by Gus Van Sant, 2013 In Spain, the Law on Environmental Impact Assessment is under debate. It will define the environmentally safe requirements of new exploitations, including fracking activities. Promised Land movie analyses risks of this kind of exploitation from an environmental and economic perspective.

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innovation engine