Universidad de Burgos

New and innovative aspects

The main innovation is that the illumination of certain halogenated reagents in the presence of these amines causes intense fluorescence that is detectable by a spectrofluorometer, whose emission intensity correlates with the concentration of the tertiary amines.

Another important aspect is that the detection of tertiary amines are possible regardless of the origin of the samples (urine, blood, serum ..). On the other hand, this method allows drug discrimination working in a wide range of concentrations, without interfering with other drugs or with no tertiary amines, avoiding extraction techniques and complex separation.

Main advantages of its use

• Analytical Kit portable for measurements in situ
• Not specialized personnel required
• High sensitivity detection and quantification
• Determines a variety of pollutants or toxic substances (tertiary amines)
• More economic method in relation to the techniques used at present

Specifications

Method for determination through emitted fluorescence by tertiary amines in aqueous samples and using reactive halogenated xanthenes based pigments, when they are illuminated by a halogen lamp.

Applications

The kit or device can be used, among others, for the detection of substances of interest such as for instance drug quantitation as opiates and derivatives thereof, being possible to use, therefore, for the detection and quantification of heroin.

Other areas of interest are:

• Food Scope: Detection and identification and quantification of toxic or polluting substances.
• Agricultural field (agricultural subsectors, farmer and beekeeper): food safety controls for animals and humans.
• Medical field: emergency diagnostics in hospitals, detox centers controls, etc.
• Cosmetic Scope: Detection of toxic substances in cosmetic industry.
• Traffic Safety Scope: prevention of drug use, security control of the road network
• Legal Scope: control drug trafficking or illegal drug abuse.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P201630070.

Current development status

Kit avalaible for testing.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement, License agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The nature of the protein in skin is not altered by using extraction solvent (CO2).

Met yields above 90% (in other inventions the yield can not reach values higher than 60%).

Diversification of the raw material from which the collagen is obtained for food use (usually cowhide).

Main advantages of its use

Revaluation of a product (pig skin) of little value in the meat industry.

Increased yields in the production of collagen free of acid wastes, making it usable for food use.

Getting purer product without residual fat difficult to treat.

Generating new byproducts of easy commercialization.

Specifications

In this treatment, mechanical procedures are used in order to remove the fat from the pig skin (hypodermis and dermis). Both the dermis and the hypodermis, that is not mechanically removed, are subjected to an extraction with carbon dioxide under supercritical conditions, in which rapid decompression extractor are made. This rapid decompression is followed by and compression and circulation of solvent to extract the fat which has become accessible. With successive compressions and decompressions the amount of fat and water from the pigskin is minimized, up to 1% of fat on a dry basis, therefore admissible for the processing of the skin and its transformation into collagen for food use.

Applications

It is aimed at companies in the meat sector, which currently are managing pig skins as waste, as low-value food product, or shed fat by conventional solvents for subsequent use of the collagen. In such conventional systems the fat content generated in the collagen is very high which makes difficult to manage / removal and thus has a significant cost. The use of alternative fat removal techniques allows companies to increase yields in the subsequent generation collagen without further fat wastes in a very significant way.

Cosmetic is other application sector. These products (collagen) application in cosmetics would involve a higher value of the product due the green properties, favouring its introduction in the market. The market would benefit from higher yields, with a purer product, fat-free hard waste management or treatment, at competitive costs.

Intellectual property status

Patent P200400390.

Current development status

Samples ready for testing.

Desired business relationship

Trade Agreement, License Agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The postural control system consists of a simple accessory, without connections to other devices, that allows control of visual and body posture. This system includes accelerometers for calculating the position of the body and vibration sensors as a warning system.

Main advantages of its use

• Allows you to measure your real position on three different axes
• It has vibration sensors as a warning system
• It is located in a sealed box together with the computer chip

Specifications

The case of the device is placed close to the user's skin to perceive the movements that he performs. This box is made of elastic plastic material and can be customizable. The accelerometers measure in the three axes and this data is compared with the data of the correct position previously measured. If the results go outside these limits, the warning system is activated so that the user can correct their visual and/or body posture.

Applications

• Body posture control
• Visual posture control

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P202130256

Current development status

Device under development.

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement, License Agreement, Technical Cooperation: further development; Technical Cooperation: testing new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The Iridium(III) complexes described in this patent exhibit singular characteristics that differentiate them from known complexes. They show significant activity as photocatalysts or photosensitizers, absorbing energy from light and transferring it to oxygen to form reactive oxygen species (ROS) that act as efficient and environmentally friendly oxidants. Furthermore, the synthesis of the Iridium(III) complexes is carried out under mild conditions and shows good yields.

Main advantages of its use

• High stability of Iridium(III) complexes in solution.
• They present excellent photostability under different light sources, then the range of possible applications increases considerably.
• As photocatalysts, the use of the low energy visible-light prevents secondary reactions from taking place and therefore the reactions are more selective.
• The one-pot regioselective synthesis of 3-thiocyanato indoles from indolines, is more economical, since it is not necessary to isolate and purify the intermediate products.
• In therapeutic applications, the new complexes show high photocytotoxicity index (PI = IC50,dark/IC50,light).

Specifications

The cationic Iridium(III) complexes of formula (Mn+)(X-)n show two 2-phenylpyridinate ligands coordinated to the Ir(III) ion through the nitrogen atom of the pyridine ring and one of the carbon atoms of the phenyl group; and a ligand derived from β -carboline, which is bonded to the Ir(III) via two nitrogen atoms. These complexes can be used as photocatalysts in organic synthesis or as photosensitizers.

In organic synthesis, these complexes allow the regioselective synthesis of 3-thiocyanato indoles from indolines through a one-pot process. First, the process involves two steps: dehydrogenation of indolines and, subsequently, thiocyanation of the intermediate indoles. Both reaction steps imply the use of oxygen in the presence of light and the use of Iridium(III) complexes as photocatalysts.

Applications

Potential applications of the new Ir(III) complexes are as follow:

• Photooxidation reactions in organic synthesis
• Use as photocatalysts in thiocyanation reactions of indoles.
• Photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy in the treatment of cáncer.
• Preparation of a drug for the treatment of cancer, in combination with radiotherapy, that is, the drug is administered together with, or before, the administration of radiotherapy.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P202031190

Current development status

The technology related to the synthesis method is developed.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement; License agreement; Technical cooperation: further development; Technical cooperation: testing new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

Figure 1. ASL mucus viscosity. Bars represent the average viscosity after 24 hours of incubation. Untreated CF (n=8) and non-CF (n=6) epithelia were incubated with 0.1% DMSO as control. CF epithelia were incubated with 0.25 µM of MM3 (n=7) or 0.25 µM of MM34 (n=8). Data were obtained from two non-CF donors and two different homozygous F508del-CFTR patients. * indicates p<0.05.

New and innovative aspects

There are a group of diseases related to abnormal function of channel proteins facilitating the transport of ions through biological membranes. These conditions, known as “channelopathies”, are very diverse and include cystic fibrosis (CF).

Currently, approved drugs such as Kalydeco or Orkambi target pharmacological correction of CFTR protein. However, the therapeutic outcome of these depends dramatically on the specific mutations of the patients. More than 1,700 mutations have been identified and there is a cohort of patients lacking CFTR production for whom the current strategies are not effective.

The compounds of the invention replace the faulty transport activity of the CFTR protein, providing an alternative path for anion transport through lipid membranes. This therapeutic strategy is independent of CFTR production and activity, being potentially useful for all CF patients regardless of the mutation causing CF disease.

Specifications

The compound of the invention has demonstrated to correct key functional parameters in model epithelial cultures derived from CF patients. Thus, Air surface liquid pH and volume as well as mucus rheology in CF epithelium are corrected to values comparable to those of normal tissue upon application of the compounds. Importantly the dose required to observe these effects did not induce significant cytotoxicity due to unspecific anion transport activity.

Applications

• Active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), with anionophore capacity for the treatment of patients with cystic fibrosis, regardless of the detected mutation.
• Synthesis of molecules with anionophore capacity as antimicrobial agents for the treatment of infections caused by resistant bacteria (patients with CF / without CF).
• Application in studies of correlation of cytotoxicity with anion transport activities of anionophores.
• Application in studies of anionophoreic activities that influence transmembrane pH gradients (cell membrane, intracellular compartments).
• Biosensor cell lines and cell based assays for biomembrane research.
• Nanoformulations of compounds and ion sensors assays for molecular biologyresearch.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent PCT/EP2019/057696

Current development status

The technology related to the synthesis method is developed.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement; License agreement; Technical cooperation: further development; Technical cooperation: testing new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The difficulties of healing of skin wounds is a problem of the first magnitude that affects approximately 1-2% of the population and the great harm to patients, while it represents an enormous economic cost.

The healing process is complex, and the diagnosis and treatment of chronic wounds is challenging. Medical staff perform these evaluations through visual inspections to establish treatments that can last for long periods of time.

This monitoring technology based on the quantitative detection of healing parameters is a great advance in the realization of preventive diagnoses, control of infections in real time, reduction of the additional response time of the sanitary economic cost.

Main advantages of its use

The main advantage is the ability to detect healing markers such as protease, amino acids, small proteins or peptides present in aqueous and/or biological media, by means of a simple color change quickly, without prior manipulation, and without interference.

Specifications

The synthesis of the structure (I) derived from ninhydrin within the polymeric material itself, by means of direct modification in the polymer chains, allows obtaining a stable material for years without any type of storage or special treatment.

Applications

This development allows the detection, quantification and monitoring of chronic wounds by using the RGB parameters of a digital photograph. The chronic wound monitoring device can reduce the number of infections of patients, decrease prolonged hospitalizations, to follow the evolution of the patients after being discharged from hospital and reduce laboratory tests associated with the diagnosis of chronic wounds.

Intellectual property status

Protected by Patent P202030077

Current development status

The technology related to the synthesis method is developed.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement; License agreement; Technical cooperation: further development; Technical cooperation: testing new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The copolymers of the present invention are completely reusable, being only necessary a water wash to be used again.

They can be used as continuous chloride detectors (in the case of industrial waters or for human consumption), as well as in dressings (in the case of sweat).

Main advantages of its use

This method can be applied in different media without any previous treatment of the sample. In addition, the presence of chlorides can be detected qualitatively at first sight, thanks to the change in fluorescence that takes place.

As advantages respect to other methods, it does not require electricity, previous calibration before the measurement or manipulation of chemical reagents, some of them being costly, which also supposes a limitation when carrying out routine tests.

Specifications

This invention is based on the preparation of a copolymer (linear or cross-linked), comprising preferably a bromide salt, by the polymerization of at least two monomers. This polymerization is carried out by direct reaction of polymerizable groups present in each of the monomers and the result is presented in the form of films, solid membranes (dense or porous), like as coatings and in the form of a dressing.

The resulting copolymers can be used as sensors for the qualitative or quantitative detection of anions, and especially of chlorides, in water and / or in aqueous solution such as sweat. The measurement of chloride concentration in sweat is applicable in the detection and diagnosis of diseases, particularly cystic fibrosis.

The method is based on that, in the presence of anions, large changes take place in the fluorescence of the copolymer. As the concentration of chlorides increases, the fluorescence disappears and the result can be measured using, at least, a method independently chosen between:

• visual detection by the naked eye; or
• the use of spectroscopic techniques based on fluorescence.

Applications

It presents a high responsiveness in:

• Drinking water.
• Industrial water.
• Bio relevant fluids: Healthcare system: monitoring and or diagnisis of various conditions through the measurement of chlorides in sweat and other biofluids.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P201730844

Current development status

Several prototypes have been manufactured in laboratory tests.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement, License agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

There are very limited studies in the literature concerning the possibility of using synthetic transport systems to replace the missing transmembrane anion transport activity characteristic of Cystic Fibrosis. Most of them referred to the use of peptides which degradability limited the potential scope of this approach.

The current invention provides a significant contribution related to the characterization, design and synthesis of small molecules with anion transport capacity, and their biological activity.

Main advantages of its use

The current standard therapies for Cystic Fibrosis are based mainly in palliative treatments of the illness symptoms. Recently it has been approved for use a drug that acts on the root of this problem, enhancing the transport of ions through natural channels, but only applicable to patients suffering from certain genetic mutations of the CFTR transmembrane protein.

These small molecules facilitate the transmembrane transport of anions independently of the genetic mutation, therefore they are therapy applicable to all Cystic Fibrosis patients, regardless of the type of mutation they harbor.

Specifications

Compounds bearing triazole-dipyrromethane moieties are capable of facilitating transport of anions such as chloride and of bicarbonate in phospholipid vesicles models and cells.

Applications

Use of the compound for preparing a medicament for the treatment and / or prophylaxis of conditions arising from abnormalities in the anion transport at the cellular level such as Cystic Fibrosis.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P201531749

Current development status

Samples ready for testing

Desired business relationship

Trade Agreement, License Agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

There are various commercial software solutions dedicated to traffic analysis. These companies perform the analysis using geospatial data and traffic cameras mainly. The TraVisAna software is based on the analysis of GPS trajectories, which lowers the cost of infrastructures since only a device with GPS is necessary and, now almost all public and private vehicles have one. Like these solutions, an application that runs on a server and on these devices is needed to be able to collect the routes and analyze them.

