Universidad de Burgos

New and innovative aspects

In various fields the method has demonstrated its robustness and good results, obtaining fewer errors in the prediction than the alternatives considered.

Main advantages of its use

Prediction, whether classification or regression, is useful in countless fields. Applications where the method has already been used include diagnosis industrial, medical diagnosis, bioinformatics, performance prediction (of industrial components, students ...)

Specifications

The proposed method is based on the techniques of combining models (ensembles). The models to be combined can be classification or regression models. In particular, in Rotation Forest the combined models are decision trees or regression. It is now accepted that better results are possible combining models than using a single model, both because of the theoretical properties of these combinations and because of the wide number of applications where they have been shown to be useful.

Applications

- Industrial diagnosis. The method has been used to monitor the quality of lubricating oils, since these degrade with use. To determine the relationships between soil properties and the deterioration of mechanical pipes. To establish the state of structures.
- Prediction of returns. The method has been used to predict the power generated by wind turbines.
- Medical diagnosis. The method has been used to analyze functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). These types of images are used to locate brain functions. Other applications are the diagnosis of erythematous squamous diseases or epilepsy. Also for the classification of cancer from microarrays.
- Bioinformatics. It has been used for the classification of genomic and proteomic data, for the annotation of promoter genes, for the prediction of the folding of proteins and interactions between them, prediction of molecular drug properties.
- Teaching. It has been used to identify students with learning difficulties.
- Financial. The method has been applied in predicting bankruptcies and customer risk; for municipal revenue predictio

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement for data processing and technical studies

New and innovative aspects

- Promotion of people's autonomy
- Prevention of dependency
- Taking advantage of time, lucidity and playful enjoyment of various learning
- Integration of motivational resources in individualized attention programs
- Monitoring systems on the use, adaptation and improvement of resources, with the direct participation of the user
- Connection with the current reality and the promotion of the use of ICT among the elderly

Main advantages of its use

Starting from the analysis of the specific needs of each group, planning objectives are set in the design of the training program and learning resources.It is taken as a motivating base from the knowledge, values ​​and skills of the users, to have an adequate integration of the means used, to take advantage of the greatest possible simplicity and the playful values ​​in its practical application by the users and to carry out a methodical monitoring of its effects and use to achieve continuous improvement in the quality of its processes and results.

Specifications

These are ICT applications and activities related to them based on knowledge of the realities and specific needs of their recipients.They are custom-built based on the precise situation to be addressed, counting, in any case, on a common pedagogical structure, so that they can be applied within specific training activities based on learning by doing active and participatory aging.

Applications

Companies, associations and public and private institutions, linked to the training, care, stimulation and / or residence of people belonging to the different groups of the elderly, under adaptation to their geographical and personal, mental and physical conditions, as well as activities own that said entities perform in the provision of their services. Including intervention programs "at a distance", for example, in the geographical area of the rural environment and its local development under the aspect of the participation of the elderly.

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 are other data visualization methods, but most of them do not providea simple and intuitive way to identify the structure and analyze the behavior of thedata.
In this way, analysis times are reduced and preliminary results are obtained thatthey can guide later, more in-depth analyzes.

Main advantages of its use

By offering a projection that preserves most of the information in the data, maximizing the possibility of enhancing the structure of the data, a subsequent rapid analysis of the data is allowed. In the first place, the general structure of the data set can be identified, detecting their grouping (different types of customers, product groups, behavior of the analyzed machines, stages or regions of operation of the different processes ...). Once this general structure is known, it is possible to proceed to a detailed analysis of each of these groups, considering their internal structure. With all this, you can easily carry out an analysis of the data, drawing conclusions about them when interpreted by an expert in the field (factors that affect customer behavior, star products or with less success, optimal values adjustment of a certain machine, understanding of certain processes).