Main advantages of its use

• The treatment of the data generated allows identifying the traffic segments into which the transport activity can be divided and analyzing and even predicting the direction and speed of the traffic.
• Only a device with GPS is necessary.
• It is configurable and easy to use.
• It does not rely heavily on geospatial data, making the application adaptable to any city, which saves costs on software of this type. The app can also collect information from pedestrians, bicycles or scooters.
• By dividing the data, more detailed analyzes can be made by neighborhoods, sectors, hours or specific days.
• The cost is much lower than other existing solutions, since only the costs of renting or purchasing the server and the maintenance of the application are incurred; which makes the service affordable for SMEs or smaller companies, which can obtain relevant information in their business area.

Specifications

The prototype is based on Big Data technology and on the “Application of traffic analysis through geopositioning routes (AATRG)”. By combining both technologies, it is possible to build, from the raw data collected through the GPS devices of the users, a model of the traffic state. Using this technology, large amounts of raw data can be processed and that data can be enriched with information from other sources. By processing the enriched data, a model is generated that allows the information contained in these data to be described and analyzed.

The model generated in the prototype is a directed graph that describes the traffic between different locations in the city. This graph is associated with additional information in its relationships such as average speed and traffic density. Representing this graph graphically on a map, it allows a visual understanding of the traffic state. In addition, it is possible to make predictions of specific days and hours, so that companies can adapt their logistics to daily conditions. This would allow transport and logistics companies to adapt to daily changes in traffic in order to optimize their resources which would improve their competitiveness.

Applications

• Provide both consulting and personalized analysis services as well as custom applications that allow analysis to the company itself.
• Transport companies and parcel or merchandise delivery, which would allow them to go one step further in optimizing planned routes.
• Public administrations, city councils and those companies subcontracted by them, since it allows an analysis of the traffic that is key for the development of strategies known as Smart Cities or Smart Tourist Destinations.
• Public administrations since it allows making informed decisions for the regulation of traffic lights, planning of the public urban transport system, planning of emergency systems (ambulances, evacuation for emergencies), urban plans and in general all kinds of decisions that may affect traffic.
• Individual users who are either self-employed whose commercial activity depends on urban transport, or are developers of other applications that can use the processed traffic data for their own operation or simply want to know the state of traffic in their city to plan their own trips.

Intellectual property status

Protected by software BU-121-20

Current development status

Software already developed and constantly improving.

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement, License Agreement, Technical Cooperation: further development; Technical Cooperation: testing new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The objective of the application is the automation, registration and evaluation of the Functional Skills Detection Scale in users with ages of evolutionary development of 0-6 years and, as a result of the evaluation, the specification of the priority functional areas for intervention therapy, through a web application (eEarlyCare Therapeutic Program).

This application allows the correction and interpretation of the user's development in the 11 dimensions of functional analysis that the Scale measures: Autonomy in feeding, Personal care and hygiene, Autonomy in dressing and undressing, Toilet control, Functional mobility, Communication and Language, Social interaction skills, Interactive and symbolic game, Routines of daily life, Adaptive behavior and Attention.

In addition, it provides a personalized intervention program for each user that covers the different functional areas in which affectation has been detected.

Main advantages of its use

• It allows the automation of registration and interpretation, which facilitates its use by professionals from Early Care centers, Specific Special Education Centers and other centers that carry out interventions at these ages, depending on Town Halls, Provincial Councils or Autonomous Communities.
• The interpretation of the results occurs practically in real time to know the functional development of the user.
• It allows the individualized monitoring of a user and the comparison of the development in the functional abilities of different users of the same center.
• The technologies used for the development of the web application facilitate high-quality visualizations and interactivity and allow the storage of data in file bases or in the cloud.
• The technology makes it possible to carry out more complex statistical analyzes with the application of supervised Machine Learning techniques (classification and / or regression) and unsupervised (Clustering) through the export of files to more powerful statistical packages. In particular, classification techniques are very useful for the personalized learning proposal.
• Its use makes it possible to enhance the efficiency and profitability of the resources of the center where it is implemented.
• The application is oriented to a desktop environment due to its ease of installation and necessary resources.
• The expansion allows the development of personalized therapeutic intervention programs in the areas in which affectation has been detected.

Specifications

The application created consists of a functional skills development scale (EHFI), an algorithm for correction and interpretation through visualization graphs and a software (eEarlyCare Therapeutic Program) for recording, interpretation and visualization of the results of the user's evaluation to ages 0-6 years in functional skills. This software allows the intervention professional to carry out quarterly evaluations on the development of users, both individually and in groups. All this information is represented in graphics that can be exported to png and / or pdf format. Also, it supports the export of evaluation records to Excel sheets. Likewise, the application is offered in a bilingual Spanish-English format.

Applications

Potential applications of the software created are as follow:

• The automation of the measurement of functional abilities in users with developmental ages 0-6 years.
• Specification of the priority functional areas for therapeutic intervention in the user.
• Individualized monitoring of evaluation in the acquisition of said functional abilities in a user and/or a group of users in education or therapy centers in development ages 0-6 years.
• Chronological age may be higher, which is why the radius of intervention is also extended to people with involutive pathologies such as senile, presenile dementias or affectations in the areas of autonomy.
• Its use would also be applicable in nursing homes or rehabilitation centers for spinal cord injuries, with the aim of studying the evolution of these functional abilities in pathologies such as presenile and senile dementias (Alzheimer's ...), stroke, stroke, spinal cord injuries, etc.

Intellectual property status

Protected by intelectual property BU-120-20

Current development status

Software already developed and constantly improving.

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement, License Agreement, Technical Cooperation: further development; Technical Cooperation: testing new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The procedure for the synthesis of mono-cationic complexes of Ru (II) of the polypyridine type described, presents activity as photocatalysts despite not being considered as good candidates for photocatalysis according to the state of the art. Specifically, the Ru (II) complexes of the invention have a superior stability to the equivalent photocatalysts known in the state of the art, such as ruthenium (II) complexes of the type, [Ru (bipi) 3] 2+ .

Furthermore, the ruthenium (II) complexes of the invention provide a high yield for the conversion of amines to imines (greater than 90%), with very good selectivity and without producing undesired by-products. This imine synthesis procedure is performed in the presence of O2 by irradiating with visible light at room temperature, between 20-30 oC.

Main advantages of its use

• Conversions of benzylamine to imine with yields greater than 90% and without additives, at room temperature and with the use of oxygen or air as an oxidizing agent.

• The use of visible light allows synthesis to be carried out with substrates more sensitive to over-oxidation or the degradation of their products by photoactivation of bonds, avoiding the formation of unwanted secondary products.

• Present a photostability equal to or greater than that of the analogous complexes of the state of the art of ruthenium (II) of the formula [Ru (bipi) 3] 2+.

• More selective procedure and with optimal yields.

Specifications

Design of new Ru(II) photosensitizers bearing 8-arylsulfonamidoquinolines and the successful evaluation of their photocatalytic properties in a new method the smooth and selective oxidation of primary and secondary benzylamines using O2 as the oxidant.

In this proposed method three key features must be highlighted: the photosensitizing ability of the Ru(II) complexes that promotes the production of O2; the electrophilic nature of O2 that facilitates its reaction with nucleophilic amines and the weak acidic character of the in situ generated H2O2 that assists in the catalytic activation of the primary aldimine.

Applications

• Synthesis of new drugs and diagnosis due to their interaction with DNA.
• Acting as luminophores in Bioimaging techniques (cell visualization).
• Photodynamic Therapy (PDT). Some of these Ru (II) complexes are known for their cytotoxic activity after irradiation with light, generating highly reactive singlet oxygen that causes cell death.
• Photocatalysis acting as photosensitizers (PS) in synthetic organic reactions or in hydrogen production.
• Electroluminescent devices such as LED emission diodes, including OLED (Organic Light Emiting Diodes) type.
• Obtaining Sulfóxidos from the oxidation of sulfides of application in the obtaining of different drugs.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P202030245.

Current development status

The technology related to the synthesis method is developed.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement; License agreement; Technical cooperation: further development; Technical cooperation: testing new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

Biochips used in this device, compared with other related patents, do not require the use of chemical reagents and are less complex, which allows designing and developing a-la-carte sensors for specific demands.

In addition, by providing real-time results, it allows a quickly answer in case of the detection of pollutants harmful to health and/or the environment.

Main advantages of its use

• Ease of installation and maintenance of both the device and the biochips.
• Smart connectivity
• Multi-analytical approach for analytes of interest.
• Qualitative and quantitative analysis "on-site".
• Usable by non-specialized personnel under any weather conditions and does not require IPE (Individual Protection Equipment).
• Calibration is not needed and chemical reagents are not required.
• Online database

Specifications

COLORS device is a solution developed within the framework of the Internet of Things (IoT), integrating some technologies with the aim of obtaining a product capable of giving an integral response to quality control in water and other aqueous media.

Biochips, which can be developed in 8 mm diameter discs or 5 mm side squares, have a thickness of between 100 and 200 microns. These sensors are placed on a stand, a disc or a cartridge, that are low cost consumables. Cartridge, unlike the disc, has no limitations in terms of the number of biochips to be incorporated. It is also possible to combine different biochips to monitor several species.

Applications

• Water quality management laboratories.
• Wastewater and drinking water treatment plants.
• Agri-food industries.
• Extractive industries.
• Environmental management of wastes and pollutants.

Current development status

Protected by patent P201830631

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement, License agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific neds.

Related keywords

Device, monitoring, water, detection, pollutant, iron, mercury, aluminium, management, residual, wastes, metals, pH, biogenic amines, turbidity, chlorine, nitrites, conductivity.

Accessibility

For more information and examples, please visit: http://3dubu.es/

Contact:

• Andrés Bustillo Iglesias, Advanced Data Mining Research and Bioinformatics Learning (ADMIRABLE).
• E-mail: abustillo@ubu.es
• http://www.ubu.es/otri-transferencia/oferta-cientifico-tecnologica/centro-de-creacion-digital-de-la-universidad-de-burgos-digiubu

Short description of how tool can be used

All contents necessaries are created for each product, from audiovisuals to the web environment, according to the preferences and needs of the organization or Company. The use of virtual visits is a tool to be known and show the facilities, attracting this way potential customers or visitors.

Fees

The created guides and visits are highly personalized. They can include a high variety of audiovisual services. Generally, the web app costs between 2.000 and 30.000€, but the technical or creative potential of the group allows services that can imply and increase of time and cost.

New and innovative aspects

People counting systems with real time information, are used to make decisions in multiple sectors as commerce, public transport, museums or other public spaces.

The obtained data is useful to make a detailed analysis of people flows, spots of concentration, buying habits, marketing influence and furthermore, to optimize material and human resources.

To ensure the system is working properly in adverse brightness situations ensuring the operability and the data collection. Thus, the system becomes a reliable choice to control people in an enclosure.

Main advantages of its use

• Contributes with real time information of people flow and attendance in commerce, public transport, museums, etc.
• Allows analysing automatically de people flow with video cameras.
• Makes it easier to control de concurrence and making decisions in halls or vehicles.
• Functionality granted in adverse brightness conditions.

Specifications

Artificial vision system to detect and counting people transiting through a limited area. Images are captured using cameras and they are automatically analysed by computer vision.

Those solutions requires high calculus power, while the system is able to select those images in a video sequence stable enough to extract information. Over these images, an approximation with rectangles is made in those zones where movement is detected, and a filter discerns if it is a person.

The system also can perform a tracking of the flow of people in an establishment or an enclosure, using the image analysis explained above. Moreover, automatic decision making can be implemented, for example: warning if the maximum capacity or traffic is exceeded.

Applications

• Access and concurrency control in establishments: Commerce, museums, public transport and other sites.
• Analysis of effectiveness of marketing campaigns and other buyer influence factors.
• Optimization of resources by clients or assistants presence.

Intellectual property status

Property register BU-43-17.

Current development status

Proof of concept. Evaluation of results.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement; License agreement; Technical cooperation: further development; Technical cooperation: testing new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

Commonly employed methods present some disadvantages such as a poor selectivity and a progressive deterioration of the sensitivity of the electrode when used in complex matrices.

This new device solves these disadvantages by employing disposable electrodes that allow the determination of ascorbic acid with greater sensitivity in different types of samples, for example in biological and food samples.

Main advantages of its use

This low cost electrochemical method, applied to chemical analysis, simplifies the commonly applied techniques, can be performed by non-qualified personnel, with a short analysis time, allowing “in situ” detection of the analyte.

Specifications

The analysis is based on the oxidation of ascorbic acid into dehydroascorbic acid.

The device developed is of an electrode nature, characterized by comprising three disposable electrodes: one working electrode, one auxiliary or counter electrode, and one reference electrode. Each one includes a contact or terminal, a section and an active area. All electrodes have been manufactured by silkscreen printing with conductive material ink on a plastic polyester (PET) sheet. Each electrode has a specific shape, to be adapted easily to their respective functions.

The terminals and sections have been printed with an Ag-based ink. The active surfaces of the counter electrode and working electrode have been printed with a conductive ink of C, and the active surface of the reference electrode has been printed with an Ag/AgCl ink. At the same time, the active area of ​​the working electrode is modified with gold nanoparticles.

Applications

It presents a high responsiveness in sectors such as health, food and beverages.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P201631238.

Current development status

Currently, the device is in prototype phase, validated in laboratory

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement; License agreement; Technical cooperation: further development; Technical cooperation: testing new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs

New and innovative aspects

The process of obtaining the conductive polymer material allows getting a series of tailored properties depending of the use that is desired to give at the material. This is possible based on the selected monomers that form the initial non-conducting structure which can present characteristics such as flexibility, stiffness, chemical resistance, thermal resistance, hydrophilicity, hydrophobia, to name some relevant property in the area of materials applications, where the conductivity can play a special role in innovative applications.

Main advantages of its use

The main advantage is that this polymeric material can be produced easily and the fact that there are chemical bonds between the starting acrylic material and the conductive polymer chains. In this way homogeneous materials are obtained in the form of solid membranes, easy to handle and with good mechanical properties. At the same time this polymeric material owns conductivity values of a semiconductor material or even a metal.

Specifications

The invention relates to conductive polymers based on polyaniline sequences and, therefore, it is included in the area of conductive and semiconductor materials.

To be precise, the invention provides conductive polymeric and semiconductor electrical materials prepared by growing polyaniline side chains from non-conducting polymers with aminophenyl side groups in their structure, in the form of films or coatings.

Applications

• They can be used as semiconductors in electronics, as substitutes for metallic conductors, in the preparation of photovoltaic cells. It can be used as a conductor in electronic circuits and also in the lightening of parts that have to conduct electricity (metal substitute), sensors of chemical species, etc.
•  In fields such as automotive and aeronautics, for example, it can mainly be used as antistatic material in paints, inks, fabrics and adhesives.
• As a material that can change color depending on the state of oxidation, it can be used in the manufacture of electrochromic devices, smart windows and electronic paper.
• Application in the field of Bioengineering.
• Application in the field of Nanotechnology.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent  P201631147.

Current development status

In use, test results available.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement; License agreement; Technical cooperation: further development; Technical cooperation: testing new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

• At present, no measuring device capable of lactic acid in sweat is recognized.
• Currently it has not been detected any device capable of measuring lactic acid in sweat
• Lactate is a good indicator of the level of physical effort of a person, and plays an important role in sports medicine, where its determination is useful for monitoring respiratory failure, shock, heart failure and metabolic disorders.
• The device is autonomous and portable and includes all electrical and electronic elements necessary to perform the measurement without connecting to an external device.
• The device includes a miniaturized potentiostat and the biosensor, disposable, single-use, and replaceable for each measurement.

Main advantages of its use

• Simple measures, just with the contact between the electrode and the sweat
• Non-invasive measures, unlike those that can be made through blood, which require long and complex procedures
• Real-Time measurements
• A small amount of sweat is required, one drop, for the measurement, consuming a low voltage
• The measurement obtained is transformed into digital signal and transmitted to the user

Specifications

The biosensor is a disposable system comprising three screen-printed electrodes on a flexible textile support. It has the ability to extract information from the biological system and quantify the signal into electrical current. In contact with sweat, the electrical signal will be modified in proportion to the concentration of lactic acid, allowing its quantitative measurements. The biosensor requires a potentiostat to work.

Applications

​​Sports Equipment and Health.

Intellectual property status

Patent P201630518.

Current development status

Prototype.

Desired business relationship

Trade Agreement, License Agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

Rockrose (Cistus ladanifer, the most common species), like other plant species, contains essential oils and bioactive compounds (polyphenols, flavonoids) with high antioxidant capacity that can be used in the production of cosmetics, pharmaceutical preparations and as ingredients in products in human food.

To obtain bioactive compounds from plants, conventional extraction techniques usually require high reaction / extraction times (on the order of hours) and the use of organic solvents (such as ethanol, acetone, etc.). The final product obtained by techniques that use organic solvents requires a purification process to be carried out.

The technology developed by the UBU refers to a green technology known as extraction with pressurized liquids in which the liquid used for the extraction is water. The advantage that water offers as a solvent is the zero environmental and human toxicity compared to organic solvents, so it does not pose a risk of contamination during its use, as well as it does not make the purification of the final product necessary, in addition to being a solvent abundant and readily available.

Main advantages of its use

• The patented process allows working in a semi-continuous and discontinuous regime.
• The process incorporates a line called "bypass" that allows the solvent to acquire the optimal extraction conditions prior to its passage to the extractor without being in contact with the raw material, preventing the composition of the raw material from being modified.
• Control system based on "friendly" and open programming hardware, reducing the cost of automation.
• Water can be used as a solvent or a mixture of water with organic solvents (ethanol).
• The biocomposites dissolved in the solvent are separated from it by drying techniques in which recoverable fluids are used and that do not leave residues in the final product.
• The heating system can be a clamp-type electric heater, which requires less space than an oven.
• Organic solvents are not used to extract compounds from the raw material, reducing total toxicity and causing economic savings in the process.
• The use of a "green" solvent such as water does not leave toxic residues in the final product, so it is not necessary to purify it.
• Reaction times for extraction to occur are shorter when superheated liquids are used as solvents (hours to minutes). At an industrial level it is an important factor.
• By modifying one of the two operating parameters, temperature or pressure, or both, the compound of interest can be extracted.

Specifications

The technique proposed in the present invention is based on the use of a harmless solvent present in large quantities and easily available, such as water, which, by modifying its physical and chemical properties through changes in temperature and/or pressure, acquires similar properties to organic solvents, and can be used for the same purpose, eliminating toxic risks and subsequent treatment of the extracted product.

The installation for obtaining rockrose extracts, consisting of the input of a solvent, mainly water, which is pumped up to a work flow by the pumping system while it reaches the working pressure. This solvent or fluid will pass through a heating device. A bypass divides the line system into two ways: one way allows the fluid to reach the extractor that will house the raw material that contains the compound to be extracted, and the second way diverts the flow of the fluid towards the outlet of the system. The change from one way to another of the bypass is carried out by means of a flow cut-off device such as a valve. The solvent that passes through the extractor and the raw material and contains the compounds of interest, or the solvent that comes from the other bypass line. This procedure allows operation in a semi-continuous or discontinuous regime.

Applications

• Obtaining bioactive compounds from rockrose that can be used in pharmacy magisterial formulas, cosmetics and ingredients in food products.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P202130306

Current development status

Device already developed and validated for industrialization.

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement, License Agreement, Technical Cooperation: further development; Technical Cooperation: testing new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The installation of the wastewater treatment plant can be adapted to the problems of small towns in the national territory. It is of simple construction and ease to operate, it does not need electricity consumption for its operation; and it has very low maintenance costs. In addition, it offers the possibility of using the biogas generated. In particular, the multi-stage installation, four successive stages connected in series, allows a considerable improvement in the physical-chemical quality of the water treated in the installation.

Main advantages of its use

• This wastewater treatment plant develops the biological activity of microorganisms, achieving higher percentages of organic matter reduction, in addition to retaining non-sedimentable solids.
• Compared to aerobic systems, the growth rate of anaerobic microorganisms is lower than the growth rate of aerobic microorganisms, which translates into less sludge production, prolonging the operating period of the installation without the need for purge sludge to prevent its collapse.
• The use of anaerobic digestion avoids the need to aerate the water with blowers or air pumps.
• Anaerobic digestion allows organic matter to be converted into biogas, a renewable energy source that can be used to generate energy in the form of heat or electricity.
• Ease of construction.
• A pumping system is not necessary to circulate the water from one stage to another, but the natural unevenness of the terrain is used.

Specifications

The wastewater treatment installation is based on the use of multi-stage hybrid anaerobic reactors, made up of four successive stages connected in series, where the first three of these successive stages are configured as a hybrid anaerobic reactor, the last stage operating as a decanter. The latter favors the retention of particles that can escape from the first three stages, improving the quality of the treated water. In addition to the advantages, it allows to obtain an efficient wastewater treatment system, with high performance of the physical-chemical quality of the treated water and very little sludge production.

Applications

Potential applications of the installation are as follow:

• Wastewater treatment in small population centers.
• Economically efficient wastewater treatment.
• High physical-chemical quality of the treated water.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P202031093

Current development status

Device already developed and validated for industrialization.

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement, License Agreement, Technical Cooperation: further development; Technical Cooperation: testing new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

Anaerobic membrane bioreactor technology is currently used with good removal efficiencies, but it presents high installation and operation costs.

This new technology uses plastic carriers for the biomass retention in the anaerobic digestion tank and gas-lift recirculation in the filtration tank, reducing the damage caused to the biomass by pumping.

Biomass adhesion on the support material allows water flow direction downwards in the digestion tank, without the biomass sweeping that would take place in suspended-culture reactors.

Main advantages of its use

• The active biomass accumulation capacity and its treatment capacity are increasing due to the use of the support material.
• The frequency of the membrane cleaning operations is reduced, and its lifetime is increased as a consequence of the decrease in the solids deposition over the membranes surface.
• The recirculation associated to gas bubbling, by the effect known as gas-lift, reduces the pumping costs and, specially, the mechanical stress caused by the use of electromechanical pumps that damages the biomass and deteriorates the effluent quality.

Specifications

The technical issue solved by this technology is that allows keeping high active biomass concentrations in the digestion tank and low suspended solids concentration in the internal streams. This reduces the membrane fouling, with the aim of increasing the efficiency and efficacy of the system.

Organic matter removal efficiency can reach values of 91-98%, with a biogas production of 460-490 l/kg COD, with a methane content of 60-70% on a dry basis, depending on the composition of organic matter of the wastewater.

Applications

The potential market is wide in the field of improving waste water treatment processes.

The main industries in which these technologies are used are:

• Biofuels
• Breweries
• Dairy industry
• Distilleries and wine cellars
• Slaughterhouses and meat by-products
• Fishing industry
• Canned food
• Convenience food
• Pulp and paper industry
• Pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry
• Chemical industry

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P201830110.

Current development status

An operational pilot plant is installed in an industrial slaughterhouse.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement, License agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

In general, the systems currently used for exterior cleaning of wind turbine towers and blades often use similar systems to cleaning windows on the facades of buildings. It means operators have to hang from the gondola and turbine hub and manually clean both the blade and the tower.

The system has been patented, is a climbing system with the tools necessary for cleaning and rinsing of the towers and blades, and the collection of soapy water as waste fluid after cleaning. The location of the mechanism minicameras allows visual inspection in detail all of the blades as welds towers.

It is not necessary that any operator would have to rise to the climbing system for cleaning functions.

Main advantages of its use

• The main advantage of the system is that it don’t requires personnel to do the tasks of cleaning, so the need for people exposed to work at heights and possible risks of fall is eliminated.
• Personnel performing maintenance and inspection of the wind turbine is limited to the assembly of the mechanism on land as well as government and subsequent control automation mechanisms governing cleaning and inspection.

Specifications

The mechanism is designed for wind turbine towers and blades powerful that require large blades and high-rise towers.

The movement of opening and closing of both belts climbing mechanism supports its use for different ranges of maximum / minimum diameters tower, being able to increase the size of the mechanism by increasing the size of the sides that make up both upper and lower or belts increasing number of sides of the polygon that make up both belts.

Applications

Maintenance companies large wind turbines (cleaning, painting and inspection of towers and blades)

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P201100665.

Current development status

It has not developed a full-scale prototype of the mechanism.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement, License agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific neds.

New and innovative aspects

Technology comes to solve one of the main problems in the design of the solar tracker structure for buildings, which is related to the size required for the installation of the same weight. Usually these structures are characterized by complex mechanical frames that are generally designed for flat planes and large areas, but not for small and uneven spaces as a roof or covered with houses and buildings.

In order to solve this problem, we have developed two technologies that are characterized by a robust support structure and a reduced volume that has greater modularity and distribution of efforts. Along with this, it is able to integrate geometric constraints (tilt and face of the covers), mechanical (size and weight of the structure) and economic (costless materials and simple drivers). Furthermore, the kinematics for the solar tracker of the invention is applicable to any system requiring track with two degrees of freedom.

Main advantages of its use

This type of system increases the energy efficiency of modules to fixed systems, as the proposed technology can be adapted to surfaces tilted or with small area. Moreover, they can be oriented according to the geographical position of the building and overcome physical restrictions. Its manufacture does not require a high cost.

Specifications

Solar trackers are designed in a modular philosophy and are based on parallel kinematics. One model is driving in line and the other supports single drive (see drawings). They have a fixed support and a movable platform which supports the solar modules. The movable platform is supported by four rods of defined length that also allows to track the sun. Other features in both technologies are:

• Degreees of freedom: 2-axis, horizontal and vertical.
• Energy power: It is estimated that the two axis sun tracking could increase the energy generation by between 24% and 26% compared to a fixed system.
• Adaptability: Adaptable to any form of panels.
• Design: sun trackers can be optimized for particular projects, taking into account the physical characteristics of the installation site, either in homes or in solar parks.

Applications

Solar tracking technologies are applied to the field of solar thermal and photovoltaic. These applications focus on two sectors with different dynamics: construction (power generation for domestic use) and large solar power plants that generate energy on a large scale basis frame.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patents P200901628 and P200901629.

Current development status

Concept.

Desired business relationship

Trade Agreement, License Agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

Current devices measure the diffuse radiation by a sensor called pyrometer that determines the value of the diffuse radiation due to an element that blocks the direct radiation. These known solutions allow the shadow projection only over a unique sensor, which must be placed in a particular orientation.

The designed device, patented by the Universidad de Burgos, enables to overcome these limitations measuring the diffuse radiation with several sensors at the same time, with four orientations (north, south, east west), in planes perpendicular to the surface, and with different inclinations.

Main advantages of its use

The major benefit of its use is the save of time. This new mechanism allows having four structures, one for each sensor, in only one system (up to now the structures are independent). Moreover, the device is provided with a calculation system that corrects the data obtained, depending on the ring features.