Specifications

Currently there is such a large amount of information that it cannot be easily processed to extract knowledge from it. An exhaustive analysis, on a case-by-case basis, would push the analysis of a large number of data that is captured today to unapproachable limits. These can refer to statistics of purchases of our clients, characteristics of different products, records of a certain machine or system, samples of a certain industrial process, etc. The projectionist models propose a data visualization with these characteristics; a large volume and also a high dimensionality (large amount of information for each of the customers, products, records, samples ...).

Applications

These models can be applied to any data set that needs to beanalyzed, regardless of the reality to which these data refer.Some application examples are those mentioned above: economic data, production data, operating or access statistics, etc.

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

Flexible configuration of the activities in the room including the surrounding music, lighting control, etc. Patients database. Portable software to be used in any computer without installation.

Main advantages of its use

Cost, flexibility.

Specifications

It includes a hardware control card to be attached to a computer and a portable software application programme. Up to 8 stages can be included and easily configured.

Specifications

It includes a hardware control card to be attached to a computer and a portable software application programme. Up to 8 stages can be included and easily configured.

Current development status

In Use Testing 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

Europe, led by Italy, France and Spain, is the world's largest producer and exporter of wine. This is due, in part, to the high quality of the final product and the high number of controls that are carried out. Among the latter, the measurements of pH, colour, biomolecules and metals stand out. Within this group is copper, and although it occurs in small quantities, this element is essential for proper fermentation of the must to take place. In this context, researchers from the University of Burgos have developed a polymeric material that is capable of interacting with copper and, through a simple photograph, provide both quickly easily the concentration of this metal.
It is important to control the levels of this element throughout the fermentation of the wine to avoid/detect the "cupric bankruptcy" that causes a decrease in the quality and safety of the wine for consumers.

Main advantages of its use

The reference method to determine the concentration of copper in wine and must samples is Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy or Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Compared to these methods, the developed material has a number of advantages:
- The polymer, when interacting with copper, generates a colour change and the concentration value can be quantified by means of a photograph. This makes this method simple and does not require highly specialized personnel to carry out the measurement.
- The only necessary equipment is a smartphone to take the picture, while the equipment for reference techniques is extraordinarily expensive.

Specifications

The polymer was prepared by radical reaction starting from the previously functionalized monomer. The material was synthesized in the form of a film, and it was verified that it generates a colorimetric response in the presence of copper (I).
Tests carried out in the laboratory allowed us to determine that the detection limit is 0.08 ppm. The measurement procedure is as follows:
- The film is introduced into the sample together with pH 5 buffer.
- After 12 hours, the film is removed and washed with water.
- A photograph is taken together with a colour chart and, through the mobile application registered by this same Colorimetric Titration group, the corresponding concentration value is obtained.

Applications

The measurement material and method have proven to be suitable for determining copper levels in wine musts. The measurement is faster, cheaper and does not require specialized equipment.

Intellectual property status

Protected by a patent P202231015

Current development status

Research or Experimental

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

Application of microencapsulation to control the function and action of the enzymes involved in cheese ripening and shorten processing times.
The addition of encapsulated enzymes eliminates the problems associated with the direct addition (loss of enzyme in serum, bad distribution, reduced performance and quality alteration cheese) allowing a gradual and control action, reducing time maturation and therefore giving a quicker exit of the product to market.

Main advantages of its use

Application of microencapsulation to control the function and action of the enzymes involved in cheese ripening and shorten processing times. The addition of encapsulated enzymes eliminates the problems associated with the direct addition (loss of enzyme in serum, bad distribution, reduced performance and quality alteration cheese) allowing a gradual and control action, reducing time maturation and therefore giving a quicker exit of the product to market.

Specifications

The cheese maturation process represents an important percentage of the total costs related to the cheese production. In order to reduce these costs, there have been numerous attempts to accelerate the process without taste or texture detriment (temperature rise of maturation, increasing population of starters and addition of exogenous enzymes ...). The initial success of the enzyme treatments is reduced both by the loss of the enzyme in the serum and early changes of aroma and flavor. In this respect, the technology of immobilized enzymes has been proposed as a tool which can overcome these difficulties. It aims to optimize the conditions of detention of proteases and lipases by microencapsulation in different supports and to investigate the effect of encapsulated enzymes on cheese maturation process.

Applications

This technique is aimed at the Food sector, especially for those cheese producing companies.

Relación comercial deseada

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

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 PCT/ES2017/070034

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.

Aspectos nuevos e innovadores

La principal innovación es el hecho de que la iluminación de ciertos reactivos halogenados en presencia de estas aminas provoca una fluorescencia intensa que es detectable mediante un espectrofluorímetro, cuya intensidad de emisión se correlaciona con la concentración de las aminas terciarias.

Otro aspecto importante es que se posibilita la detección de aminas terciarias independientemente de la procedencia de las muestras (orina, saliva, sangre, suero..). Por otro lado permite la discriminación de drogas operando en un amplio rango de concentraciones, sin interferir con otras drogas o con aminas no terciarias, evitando técnicas de extracción y separación complejas.

Principales ventajas derivadas de su utilización

• Kit analítico portátil para realizar medidas in situ.
• No requiere personal especializado.
• Alta sensibilidad a la detección y cuantificación.
• Permite determinar una gran variedad de contaminantes o sustancias tóxicas (aminas terciarias).
• Método más económico en relación a las técnicas utilizadas en la actualidad.

Características técnicas

Método para la determinación por fluorescencia emitida de aminas terciarias en muestras acuosas a través de reactivos que utilizan pigmentos basados en xantenos halogenados, cuando estos son iluminados por una lámpara halógena.

Aplicaciones

El kit o dispositivo se puede emplear, entre otras, para la detección de sustancias de interés como por ejemplo en la cuantificación de drogas como opiáceos y sus derivados, pudiéndose emplear, por tanto, para la detección y cuantificación de heroína.

Otros ámbitos de interés serían:

• Ámbito Alimentario: detección e identificación y cuantificación de sustancias tóxicas o contaminantes.
• Ámbito Agropecuario (subsectores agrícola, ganadero y apicultor): controles de seguridad alimentaria para animales y humanos.
• Ámbito Médico: diagnósticos de urgencia en centros hospitalarios, controles en centros de desintoxicación, etc.
• Ámbito Cosmético: detección de sustancias tóxicas en industria cosmética.
• Ámbito Seguridad Vial: prevención de consumo de estupefacientes, control de la seguridad de la red viaria.
• Ámbito Legal: control de tráfico de estupefacientes o drogas de abuso ilegales.

Propiedad Intelectual

Protegido mediante PCT/ES2017/070034

Estado actual de desarrollo

Kit disponible para testar.

Relación deseada

Acuerdo comercial, Acuerdo de licencia, Cooperación técnica: un mayor desarrollo, Cooperación Técnica: testar nuevas aplicaciones; Cooperación Técnica: adaptación a necesidades específicas.

New and innovative aspects

Conventional methods, to reduce the bitterness in citrus juices, involve not only the removal of the bitter compounds (naringin and limonin), but also bioactive components (organic acids, flavonoids, limonoids…) from the juice. In this regard, biotechnological methods, either isolated enzymes or whole cells, are an interesting alternative way to remove bitterness, without affecting the nutritional and healthy properties
(antioxidants…) of the processed juice. Furthermore, the technology of enzyme immobilization onto or into solid supports improves catalytic activity and resistance to denaturation, and the possibility of enzyme separation from reaction mixtures and/or the reuse and the ability to operate continuously.

Main advantages of its use

The use of soluble enzymes in citrus juice processing presents several advantages as such reaction specificity, mild operating conditions and without contaminant effects (green technology). Nevertheless, in spite of the unquestionable advantages, there exist a number of practical problems in the use of soluble enzymes in such as their inactivation at the acidic pH conditions or their high cost. Immobilizing the enzyme on solid supports allows the modification of its catalytic properties, higher stability, prevention of contamination of the processed product, the reuse of catalytic activity, and the possibility of processing in continuous.