Specifications

The device comprises a structure and four radiation sensors, and attached thereto, a ring lobular fixed to the frame, with one lobe for each sensor so that each lobe projects a shadow to a corresponding sensor. In this way the lobular ring provides simultaneously shadow to all sensors. Thus, measurement of diffuse radiation can be performed with several sensors simultaneously and with the possibility that such sensors are in different orientations to one another and with different inclinations.

Applications

Manufacturers and marketers of devices that measure climate variables and particularly solar radiation and illuminance, especially for the advantages of its use:

- Implementation of the data to the energy efficiency in buildings

- Energy installations on facades and roofs

-Design and light energy availability on building facades. Knowledge of the solar resource through diffuse radiation data allows the design of lighting in buildings

- Optimization comfort cooling by estimating thermal stress by radiation through the walls

The Research Group can offer a specialised service based on the preparation of technical reports and data interpretation to companies / energy auditing, energy engineering and consulting.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P201400714

Current development status

Prototype ready for testing

Desired business relationship

Trade Agreement, License Agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs

Aspectos nuevos e innovadores

En los dispositivos actuales las medidas de la radiación difusa se realizan usualmente mediante un sensor de radiación, un piranómetro, que permite obtener el valor de radiación difusa gracias a un elemento blocante de la radiación directa. Estas soluciones conocidas solamente permiten la proyección de sombra sobre un único sensor, el cual debe estar posicionado en un plano con una inclinación con orientación sur o en un plano horizontal paralelo a la superficie terrestre.

El dispositivo diseñado y patentado por la Universidad de Burgos, permite superar estas limitaciones realizando la medida de radiación difusa simultánea con varios sensores y con posibilidad de que dichos sensores estén en las 4 orientaciones, norte, sur, este y oeste, en planos perpendiculares a la superficie terrestre, y con diferentes inclinaciones.

Principales ventajas derivadas de su utilización

El mayor beneficio es el ahorro de tiempo, ya que hasta ahora las medidas se hacen independientemente, lo que hace imprescindible tener 4 estructuras, una para cada sensor y con este sistema se pueden hacer simultáneamente en una única estructura. Además el dispositivo dispone de un sistema para el cálculo de la corrección de las medidas de radiación difusa, en función de las características del anillo del dispositivo.

Características técnicas

Dispositivo de medida de radiación difusa que comprende, una estructura y 4 sensores de radiación, fijados a la misma, además un anillo lobular fijado al marco, con un lóbulo por cada sensor de manera, que cada lóbulo proyecta una sombra a un sensor correspondiente, proporcionando el anillo lobular sombra de manera simultánea a todos los sensores. De esta forma se puede realizar la medida de radiación difusa con varios sensores a la vez y con posibilidad de que dichos sensores estén en orientaciones diferentes entre sí, y con diferentes inclinaciones.

Aplicaciones

Fabricantes y comercializadores de dispositivos que miden variables climáticas y en concreto radiación solar e iluminancia, especialmente por las ventajas de uso del mismo:

- Aplicación de los datos obtenidos a la eficiencia energética de edificios

- Dimensionamiento de instalaciones energéticas sobre fachadas y cubiertas

- Diseño y disponibilidad energética lúminica en fachadas de edificios. El conocimiento del recurso solar a través de los datos de radiación difusa permite el diseño de iluminación en edificios

- Optimización de climatización de edificios mediante la estimación de cargas térmicas por radiacción a través de las paredes

El Grupo de Investigación puede ofrecer un servicio especializado basada en la preparación de informes técnicos y la interpretación de datos para empresas de servicios / auditoría energética, ingeniería y consultoría energía.

Propiedad Intelectual

Protegido por patente P201400714

Estado actual de desarrollo

Prototipo funcional o muestras listas para pruebas

New and innovative aspects

The large versatility of the developed methodology permits to obtain compounds with two positions of functionalization, in the imide positions allowing to interact with different targets and, in this way, to control the biological specificity (what will be detected and to what parts of the cell it will go), and in the bay positions choosing the emission colour for the modulation of the fluorescent emission.

The bioconjugation, chemical strategy to form stable links between different biomolecules, presents some disadvantages, solved using this new proposed methodology. In addition, it avoids having to develop specific systems for each application, which suppose a great cost saving and increases its field of action in multiple sectors.

Main advantages of its use

The available market alternatives show low photostabilities, are very sensitive to pH or to ionic strength and their fluorescent emission intensities are low. In addition, they usually have low emission wavelengths, so no desirable phenomena such as energy self-absorption or scattering may take place.

The perylene-diimide (PDI) obtained by this invention have many desirable characteristics that solve the market deficiencies, such as: high fluorescence, high chemical and optical stability, stability against radiation, different wavelengths of fluorescent emission depending on the substituents in that positions and the possibility of an easy functionalization in N and N' positions. In addition, they exhibit high quantum yields, which can even reach one unit.

Specifications

The modifications made in the substituents of organic molecules known as perylene-diimide (PDI) or perylene bisimides (PBI) modify their solubility, making them versatile in different media, both organic and aqueous. Variations in the substituents of the imide positions do not significantly affect to their fluorescent properties, allowing the inclusion of bioconjugate biomolecules, while in the substituents of the bay positions, they modify their luminescent properties, allowing to modulate the emission wavelengths of the resultant fluorophore.

Thanks to the bioconjugation, novel systems with unique characteristics are obtained, such as fluorescent emission. In this case, the possibility of its use as a specific biomarker in fields such as bioimage, therapy and diagnosis is considered

Applications

The potential market is relatively wide due to the versatility of this technology. Its possible applications are in multiple sectors, such as: medicine, material science and agrofood industry. More specific applications can be mentioned, such as:

• Development of individual kits for bioconjugation, specifically fluorescent markers in medicine field that allow the realization of diagnoses and monitoring of specific treatments.
• Detection of biological contaminating species of high interest in agrofood industry such as enterotoxins or avidin (PDI-Biotin systems).
• Study of epithelial cells (PDI-Mupirocin systems).
• Marking, monitoring or determination of protein biodistribution.
• Monitoring of cell events such as drug administration to target cells and the study of enzymatic functions among others.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P201830029

Current development status

The technology related to the synthesis method is developed.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement; License agreement; Technical cooperation: further development; Technical cooperation: testing new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

his new technology allows carrying out the chloride ion measurement without the need to add any reagent, without producing interference and increasing the range of its possible applications, such as: cystic fibrosis diagnosis, analysis of food and pharmaceutical samples, etc.

Main advantages of its use

The developed sensor, which solves the disadvantages of already known sensors, (complex preparation and limit of application), is characterized by being very simple, easy to use, economical and with more sensitivity and versatility. As it presents a low cost, it is possible using it only once as well as being reused more than 100 times without affecting its operation.

Regarding to the sensors based on potentiometric methods, the sensor developed in this patent needs less reaction time, only 20 seconds. It can be used in a greater number of matrixes and of more complexity. The addition of electrolytes is not needed, process that requires more preparation in the analysis.

Specifications

he sensor is made up for three electrodes, produced by silkscreen printing, on a plastic sheet, of a conductive ink of platinum (for the conductive sections, the auxiliary electrode and the working electrode), facing those based on carbon usually used, and with a Ag/AgCl ink (for the reference electrode). The method includes an activation step, a calibration step and a measurement step. The electrochemical reaction, that takes place on the platinum surface, produces signals that are registered in a voltammogram.

Applications

It presents a high responsiveness in:

• Diagnosis of diseases related to low or high concentration of chloride ion in different biofluids, such as cystic fribosis, etc.
• Food and beverages industry, like for example, the determination of sodium chloride (salt).
• Pharmaceutical industry.
• Environment, such as studies of water pollution.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P201830271.

Current development status

The sensor is developed and ready for being used when connected to a potentiostat.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement; License agreement; Technical cooperation: further development; Technical cooperation: testing new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The possibility of detecting and/or quantifying, with the same method, both divalent metals (mercury and copper) and oxidizing anions (nitrites), makes it very versatile and turn it into unique in the market. In addition, this versatility is transferred to the measurement, which can be carried out with different equipment. In addition, it does not produce colour migrations.

The developed device can be applied to any type of sample without prior treatment, in a simpler way than the other available methods.

Main advantages of its use

This method does not require the utilization of chemical reagents or the use of extremely expensive laboratory equipment. The results are shown quantitatively with great precision.

Specifications

This invention is based on the preparation and development of new cross-linked copolymers, obtained by structures of formula I, derived from dithizone.

The polymers are obtained by copolymerization of three or more monomers, among which polyfunctional monomers are included, to give rise to materials with good mechanical properties, both in dry and in swelling, which behave as solid colorimetric sensors. They can be presented as films, dense or porous membrane and/or gel.

These cross-linked copolymers are membranes that act as chromogenic sensors, i.e., they are materials that change their color in the presence of certain substances. That color change takes place when divalent metal cations and/or oxidazing anions are present in the medium.

For the detection of analytes, it is required, at least, the use of a method, independently chosen between: the use of the RGB parameters of a digital photograph or the use of spectroscopic techniques.

Applications

It presents a high responsiveness in:

• Drinking water.
• Industrial water: for example, in the gold mining industry.
• Food products: mercury can be present in different fish and, due to its toxicity in the body, it is very important to detect it before its consumption.
• Biomedical healthcare industry: urine, saliva, blood serum, etc.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P201730292

Current development status

Several prototypes have been manufactured in collaboration with a research centre.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement; License agreement; Technical cooperation: further development; Technical cooperation: testing new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs

New and innovative aspects

New lightweight mortars with interesting properties were fabricated, offering an innovative way to recycle polymer wastes. In addition to the advantage of the recycling of waste, the use of residue in masonry mortar allows obtaining enough mechanical properties to be applied even with 100% of replacement of fines, but also with a lower density than traditional mortars, with a suitable raw materials distribution.

Main advantages of its use

The main advantages are the environmental and economic as well as improvements in product performance. To obtain these materials are recycled and reused materials of various kinds, usually very difficult to degrade by non-mechanical methods, due to their chemical stability.

Specifications

The materials are patented by the University of Burgos are:

Lightweight cement-polymer composite construction obtained from recycled rigid polyurethane foam wastes.

Lightweight concrete-polymer composite construction obtained from recycled rigid Polyurethane foams, useful as a new building material that replaces the traditional lightweight mortars, removing the expansive aggregates used in the fabrication of these products, replacing sand by different percentages of rigid polyurethane foams from industrial byproducts..

Process for obtaining lightweight mortars with the addition of polyamide powder wastes.

The patent is based on obtaining lightweight material obtained from recycled polyamide powder as aggregate in masonry mortar, in which varying quantities of sand were substituted by polymer to fabricate these products.

Process for obtaining mortars with crosslinking melamine.

Masonry mortar made from binder, aggregate and water with different replacement of arid for powder melamine (urea-formaldehyde or melamine formaldehyde). The invention is based on obtaining a construction material with improved properties as bigger adhesion and less open porosity.

Masonry mortar with lime and cement using slates as recycled arid

The patent produce recycled masonry lime mortars and concrete with slates wastes, which are tritured and trated to evitate arid-alkali reactions.

Applications

Civil Companies and Construction sector. Cement-based materials and use thereof as interior / exterior coating and as a filler soil and grouting factories.

Intellectual property status

Protected by Patents P200902028, P201100664 , P201300297 y P201531132.

Current development status

In use, test results available.

Desired business relationship

Trade Agreement, License Agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

Lightweight materials with improved properties in relation to conventional mixtures (eg optimizing some of the basic properties such as trajabilidad, permeability and rheological behaviour to force loads) and a good performance of provision

Main advantages of its use

The main advantages are the environmental and economic as well as improvements in product performance. To obtain these materials are recycled and reused materials of various kinds, usually very difficult to degrade by non-mechanical methods, due to their chemical stability.

The results obtained for these patents lead us to affirm that the mortar lime designs present physical and mechanical properties equivalent to those of traditional materials, with enough adherence, suitable water vapor permeability and complying with the regulatory requirements and with durability test.

Specifications

- Lime mortars fabricated with polyamide powder residues.

The invention protects the product and the preparation method according the use, improving some of the basic properties such as workability, absorption and adhesion resistance.

- Lime mortar for construction and rehabilitation manufactured with steel slag waste.

The production of air and hydraulic lime mortars as binder as well as industrial by-products obtained in the manufacture of steel as black and white slag. New material can be used in construction or rehabilitation as an alternative to the standard products.

Applications

Companies in the construction sector. Use of materials for rehabilitation of historical heritage.

Intellectual property status

Protected by Patents P201300847, P201400382.

Current development status

In use, test results available

Desired business relationship

Trade Agreement, License Agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

Getting lightweight materials with improved properties compared to conventional mixtures (eg optimizing some of the basic properties such as workability, permeability and rheological behavior to force loads) and a good performance of provision.

The values obtained are similar to other construction materials used for thermal insulation, which suggests that he plaster with same polymer wastes could be an alternative to these products as a material with improved thermal properties.

Main advantages of its use

The main advantages are the environmental and economic as well as improvements in product performance. To obtain these materials are recycled and reused materials of various kinds, usually very difficult to degrade by non-mechanical methods, due to their chemical stability.

Specifications

- Process for obtaining lightweight plaster to fabricated polyurethane foam wastes.

This invention involves the obtaining of new lightweight plaster material for use in construction, in which matrix are incorporated industrial rigid polyurethane foam wastes. Polymers are mixed after ground with gypsum to different granulometric sizes depending on the final use..

- Process for obtaining lightweight gypsum with polyamide powder residue.

This patent is focused on the use of polyamide powder waste to produce a new lightweight plaster material with improved thermal properties for industrial applications according to building regulations. Plaster blends were prepared using different volumetric proportions of polyamide.

- Design and properties of plaster mortars manufactured with ladle furnace slag

This material is made with a series of plasters containing different proportions of ladle furnace slag used as mineral aggregate. The tests characterise the influences of two admixtures: a superfluidifier to reduce the water absorption of mortar plaster and an adhesive emulsion to improve the surface adherence. The physical and mechanical results confirm the feasibility of employing ladle furnace slag as a mineral aggregate, which induces an increase in density, in vapour permeability and in porosity.

- Process for obtaining building plaster mortars with artificial crushed quartz stone.

This invention obtain clusters of gypsum and plaster with rejected industrial quartz aggregates for its use in construction, with different colors and design with improved fire properties compared with reference products.

- Prefabricated plasterboard with lightweight polyurethane wastes

The invention proposes the development of a process for producing lightweight plasterboards for use in interior walls in a simple way. The material allows plates with different dimensions and thicknesses depending on the application. The non-combustibility test confirms that the polyurethane waste may be used in the manufacture of gypsum plasterboard in compliance with the specifications that are found in the standard.

- Prefabricated plasterboard with polyamide powder waste

This patent shows that the increase in the quantity of polymer waste implies important reductions in its mechanical resistance and surface hardness, while improving its thermal resistivity.

Applications

Companies in the civil construction sector. Use in coatings for interior mass or precast

Intellectual property status

Protected by patents P201001011, P201100886, P201200092, P201300296, P201300464 and P201300846.

Current development status

In use, test results available.

Desired business relationship

Trade Agreement, License Agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

Surgical procedures currently employed to correct the effects from the disease or other facts, are generally traumatic and long lasting, meanwhile the patient has to be resting during long periods of time, with a low quality of life.

The proposed device allows progressive, self-supporting and autonomous prosthesis (incorporates a reducing micromotor inside the fixed cylinder, driven by the energy stored in the battery attached to the motor), it limits the risk of infections and allows a high control capacity of the elongated distance.

Main advantages of its use

- The patient only has a surgical operation for each bone.

- The patient does not need to be seated or in bed for long months, but has ability to move on their own legs that are in process of elongation.

- Ease of management mechanism regrowth by the patient.

Specifications

The device comprises two coaxial cylindrical tubular elements with a longitudinal notch; so that the outer cylinder is fixedly attached by screws to one of the two parts of the bone to lengthen, and the sliding inner tube is attached at the other end by screws the other part of the bone. The outer tube has inside at their end, an accumulator of electric power or battery that recharges through electrical induction.

The chosen material is titanium alloy Ti6Al4V -ELI, bio-inert material, high corrosion resistance and high mechanical strength. Allows attachment of bone on the oxide layer overlying and a coating of "hydroxyapatite" to improve and accelerate bone anchorage.

Applications

The application of this progressive prosthesis focuses exclusively to medical or hospital sector and within this, to the section of traumatology.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent protection: P201530996

Current development status

Functional prototypes

Desired business relationship

Trade Agreement, License Agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs

New and innovative aspects

They are solid substrates as sensors that could be easily handle both in the dry and wet state. Moreover, the possibility of conventional fibers coated with polymeric materials such sensors have the advantage of preparing smart fabrics capable of indicating the presence of molecules of interest by colour changes, in the case of chromogenic materials. It would further be advantageous to use sensory aqueous solutions of polymer materials in forensic or detecting contamination in situ, as spray, to use over the area to assess.

Main advantages of its use

Allows for the colorimetric visual detection of traces of TNT by non-specialists, in situ, in real time, and at minimal cost. TNT can be detected directly on surfaces, or measure the concentration in water and wastewater, soils, etc. The quantification of TNT can be carried out by a photograph taken with a digital camera or with a mobile phone.

Specifications

Visual detectors of TNT are new polymeric materials based on sensory monomers.

The polymerization of these monomers allows for the obtention of water soluble linear polymers, films or dense membranes, and smart fibers, by copolymerization of these monomers with others, including polyfunctional monomers, in order to provide polymeric materials with good mechanical properties, both in dry and swollen, which behave as TNT colorimetric sensors in water and / or aqueous media.

Polymeric materials change color when traces of TNT are present. This specific behavior allows for the detection of TNT by changes in the visible color spectrum, so that in addition to using a spectrophotometer, its concentration can also be assessed by the naked eye. Moreover, its quantification can be carried out using the digital parameters (RGB ) of a photograph taken with a camera materials or by smartphone.

Applications

It may be of interest to companies that use this type of explosive. Detection of explosives in terrorist attacks (forensic chemistry). Governments that need to establish the degree of contamination by this compound due to activities such as old milatares facilities, terrorist attacks, former wars, etc.Mining and quarrying. Companies whose area is the manufacture of explosives and weapons.

Companies using TNT for demolition.Environmental management and treatment of contaminated areas.

Intellectual property status

Protected by Patent P201301187

Current development status

In use, test results available

Desired business relationship

Trade Agreement, License Agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The main novelty of the present method is the use of air as oxidating agent, while clasical procedures make use of hydrogen peroxide, risky to store and handle due to its corrosive nature and explosive vapors.

Main advantages of its use

This new procedure is more efficient than other procedures described for the process. Moreover, air stands out for being the cheapest, most available, easiest to handle and safest oxidizing agent. Additionally, molibdenum catalysts are less toxic that commonly used ones, and are resistant to degradation under reaction conditions. Finally, byproduct formation is not observed and sulfones are easily isolable. Overall, the procedure is efficient, simple, cheap, and enviromentally friendlier than previous methods.

Specifications

The present invention relates to a procedure for the oxidation of sulfoxides to sulfones using the oxygen from the air as oxidizing agent, in the presence of a molibdenum complex as catalyst, preferably dioxomolibdenum (VI) bis(acetilacetonate) or dinuclear derivatives coming from its partial hydrolisis in the presence of dimethylsulfoxide, dimethylformamide or triphenylphosphine oxide. The amount of catalyst varies from 1 mol% to 10 mol%. The synthesis is performed at atmospheric pressure and the temperature varies from 15-50 ºC. The solvent used is a low molecular weight ether. The products are obtained in excellent yields and byproducts are not observed in the reaction.

Applications

Synthesis of sulfones, that can show diverse already demonstrated propierties (drugs, pesticides, materials,…). Therefore, applications in pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P200703331

Current development status

In use, test results available

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement

New and innovative aspects

The main novelty of the present invention is the use of pinacol as reducing agent that entails undeniable advantages over clasical methods for the reduction of nitro compounds, which are encompassed in the two following groups: (a) catalytic hydrogenation using molecular hydrogen, and (b) chemical reduction, usually with a metal in acidic media.

Main advantages of its use

The advantages of the new method over the clasical ones are:

-Over catalytic hydrogenation: the reaction is more selective, avoinding side-reduction of other groups such as olefins, carbonyls, nitriles or halogens. The new method does not implie the use and storage of hydrogen gas, all the reactives are solids or liquids easy to handle.

- Over the reduction with metals in acidic media: The new method is more selective, allows the reduction of compounds with acid-sensitive fuctional groups and uses catalytic amounts of the metal complex (not always posible in the reductions in acidic media).

-Over both clasical methods: the new process generally involves shorter reaction times and milder conditions. The reaction is set up in open air, there is no need of inert atmosphere. Main byproducts are water and acetone, environmentally friendly and easy to remove from the reaction media. The amines are isolated in pure analytical form whithout column chromathography (economic and environmental advantages).

Specifications

The present invention relates to a procedure for the catalytic reduction of organic compounds that contain a nitro functional group to compounds that contain an amino functional group by using pinacol (2,3-dimethyl-2,3-butanediol) as reducing agent in the presence of a Mo (VI) catalyst at atmospheric or higher pressure and a temperature between 110-150 ºC, generating as main byproducts water and acetone.

Applications

Synthesis of aromatic amines, that can show diverse already demonstrated properties (drugs, pesticides, materials,…). Therefore, applications in pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries.

Intellectual property status

Protected by Patent P201100596. Patent granting date: 05/07/2013

Current development status

Research or Experimental

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement

New and innovative aspects

The novelty of the invention is based on the use of the waste from the roofs generated in the automobile industry, which is valued as raw material with added value for its incorporation into the precast industry of the Construction Sector. The percentage of residue present in the final material depends on the required properties of the final product, obtaining properties in the hardened state sufficient to be able to apply the current legislation.

Main advantages of its use

• Replacement of part of the fine and coarse aggregate of the precast mortar by residues of complete roofs from the automotive industry.
• Additives “à la carte”, polymeric in nature, which are added, maintained and even improved mechanical resistance within the necessary reference values required by European regulations. It supposes a saving of base structure and a greater workability.
• Greater thermal insulation of the final envelope, as well as a good behavior against temperature and against fire (non-combustibility).
• Recycling of waste for the construction of materials, moving from waste to new raw materials, with the reduction of the environmental impact that it entails.
• Reduction of the weight of the material without affecting its properties.

Specifications

The characteristics and nature of construction materials, based on cement, make it possible to enhance foams that come from polyurethane insulating panels with remains of other materials (adhesives, metal oxides, remains of paint and / or plasters, etc.). The cement is of the Portland Cement type with a mass composition of 95-100% clinker and 0-5% minor components. This alteration in the components of the precast cement object of the invention helps to maintain its mechanical strength, obtaining recycled materials with certainly structural capabilities, but at the same time, with a low density compared to conventional light mortars. This precast cement lightened with polymer matrix residues provides improvements in the physical characteristics of the precast, with weight reductions of up to 70%.

Applications

Potential applications of the tank are as follow:

• Blocks of compact cement that are installed by joining courses with mortar and are worked in a similar way to brick.
• Lintels to be installed on top of joinery frames where bricks are left unattached.
• Panels, plates and foundations for buildings, industrial buildings, etc.
• Manholes for sanitation networks or electrical networks used in urbanizations.
• Concrete pavements and paving stones for pedestrian walkways, landscaped areas and low-traffic roads.

Intellectual property status

Protected by Utility Model U202131039

Current development status

Developed exclusively in the laboratory and validated for industrialization.

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement, License Agreement, Technical Cooperation: further development; Technical Cooperation: testing new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

High-performance concrete is a type of concrete with high strength and durability thanks to its high cement content. Nevertheless, this high content of cement also implies that it has a high heat of hydration during setting and high shrinkage, in addition to low workability. Recycled concrete aggregate is a waste from the precast concrete industry that is characterized by its very high water absorption. Magnesium oxide (MgO) is a chemical compound that exhibits expansive properties when mixed with water. In addition, this expansion occurs during the concrete setting process and its production generates 70% less CO2 emissions than the manufacture of ordinary Portland cement.

The solution proposed by the researchers focuses on solving the existing problems in the traditional manufacture of concrete. The invention seeks to take advantage of recycled concrete aggregate and magnesium oxide to produce a sustainable, high-performance concrete optimal for structural use from the point of view of placement (high workability), from the point of view of strength (high strength) and regarding shrinkage (decreased shrinkage).

Main advantages of its use

• The sustainability of high-performance concrete is maximized by adding recycled concrete aggregate and reactive magnesium oxide as a secondary binder.
• The dumping of waste, clinker consumption and CO2 emissions are reduced and, with leads to the consequent reduction of climate change.
• The workability and strength of high-performance concrete made with recycled concrete aggregate and reactive magnesium oxide are simultaneously maximized.
• Minimizing shrinkage (shortening) of high-performance concrete and the cracking associated with this phenomenon is achieved by adding reactive magnesium oxide with expansive characteristics.

Specifications

The designed high-strength concretes are composed of type I cement (ordinary Portland cement) as the first binder and reactive magnesium oxide as the second binder in a content between 10% and 15% of the total binder mass of the high-strength concrete. The coarse aggregate fraction and the fine aggregate fraction are exclusively manufactured with recycled concrete aggregate. In addition to these components, the designed concretes also incorporate water and a superplasticizer admixture to increase the workability of concrete.

Applications

Potential applications are as follow:

• Construction and civil engineering sector
• Sector of new materials valid for structural applications
• Technical sector for the recycling and use of waste from the prefabrication industry

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P202130466

Current development status

Developed exclusively in the laboratory and validated for industrialization

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement, License Agreement, Technical Cooperation: further development; Technical Cooperation: testing new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The novelty of the invention is based on the use of the waste from the roofs generated in the automobile industry, which is valued as raw material with added value for its incorporation into the precast industry of the Construction Sector. The percentage of residue present in the final material depends on the required properties of the final product, obtaining properties in the hardened state sufficient to be able to apply the current legislation.

Main advantages of its use

• Replacement of part of the fine and coarse aggregate of the precast mortar by residues of complete roofs from the automotive industry.
• Additives “à la carte”, polymeric in nature, which are added, maintained and even improved mechanical resistance within the necessary reference values required by European regulations. It supposes a saving of base structure and a greater workability.
• Greater thermal insulation of the final envelope, as well as a good behavior against temperature and against fire (non-combustibility).
• Recycling of waste for the construction of materials, moving from waste to new raw materials, with the reduction of the environmental impact that it entails.
• Reduction of the weight of the material without affecting its properties.

Specifications

The characteristics and nature of construction materials, based on cement, make it possible to enhance foams that come from polyurethane insulating panels with remains of other materials (adhesives, metal oxides, remains of paint and / or plasters, etc.). The cement is of the Portland Cement type with a mass composition of 95-100% clinker and 0-5% minor components. This alteration in the components of the precast cement object of the invention helps to maintain its mechanical strength, obtaining recycled materials with certainly structural capabilities, but at the same time, with a low density compared to conventional light mortars. This precast cement lightened with polymer matrix residues provides improvements in the physical characteristics of the precast, with weight reductions of up to 70%.

Applications

Potential applications of the tank are as follow:

• Blocks of compact cement that are installed by joining courses with mortar and are worked in a similar way to brick.
• Lintels to be installed on top of joinery frames where bricks are left unattached.
• Panels, plates and foundations for buildings, industrial buildings, etc.
• Manholes for sanitation networks or electrical networks used in urbanizations.
• Concrete pavements and paving stones for pedestrian walkways, landscaped areas and low-traffic roads.

Intellectual property status

Protected by Utility Model U202131039

Current development status

Developed exclusively in the laboratory and validated for industrialization.

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement, License Agreement, Technical Cooperation: further development; Technical Cooperation: testing new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The proposed solution allows the obtaining of a densified material with improved properties compared to conventional mixtures (for example, optimizing some of the basic properties) and with a good performance in the performance regime in relation resistance and reaction to fire.

Main advantages of its use

• Improvement of the non-combustibility properties of conventional plasters.

• Increase in applications of gypsum-based materials in special atmospheres.

Specifications

It is an ecoprefabricated gypsum board with high fire resistance, the board being made up of a gypsum core incluiding iron and steel residues from the steel industry, said residues essentially composed of CaO, SiO2, Al2O3 and MgO.

Applications

The potential applications are:

• Companies in the construction sector.
• Use in mass coatings as materials with high resistance and reaction to fire.
• Prefabricated for use in buildings partitions and industrial with protection against fire requirements.

Intellectual property status

Protected by Model Utility U201930281

Current development status

In use and validated.

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement, License Agreement, Technical Cooperation: further development; Technical Cooperation: testing new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

These new aramids and / or polymers reinforced with carbon nanofillers can be prepared in the form of a porous membrane, dense membrane, coating, fiber, etc., constituting materials with exceptional mechanical and thermal properties. Nano and microporous materials are made by adding an ionic liquid in the preparation process and its subsequent removal in a solvent, producing high-performance materials with a reduced density.

Main advantages of its use

• Simplicity of the manufacturing process. The porosity generation process is simpler, faster and more homogeneous than other techniques such as phase inversion or the use of supercritical CO2.

• Versatility, since it can be applied to both membranes and thicker materials (up to several mm).
• It is possible to control the porosity parameters based on the process conditions (quantity and type of ionic liquid used, mainly).
• The functionalization of the nano-fillers allows an optimal dispersion in the polymer.
• The porous structure notably improves the mechanical properties compared to dense polymers (without porosity). These specific properties (values relative to density) are superior in porous materials compared to dense materials.

Specifications

Aramids reinforced with nano-fillers are prepared by dispersing the functionalized nano-filler in a solution of the aramid, and subsequent removal of the solvent. These polymers can be prepared in the form of a porous membrane, dense membrane, coating, fiber etc. obtaining materials with exceptional mechanical and thermal properties. Nano and microporous materials are made by adding an ionic liquid in the preparation process and its subsequent elimination in a solvent, producing high-performance materials with reduced density.

Applications

These materials can be used as high-performance polymers in different applications, such as:

• Reinforcement in different structures
• High resistance textile fibers
• Flexible conductive materials
• Energy storage elements in electrochemical applications
• Filtration membranes and water purification.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P202030044

Current development status

Device already developed and validated for industrialization.

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement, License Agreement, Technical Cooperation: further development; Technical Cooperation: testing new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

Roller compacted concrete manufactured with recovered components obtained from other processes or substances, such as by-products from the steel industry (iron and steel concrete) or waste from the precast concrete industry (sustainable concrete) that increase its sustainability.

The use of construction waste and by-products from the steel industry gives these concretes an innovative installation process, achieving the same technical characteristics as self-compacting concretes whose composition is based on the use of fractions with natural aggregate with additional technical and economic advantages.

The dosage of iron and steel concrete with a dry consistency is shown in Table 1:

Table 1. Dosage of dry steel concrete mixes (kg/m3)

(M: metallic fibers; P: plastic fibers)

The dosage of sustainable dry consistency concrete is shown in Table 2:

Table 2. Dosage of dry sustainable concrete mixes (kg/m3)

(M: metallic fibers; P: plastic fibers)

Main advantages of its use

• Roller-compacted concrete of high workability, easily pumpable and great self-compactability.
• Reduction of energy consumption in the production stages minimizing and increase of yields in its implementation.
• Elimination of vibratiuon reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
• Recycling of slag from electric arc furnaces in the case of roller-compacted siderurgic concrete.
• Recycling of concrete aggregate in the case of roller compacted recycled-aggregate concrete.
• High resistance to cracking due to the inclusion of metallic and / or plastic fibers together with slag from an electric arc furnace.
• Sustainable concrete.

Specifications

The novel roller-compacted dry concretes comply with international EN 206 specifications and EFNARC recommendations.

The properties in the fresh state of the different mixtures of the iron and steel concrete of dry consistency are shown in table 3:

Table 3. Fresh properties of dry steel concrete

The properties in the fresh state of the different mixes of sustainable concrete of dry consistency are shown in table 4:

Table 4. Properties in fresh state of dry sustainable concrete

The properties in the hardened state of the different mixtures of the iron and steel concrete of dry consistency are shown in table 5:

Table 5. Properties in the hardened state of dry iron and steel concrete

The properties in the hardened state of the different mixtures of the sustainable concrete of dry consistency are shown in table 6:

Table 6. Properties in hardened state of dry sustainable concrete

Applications

• Structural elements subjected to very high loads; beams, columns, floors or walls.
• Pavements.
• Large walls and dams of any type, such as gravity dams, arch or vault.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P202030878 and P202030881

Current development status

Developed exclusively in the laboratory and validated for industrialization.

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement, License Agreement, Technical Cooperation: further development; Technical Cooperation: testing new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The use of construction wastes and by-products from the steel industry gives these concretes an innovative installation process, achieving the same technical characteristics as self-compacting concretes whose composition is based on the use of fractions with natural aggregates with additional technical and economic advantages.

Its dosage is shown in Table 1:

Table 1. Dosage of mixtures (kg/m3)

Main advantages of its use

• Self-compacting concrete of high workability, easily pumpable and great self-compactability.
• Minimization of energy consumption in the production stages and increase of yields in its implementation.
• Elimination of the vibration, thus reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
• Recycling of slag from electric arc furnaces.
• High resistance to cracking due to the inclusion of metallic and/or plastic fibers together with slag from an electric arc furnace.
• Sustainable concrete.

Specifications

The new self-compacting concretes meet the international specifications EN 206 and the recommendations of the EFNARC.

The properties in fresh state of the different mixtures are shown in table 2:

Tabla 2. Propiedades en estado fresco

SF: clase de escurrimiento

The properties in the hardened state of the different pre-cracking mixtures are shown in Table 3. In parentheses, the standard deviation.

Table 3. properties in pre-cracking hardened state

The properties in the hardened state of the different post-cracking mixtures are shown in Table 4. In parentheses, the standard deviation.

Tabla 4. Properties in the hardened state after cracking

Applications

• Structural elements subjected to very high loads; beams, columns, slabs or walls.
• Applications of prestressed concrete both in situ and precast.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P202030750

Current development status

Developed, validated and ready to use.

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement, License Agreement, Technical Cooperation: further development; Technical Cooperation: testing new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The use of construction waste and by-products from the steelmaking gives these concretes an innovative installation process, achieving the same technical characteristics as self-compacting concretes whose composition is based on the use of natural aggregate with additional technical and economic advantages.

All three mixtures are suitable for use, although the MIX50 mix provides an adequate balance between material performance and product sustainability.

Its dosage is shown in Table 1:

Table 1. Dosage of mixtures (kg/m3)

Use of waste for the production of sustainable self-compacting concrete optimal for structural use.

Main advantages of its use

• Great flowability and ease of filling molds for structures with complicated shapes.
• Elimination of the pre-soaking stage in the recycled concrete aggregate
• High self-compactability of concrete. Compaction without vibration.
• Homogeneous finishes without imperfections.
• Economical and sustainable implementation by using waste from the precast-concrete industry and by-products from the steel industry known as slag.
• Reduction of energy consumption in its implementation.
• Excellent physical and mechanical properties.

Specifications

The technical characteristics for the MIX50 mix are as shown here:

The new self-compacting concretes meet the international specifications EN 206 and the recommendations of the EFNARC.

Table 2. Properties in fresh state

SF: slump-flow class, VS: slump-flow-viscosity class, VF; V-funnel-viscosity class, PA; passing-ability class & SR; segregation-resistance class

Table 3. Properties in hardened state

Applications

• On site placement by pouring, pumping or injection.
• Manufacture of concrete pieces with complicated shapes with high aesthetic requirements.
• Foundations and structures.
• Heavily armed structures.
• Construction of large infrastructures such as bridges or tunnels where compaction is complicated.
• Concreting in situations of difficult access and high-rise buildings.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P202030746

Current development status

Developed, validated and ready to use.

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement, License Agreement, Technical Cooperation: further development; Technical Cooperation: testing new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The use of construction wastes and by-products from the steel industry gives these concretes an innovative installation process, achieving the same technical characteristics as self-compacting concretes whose composition is based on the use of natural aggregate with additional technical and economic advantages.

Its dosage is shown in Table 1:

Table 1. Composition of mixtures (kg/m3)

Use of waste for the production of sustainable self-compacting concrete optimal for structural use.

Main advantages of its use

• Great flowability and ease of filling formworks of structures with complicated shapes.
• Elimination of the pre-soaking stage in the recycled aggregate.
• Highly self-compactability of concrete. Compaction without vibration.
• Homogeneous finishes without imperfections.
• Economic and sustainable placement by using waste from the precast-concrete industry and by-products from the steel industry known as slag.
• Reduction of energy consumption in its implementation.
• Excellent physical and mechanical properties.

Specifications

The new self-compacting concretes fulfill the international specifications EN 206 and the recommendations of the EFNARC.

Table 2. Properties in fresh state

SF: class of runoff, VS: viscosity in flow, VF; viscosity in the V-funnel test, PA; passsing ability & SR; segregation

Table 3. Properties in hardened state

Applications

• On site application by pouring, pumping or injection.
• Manufacture of concrete pieces with complicated shapes with high aesthetic requirements.
• Foundations and structures.
• Heavily armed structures.
• Construction of large infrastructures such as bridges or tunnels where compaction is complicated.
• Construction with difficult access and high-rise buildings.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P202030748

Current development status

Developed, validated and ready to use.

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement, License Agreement, Technical Cooperation: further development; Technical Cooperation: testing new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The proposed solution focuses on solving the technical problem of configuring a device so that it is simpler and less expensive than known metal tanks. The technology developed is characterized by the use of a thermoplastic material for the manufacture of small tanks. This material allows the use of common techniques for the manufacture of parts with thermoplastic material, such as manufacturing by adding material or 3D printing or rotational molding, so the cost per piece is lower. In addition, it is possible to develop special total pressure cells, specific for specific solutions.

Main advantages of its use

• Thermoplastic polyurethane presents mechanical resistance combined with some flexibility and chemical resistance to oils.
• It is possible to improve the impermeability with a sheet of waterproof latex material or similar.
• Diameter between 30 mm and 150 mm, less than that of known tanks that usually start at a minimum diameter of 200 mm.
• Maximum height between 5 mm and 30 mm.
• Cheaper manufacturing process by using a thermoplastic material.
• It is easier and cheaper to develop special total pressure cells, specific for specific solutions, without a significant cost increase.

Specifications

A total pressure cell (or simply pressure cell) is device with a sensor that allows to measure compression pressures inside a material in a specific direction. It is commonly used to know the compression pressures that are exerted at a point inside the ground or the final linings in tunnels. The device includes a tank. There is a direct relationship between reservoir size and pressure measurement accuracy, the smaller a total pressure cell the more accurate it will be. The traditional manufacturing process of the metal tank is laborious, which makes the final product more expensive. In addition, the demand for this type of sensors is low and consequently, its manufacturing process is poorly mechanized.

The technical problem to be solved is to configure the deposit to be simpler and less expensive than known metal deposits. The material used is a thermoplastic polyurethane, suitable for this type of application, due to its mechanical resistance combined with certain flexibility and chemical resistance to oils. The diameter and height of the tank, and the thickness of the walls, are considerably lower than those of known metal tanks. There is the option of increasing the impermeability placing inside a sheet of waterproof latex or similar material.

Applications

Potential applications of the tank are as follow:

• In geotechnical instrumentation to know the compression pressures that are exerted at a point inside the ground in a certain direction or inside the final linings in tunnels, or between them and the ground.

Intellectual property status

Protected by utility model U202031698

Current development status

Device already developed and validated for industrialization.

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement, License Agreement, Technical Cooperation: further development; Technical Cooperation: testing new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

Accessibility

- Isidoro Iván Cuesta Segura and Jesús Manuel Alegre Calderón, Structural Integrity (GIE) E-mail: iicuesta@ubu.es; jalegre@ubu.es https://www.ubu.es/structural-integrity-gie

Short description of how tool can be used

New components subjected to high internal pressure can be verified with a quickly and easy method knowing their perfomance to fracture and fatigue (fatigue life), allowing preventive maintenance of the equipment.

Fees

Request an offer, the cost is variable depending on the type of test to be performed (fracture, fatigue of low number of cycles, fatigue of high number of cycles, ...).

New and innovative aspects

The majority of industrial components subjected to high pressure only pass static pressure tests for validation, in which the pressure rises up to 1.5 times the working pressure.
Currently, there aren´t any commercial devices for fatigue testing of the real component under work pressure, which means that some of the component broken due to fatigue even after passing the pressure test.

Main advantages of its use

The device integrates the technology (HPP, High Pressure Processing) that can be coupled to any universal dynamic testing machine to reproduce the high-pressure work cycles of any industrial component. In this way it will be possible to carry out tests of components subjected to high pressure (pipes and conduction elements), which allow:

1. To assess structural integrity and failure analysis.

2. To reproduce the work cycle (0-6000bar-0).

3. To know the performance of new components subjected to high pressure.

4. To determine the fatigue of the real component under the working pressure.

5. To perform hydraulic fracture and fatigue tests up to 6 000 bars.

Specifications

A device for testing components under high pressure in a traction-compression machine that allows to evaluate them under static and fatigue efforts, It comprises:

1. A pressure intensifier with a cylinder and a rod,
2. Two clamps comprises in the traction-compression machine,
3. A supporting tube that houses the pressure intensifier
4. A test tube,

In this way, the movement of the rod inside the test tube can compress a liquid arranged in the chamber.

Applications

A device for testing components under high pressure in a traction-compression machine that allows to evaluate them under static and fatigue efforts, It comprises: 1. A pressure intensifier with a cylinder and a rod, 2. Two clamps comprises in the traction-compression machine, 3. A supporting tube that houses the pressure intensifier 4. A test tube, In this way, the movement of the rod inside the test tube can compress a liquid arranged in the chamber.

Current development status

Available for demonstration-field tested.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement; License agreement; Technical cooperation: further development; Technical cooperation: testing new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

Heat exchangers include mechanisms to store energy from renewal sources when those sources but demand needs to be cover (for example, solar energy during the night). There is a material (PCM) responsible of energy storage by absorbing or giving thermal energy. The PCM goes through behaviour changes not detectable currently, increasing unnecessarily the energetic consumption.

The new system detects this changes and consequently, it permits taking decisions and/or and automatized energetic system to save energy.

Main advantages of its use

• Energy storage with energy sensors to know the status and proper working of the heat exchanger.
• Allows taking decisions about energy efficiency of storage systems.

Specifications

Heat exchanger system automatized with energy storage systems, combinable with intermittent renewables or conventional low cost energies.

The exchanger consists of an internal cavity filled with a phase changing material (PCM) as the storage energy system. It is also has cold and hot ducts to absorb and give thermal energy.

In addition, it includes energy sensors for that PCM, and both hot and cold ducts, in the internal cavity, the inlet and the outlet.

Temperature measure permits and automatized energy management, for example, in an air conditioning installation that includes the heat exchanger, evaluating in real time the energy efficiency and the status of the exchanger.

Applications

Air conditioning installations including heat exchangers with energy storage systems (renewables and conventional).

Applicable in building construction.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P201730420.

Current development status

In use, test results available.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement; License agreement; Technical cooperation: further development; Technical cooperation: testing new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The methodology developed improve the correlations numerical-experimental obtained by structural simulation programs currently used:

1. Reducing the difference between the simulation data and manufactured elements.
2. Optimizing - at start-up time - the process manufacturing for a new components and in materials used for the manufacture of parts.

Main advantages of its use

All the programs currently used in the market do not take into account the mechanical properties in function of the level of predeformation attained during the component stamping.

The main advantage is that this procedure controls and defines the optimal method of transferring the deformation results (produced during the simulation of the stamping process) to the structural simulation programs.

It is also defined a working methodology, applicable at the industry, to estimate by simulation the structural rigidity of the stamped components.

Specifications

The product is a methodology that incorporates data processing software mainly applied to the development of metallic products obtained by cold stamping.

Applications

The users for: car bodies, household appliances; aircraft, beverage containers

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P201630414

Current development status

In use, test results are available.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement; License agreement; Technical cooperation: further development; Technical cooperation: testing new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs

New and innovative aspects

The circular arch shape of the permanent magnets layout of the new rotor, improves the reluctant component of the torque, forming a double layer magnetic field.

Moreover, the use of rare earth elements powder agglomerated magnets (elements like cerium, yttrium or neodymium) results energy values similar to those obtained with known sintered magnets.

Main advantages of its use

• The use of rare earth elements powder agglomerated magnets shows a better behaviour than sintered ones in the face of temperature increases.
• 20% more torque versus the current rectangular magnets rotors.
• Cost reduction due to less use of rare earth materials, reduced weight and better energy efficiency.

Specifications

Permanent magnets rotor for use in synchronic three-phase motors for hybrid vehicles. There are two magnetic layers in the rotors that generates the motor action, disposed as an arch of a circular segment geometrically optimized, improving the reluctant and magnetic components of the torque.

To set both magnetic layers, rare earth elements powder agglomerated magnets are used, instead of sintered ones, allowing different geometry that improves the reluctant torque. The magnets used are made with agglomerate materials, conforming magnets with less materials and similar energy values than does used currently.

The combination of the double magnetic layer and the characteristics of the new magnets, the new rotor obtains a 20% more torque than known rotors. The weight of the motor, its cost, and the economical loses are also reduced.

Applications

Electric motors for hybrid and plug-in vehicles.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P20173042.

Current development status

In use, test results available.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement; License agreement; Technical cooperation: further development; Technical cooperation: testing new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

There isn´t any tool designed for the different task at height in the rural and

agricultural-livestock sector.

Main advantages of its use

• Enabling vertical telescopic movement, longitudinal and transversal to make agricultural work in height with safety.
• It can feed from the battery electric of the tractor, allowing the elimination of noise and saving of fuel.

Specifications

Lifting platform as a tool, attachable to front or rear Three-point hitch for agricultural tractor, it´s not self-propelled, is feeds by tractor battery,

It has several systems and devices that provide security services like:

1. Emergency switch that disconnects the entire electrical system from the battery of the tractor.
2. Electrical inclinometer, located on the work platform oriented vertically.
3. Electric level sensor, located at the base of the working platform with longitudinal orientation.

Applications

Users of the agricultural machinery industry for height tasks in the rural and Agricultural-livestock world such, like:

• Grafting and budding fruit trees.
• Fruit picking of fruit trees.
• And any height work with safely.

Intellectual property status

Protected by invention patent P201630499

Current development status

The device is in the market validation phase.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement; License agreement; Technical cooperation: further development; Technical cooperation: testing new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs

New and innovative aspects

The novel aspect and that gives added value to the product compared to other commercial solutions is the optimization algorithm used which is where it resides the innovation of the software developed. This algorithm is the result of an extensive and profound work, since not all methods are equally good and therefore the development of a suitable algorithm is critical in obtaining good solutions.

Main advantages of its use

Among others the use of this system has the following advantages:

• Easy to use
• Fast calculation
• Cost reduction
• Reduced CO2 emissions and Sustainability
• Improved customer service level (with the consequent improvement of image)
• Adapting to different objectives, conditions and / or restrictions
• Helps decision making

Specifications

The developed system offers a user friendly visual environment, easily manageable. Basically manage the following elements:

• Data entry, which can be done by file or interactively
• Optimization algorithms to suggest the most appropriate solutions
• Data output: Full Road map with all the information.
• A GIS (Geographic Information System) to display more convenient locations (warehouses, customers, suppliers, etc.), roads, and routes learned.

Applications

This software has application in the field of route optimization in companies or entities interested in solving their problems of Logistic and Transportation planning (delivery to customers or delegations, collection suppliers, etc.). One area of particular interest is in the Logistics Industry, and specifically in the field of logistics operators that are a very important actors in this industry.

Intellectual property status

Protected by Intelectual Property BU-117-15.

Current development status

Kit avalaible for testing. Demo Test is avalaible as well.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement, License agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The main novelty is the accumulation of kinetic power through a pneumatic regenerative braking system instead of an electrical one, as usually occurs in mainly all the similar technologies nowadays.

It uses simpler and cheaper elements, fact that decreases manufacturing and maintenance costs.

Main advantages of its use

• Possibility to be joined, as a "kit" to any bike model, from mountain bikes to city ones (the set of mechanisms associated with this process are inside the rear wheel).
• Facilitates displacement going uphill sections or high effort through the consumption of the stored energy.

Specifications

Bicycle with the purpose of use the energy lost in braking process to dispose of it when necessary, similar to KERS cars racing applied to cycling. This converts the kinetic energy of the user and his bike in pressure by compressing atmospheric air to an engine / rotary vane pump and stores it in a tank of carbon fibre.

When user needs extra power, turns the accelerator and the system delivers the energy stored in the reservoir to the compressor, so it does motor functions.

This device includes an electro-hydro- pneumatic control system that implements the regenerative brake, non-regenerative brake and accelerator functions.

Applications

Users who want simultaneous access to a conventional or impulse bicycle according to the effort requested in each section of the journey.

Users with special needs for moving.

Intellectual property status

Protected by PCT/ES2016/070534.

Current development status

Proof of concept.

Desired business relationship

Trade Agreement, License Agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The technology provides:

- a real and exact orientation of fibers inside matrix

- a numeric objective valoration of the data

- a global and local interpretation. It is possible to obtain parameters from different parts of the composite (edges, center, etc..)

- a non-destructive and economic measurement, CT-scan testings are cheaper than mechanical testings

Main advantages of its use

Our procedure is almost totally automatized. The routine is easy to use, extremely accurate and the results can be obtained in a short period of time. The error level on fiber orientations is extremely low. This can help companies to know the quality of their manufacturing process.

This technology can ensure small and medium enterprises a quantum leap in productivity and competitiveness. Improvements in product quality, to have more objective information manufacturing processes in real time for analysis and decision making, improved inspection cycles, improved product design, etc.

Specifications

Using a single algorithm implemented into a mathematical analysis software (MATLAB, OCTAVE, SCILAB or similar) all post-processing processes of the tomographic scans are automated.The segmentation of the fibres is more accurate because this method uses a predictive detection technique that clusters the spatial points into different fibres to subsequently obtain the fibre orientations into space.

The fact of using a predictive technique, i.e. predict the position of the group of points which are in the same fibre, makes it possible to separate points belonging to different fibres, even there is small distance between them. Clustering the points belonging to a single fibre, the dominant orientation of each of these fibres can be determined automatically using the interpolation line of the points.The entire process is grouped into a single algorithm. Tolerance criteria are introduced as an input value. So, the accuracy of the analysis protocol.

Applications

This technology is useful to all industrial companies related to fiber reinforced composite, when fibers show a different value of density compared to matrix. So, it is possible to identify separetely the fibers from the matrix, for instance in automotive and aeronautical companies, construction companies that use fiber reinforced concretes, etc..

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent PCT/EP2013/067219

Current development status

In use, test results available.

Desired business relationship

Trade Agreement, License Agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

Being able to monitor movements in large structures, such as bridges for road and / or rail traffic, among others, is essential to know their status and define in a more efficient and economical way the maintenance actions to be carried out to maintain the maximum levels of safety by structural aging processes with optimal resource consumption. The technical problem to be solved is how to measure, accurately and economically, the movements experienced by a construction structure.

The proposed solution, which is more efficient and less costly than it is currently available, allows obtaining very useful information on the state of structures, in order to be able to design structural maintenance tasks more efficiently and thus avoid catastrophic damage to them.

Main advantages of its use

• Continuous monitoring of movements over time.
• High precision of displacement measurement.
• Low cost of production and installation.
• Sensors located so that the environmental and lighting conditions are favorable.
• Real-time data analysis.

Specifications

The displacement meter has a measurement set with a fixed reference and another with a moving reference. Each of said measurement assemblies includes at least one target element and a laser displacement transducer pointed towards said target element. The laser displacement transducer is adapted to measure distance variations with respect to the corresponding target element, where said distance variations are generated by vertical movements in the constructive structure to be monitored. The device is characterized in that the target element and the laser displacement transducer are arranged on the constructive structure, where the target element is the fixed reference and the laser displacement transducer is the mobile reference.

The installation of the sensors is carried out by specialized personnel, in collaboration with the personnel involved in these functions of the contracting company. The tests and monitoring take place on site, with specialized personnel from the University of Burgos in charge of carrying out the entire process traveling to the site.

Applications

• Large-scale civil works structures, such as bridges for road and / or rail traffic.
• Industrial structures.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P201830539

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement, License Agreement, Technical Cooperation: further development; Technical Cooperation: testing new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

These new materials have the advantage of providing good physical properties and to facilitate naked eye detection of the chemical species in water solution, or to quantify these species by processing the colour parameters of digital photographs. Moreover, mobile phone can take the picture and automatically process it for giving the accurate concentration of these species.

Main advantages of its use

• The polymeric film changes its color upon entering into contact with water containing the chemical species (target) allowing for rapid and in-situ qualitative and quantitative analysis.
• The sensory system can be used by non-specialized personnel and under any ambient conditions). Quick analyses can be carried out without any equipment or energy source.
• The use of expensive equipment reagents is avoided.
• The sensory material is extremely stable (over 100 years).
• It is light and dimensionless and, accordingly, can be easily transported and no additional kit is needed.
• The material can detect iron in free form or in complex form, e.g., in wine and in blood serum.
• It can be stored anywhere where there is no extreme environmental conditions.
• Does not require the use of personal protective equipment (gloves, glasses, etc.)

Specifications

Polymer membrane based on two commercial biocompatible monomers, a sensory monomer, and a crosslinker. The film is colorless and transparent.

The sensory material detects selectively iron, aluminum and mercury. It turns dark green upon entering into contact with iron, deep orange with mercury, and in the presence of aluminum becomes fluorescent.

Moreover, quantification can be carried out using digital parameters (RGB) of a photograph taken with a digital camera or using a smart phone.

In addition to this, the material is highly handable both in dry and water-swelled state.

Applications

• Detection of Legionella in cooling towers and evaporative condensers.
• Iron chlorosis in orchards and vineyards. An in-situ, costless and rapid measurement shows if soils have the correct iron content, showing whether the soil is suitable or need to be treated.
• Wastewater and drinking water treatment plants use daily large amounts of coagulants (salts of iron and aluminum). Therefore, there is a real risk of water contamination by these components. This risk can be deeply diminished by using this detector.
• Piping in industry. All systems containing iron pipes exhibit a corrosion risk and in paralled a contamination hazard. The formation of iron oxides causes problems in industrial processes that depend directly on quality of the water flowing through these pipes. Similarly, boiler systems have also this problem.

Intellectual property status

Protected by Patent P201400595

Current development status

In use, test results available

Desired business relationship

Trade Agreement, License Agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs

New and innovative aspects

It is possible to obtain relevant information about our predecessors’ way of life through the teeth image analysis. Mainly the age, nutrition problems during its growth and the diet can be estimated. Thus, it is possible to make guesses about its life, behaviour and environment.

The new analysis method uses semi-automatic image treatment modules. This avoids the human mistakes often committed during this analysis based in a repetitive process.

For each module, marks and indicators of feed or growth problems are identified in a semi-automatic way instead of current solutions. Now an image treatment is needed with a posterior identification and analysis.

Main advantages of its use

• Semi-automatic teeth surface images analysis
• Increase of dental analysis speed.
• Decrease of analysis mistakes.
• Decrease of analysis duration.

It is important to remark that this analysis do not substitute the professionals who are essential to get results, but erases the possibility of getting human mistakes in repetitive tasks.

Specifications

Semi-automatic software that has various modules to obtain information from a dental analysis:

• Age estimation. In first place, a reconstruction of the global image of the teeth is done from various microscopic frames.

In second place, an analysis of the marks in the teeth are made, obtaining what’s known as the perikymata rings. The thickness of those rings, is characteristic for each specie and informs about the age or problems during growth.

• Estimation of feeding problems. In this case, a selection of the upper and lower mandibles is made from a radiography, separating them by a spline. A posterior image processing, locates the teeth separation to distinguish it. Further analysis is made detecting scratches.
• Diet estimation. In this case, the image is treated and relevant lines are traced to detect marks and estimate hominids diet.

Applications

Palaeontological teeth analysis. It could also be usable in forensic odontology. More data could be required in this second case.

Intellectual property status

Intellectual property registered BU-75-17, BU-76-17 and BU-77-17.

Current development status

Continuously improving software.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement; License agreement; Technical cooperation: further development; Technical cooperation: testing new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

This installation for the treatment of wastewater is based on membrane bioreactors and consists of four stages of which three are biological treatment (one suspended culture bioreactor and two attached culture bioreactors), and a filtration stage.

The "sludge blanket” bioreactor is a tank where the microorganisms that biodegrade the organic material present in the wastewater form a suspended culture of biomass composed of granules and flocs. The "attached culture” bioreactors are those where the water to be treated comes into contact with adhered films of microorganisms, in this case to the surfaces of the disordered materials present in the said tanks.

Main advantages of its use

• Maintains high concentrations of active biomass.
• The concentration of suspended solids is low in the filtration stage.
• The fouling of the filter membranes of the installation is reduced.
• The volume of carrier material is limited.
• The performance and effectiveness of the installation is improved.

Specifications

The installation for the treatment of wastewater characterized by being made up of four stages, three of biological treatment (1, 2, 3) and one of filtration. The first stage of biological treatment (1) houses in its interior an inert filling material where the microorganisms responsible for the biological treatment of wastewater form biofilms. The second stage of biological treatment (2) includes a suspended culture of the sludge blanket type where the microorganisms responsible for the biological treatment of the wastewater from stage (1) are housed, and allows maintaining a high concentration of active biomass with a minimum construction cost. The third stage of biological treatment (3) has in its interior filling material suitable for retaining biomass leaking from sludge blanket (2). This stage has a protective function of the membranes of the filtration tank and allows to agregated the flocs of microorganisms carried by the upward flow of water and degassing defects of the main bioreactor. The filtration stage (4) houses submerged ultrafiltration membrane modules. This filtration tank also has a gas sparging system.

Applications

Potential applications of the installation are as follow:

• Industrial wastewater treatment
• Urban wastewater treatment

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P202130509

Current development status

Device already developed and validated for industrialization.

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement, License Agreement, Technical Cooperation: further development; Technical Cooperation: testing new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The innovative aspects it presents are:

• It has an integrated heat collection using phase change materials (PCM)

• The patented concept makes the design easily scalable and adaptable, unlike other panels.

• The phase change material is heated both by the radiation transmitted from the photovoltaic panel and by the heat pipe, this supposes an optimized heat transmission.

• Use of non-polluting materials

Main advantages of its use

The main advantages of its use

• Allows the simultaneous generation of heat and electricity. It also allows the storage of the thermal energy generated.

• It allows increasing the value of thermal energy generated, being able to vary the heat / electricity ratio adjusting it to the needs of each specific application.

• It allows to be able to use the heat when it is necessary, although the solar radiation is reduced.

• The solar panel allows an improved energy efficiency compared to other known panels, thanks to the extra cooling that is provided to the photovoltaic panel, with the phase change material.

• The design allows the residual energy in the form of heat to be used to heat the collector fluid and the phase change material, achieving a very high overall efficiency, up to 60-70%, or even higher.

• It allows the generation of two energy resources through the same device, not requiring the installation of two panels (photovoltaic and thermal) to generate energy. The need to use fewer supporting structures reduces the cost of installation.

For practical purposes, the use of this panel implies:

• An increase in electrical energy: + 15%

• Generation of hot water (or air)

• Space saving (2x1)

• Optimization and great overall performance of the panel

• Cost savings: structure, collector, fuel

• Maintenance is not required

Specifications

Hybrid solar panel designed to achieve better heat storage in low light energy conditions, comprising a photovoltaic panel, a thermal collector arranged on the face of the photovoltaic panel, opposite to solar radiation and a phase change material. The thermal collector is embedded in the phase change material, the mentioned thermal collector is arranged in correspondence with the face of the photovoltaic panel, opposite the one that receives solar radiation. A heat pipe, closed at both ends, in correspondence with the face of the thermal collector opposite the photovoltaic panel, allows the evaporation and condensation of the fluid that it houses inside. At least a portion of the heat pipe is in contact with the phase change material and another portion of the heat pipe receives solar radiation.

Applications

The Hybrid Solar Kit can be used in general in:

• Hotels

• Nursing homes

• Sports centers

• Farms

• Industry

• Hospitals

• Residential buildings

• Single-family homes.

In addition, the advantages and technology of this panel make it suitable to be installed in confined places such as:

• Mobile homes,

• Boats,

• Construction huts,

• Portable offices

Intellectual property status

Protected by Patent P201930047

Current development status

They have several prototypes as well as an installation that allows testing with different operating conditions.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement; License agreement; Technical cooperation: further development; Technical cooperation: testing new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

Currently existing devices for emergency evacuation in buildings mainly include controlled descent devices, escape chutes and different parachute systems, the latter based on the resistance that its components offer to air.

The innovative aspect of this life-saving device is in its design that uses an inflatable system based primarily on aerodynamic drag forces. The inflation gas is nitrogen which density is somewhat lower than air, so that the flotation effect is very small.Main advantages of its use

Main advantages of its use

- Can be used by adults. If there are children or elderly disabled, the device can be used in tandem accompanied by another person with normal faculties.

- It allows a controlled descent.

- It does not require that the user have prior knowledge as in the case of parachute, or make any control on the device.

- Its use does not require excessive high buildings.

Specifications

The device takes the form of hollow bell and the shape is achieved by the swelling inside with nitrogen from the ignition of pyrotechnic cartridges sodium azide, located in the backpack.

Due to the fact that the space is not empty, but is filled with air, it will present a resistance to be crossed, which causes the falling speed reaches a value of dynamic equilibrium between forces of Earth's gravity, aerodynamics resistence forces and buoyancy forces by density difference with air.

Applications

Device that can be part of the security system and evacuation of buildings in case of emergency. It could also be used for recreational and sporting purposes.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P201200639

Current development status

Functional prototypes

Desired business relationship

Trade Agreement, License Agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

The main novelty of the present method is the use of poliols (pinacol o glycerol) as reducing agent, that implies several advantages over traditional methodologies for the reduction of sulfoxides to the corresponding sulfides. Thus, clasical reducing agents for this transformation encompass sulfur-containing compounds such as thiols, hydrogen sulfide; carbodithionic, thiophosphonic or thiophosphoric acids, sulfonyl or sulfinyl chloride, disulfides, elemental sulfur (S8) and thionyl chloride. However, this methods present certain disadvantages that make necessary the development of new alternatives.

Main advantages of its use

Main disadvantages of known methods are related to reaction conditions not compatible with the presence in the molecule of sensitive functional groups. Moreover, many methods generate byproducts that are difficult to separate from the final product, making neccesary tedious and costly purification stages to obtain pure products. Furthermore, most byproducts, reducing agents and solvents are toxic and environmentally harmfull.

Nevertheless, the procedure for the reduction of sulfoxides reported in the present invention is based in the use as reducing agent of pinacol or glycerol, an easily available and easy to handle compound which generates easily removable and enviromentally friendly byproducts and allows the isolation in high yields of high purity sulfides without the need of costly and tedious chromathographic purification procedures. Moreover no inert atmosphere or organic solvents are needed, with the consequent economic and enviromental benefits.

Specifications

The present invention relates to a procedure for the catalytic reduction of organic compounds that contain a sulfoxide functional group to sulfide compounds, that include a thioether functional group, by using pinacol (2,3-dimethyl-2,3-butanediol) or glycerol (propanotriol) as reducing agent in the presence of a Mo (VI) catalyst, in a solvent free reaction media, under atmospheric pressure and a temperature between 80-90 ºC using pinacol, or 170-200ºC using glycerol, generating as non-toxic and easily separable byproducts.

Applications

The technic allows the synthesis of compounds containing sulfur in their structure, that can show diverse already demonstrated propierties (drugs, pesticides, materials,…). Therefore, applications in pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries.

Intellectual property status

P201001413, P201200455

Current development status

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement

New and innovative aspects

This technology allows the design of smart tags that inform consumers of the quality and freshness of fish by a colour scale.

Labels can be applied as fabrics, fiber coatings, or films.

Regarding another innovative aspect in relation to other technologies is that the tags can be presented in different formats depending on the needs, allowing the coating of other polymeric and non-polymeric materials by conventional means, by printing, or other known methods.

Main advantages of its use

• Determination of quality and freshness of packaged fish through a simple colored scale
• Manufacture of the polymeric material is simple and very economical
• Versatility of manufacture in different shapes and sizes

Specifications

Polymeric material comprising a polymer with chemically anchored trinitrobenzene groups. The use of this material as a colorimetric sensor for amines.

This material, i.e., the sensor material, can be obtained or transformed into membranes, films, fibers or coatings by conventional means.

The polymer material changes its color if the medium contains primary and secondary or tertiary amines, both in solution and gas phase; the color development, or change, is clearly perceptible at the nake eye.

The application of these sensors can be for sensing both solutions and gaseous phases.

Applications

• Food quality and safety: Determining the quality of fish through color of labels incorporated into the package itself.
• Manufacture of smart textiles able to determine biogenic amines in work environments (prevention risk)

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent protection: P201400595

Current development status

In use, test results available

Desired business relationship

Trade Agreement, License Agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs

New and innovative aspects

The development of a device is proposed for a system for learning a language based on the use of pieces, for blind or visually impaired people. The device represents an innovative structure, with structural and constitutive characteristics unknown until now. This allows the learning of Chinese through the Western Braille System (six dots). In addition, the method includes a braille book, a tactile dictionary and a support for writing the characters.

Main advantages of its use

• Lets you apply a Chinese learning method for blind or visually impaired people.
• Enhances the senses of touch and hearing.
• The use of a system of pieces facilitates the learning of Chinese.
• The method is written in the Western Braille System, so there isn’t need for users to learn the Eastern Braille System.

Specifications

The device for a language learning system based on the use of a plurality of parts, for blind or visually impaired people, comprises a plurality of panels grouped together. Each one of the panels is configured to locate a plurality of pieces arranged in rows and columns. Additionally, a removable cover placed on top can be included.

Each one of the panels includes graphic inscriptions as numbers and / or letters of the alphabet, generating alphanumeric coordinates, so that it can facilitate the implementation of the learning method for the user.

Applications

• Device that allows applying a learning method for blind or visually impaired people to learn Chinese in a simple way.
• User can translate phrases from Western Braille to Mandarin Chinese.

Intellectual property status

Protected by Utility Model U202130050

Current development status

Device in conceptual phase

Desired business relationship

Commercial Agreement, License Agreement, Technical Cooperation: further development; Technical Cooperation: testing new applications; Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.