Specifications

Enzymes can be immobilized on various supports (ionic exchangers, polymers…) either by physical adsorption, covalent binding or entrapment.
Immobilization of enzymes is known to offer several advantages such as ease of separation from a reaction mixture and repeated use in continuous processes, enabling greater control over catalytic processes and process economics. Moreover, the use of an immobilized enzyme permits to greatly simplify the design of the reactor and the control of the reaction.

Applications

This technique is aimed at the Food sector, especially for those juice manufacturers.

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

Technological processes that are used to eliminate or reduce alcohol in wine require intensive practices and equipment that are not available to all wineries. As a generalisation, these processes tend to involve expensive equipment and the sensory quality of the wine is not always satisfactory. An alternative biotechnological approach is to use glucose oxidase (GOX) immobilized in solid support. The enzyme immobilization technique allows manipulation of the characteristics of enzyme catalysis and becoming active at the acidic pH of must. Furthermore, the operational stability of the enzymes is improved, as well as reuse and the ability to operate continuously.

Main advantages of its use

The use of soluble enzymes in wine processing presents several advantages as such reaction specificity, mild operating conditions and without contaminant effects (green technology). Nevertheless, in spite of the unquestionable advantages, there exist a number of practical problems in the use of soluble glucose-oxidase in the must such as their inactivation at the acidic pH conditions or their high cost. Immobilizing the enzyme on solid supports allows the modification of its catalytic properties (optimum pH), higher stability, prevention of contamination of the processed product, the reuse of catalytic activity, and the possibility of processing in continuous.

Specifications

The wine industry has developed and evaluated different strategies to reduce the ethanol content in wine mantaining a good quality of the final product. An biotechnological alternative is the treatment of must with glucose oxidase to reduce its fermentable sugar content, thereby reducing the ethanol content in the final product of fermentation without altering its quality parameters. However, the activity of the glucose-oxidase is reduced to the wort pH values. In this sense, it is developping the preparation of immobilized glucose oxidase active and stable to acidic pH values, with good operational stability, as well as with favorable mechanical and chemical properties that allow their reuse, and its application in winemaking low alcohol content.

Applications

This technique is aimed at the Food sector, especially for those wine producing companies.

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

Smart material is designed to save costs and time on reagents, lab material and personnel. The material allows not only qualitative but quantitative detection as well. This quantification can be obtained by means of conventional spectrophotometry equipment or by RGB parametres calibration on a digital picture of the membrane.

Main advantages of its use

- Qualitative and quantitative analysis "IN SITU "
- Change easily distinguishable color- Can be used by non-qualified personnel and under all weather conditions (as long as the water is going to analyze liquid )
- No cables or batteries required
- Allows a quick glance analysis- Avoid the use of equipment spectrometry expensive
- No reagents required for analysis
- As an organic polymer expiry date of the product is superior to 100 years
- Easily transported in an envelope, briefcase or without test kit
- Direct measurement without additional equipment
- Acts as detector of iron, aluminum and mercury separately. In the presence of iron changes to dark green in the presence of mercury switch to deep orange, and in the presence of aluminum becomes fluorescent-Behavior gel. Swelling in water, thus allowing the detection of the elements present in the medium in which it is immersed .
- High selectivity towards iron. The attraction with iron is very strong (K = 1040 , which can detect free iron and iron complexed in the case of wine and blood serum .
- Can be stored anywhere that does not involve some extreme environmental conditions- Does not require the use of protective measures ( gloves, goggles, etc. )

Specifications

Polymer membrane film based on two commercial biocompatible monomers polymerization, one sensor monomer and one crosslinking.The film presents an almost incolore feature. When submerged on acqueus iron media, the film abruptly changes to a dark green. If the media is contaminated with mercury of aluminum the film changes to an orange colour or fluorescent respectively. Additionally to this, it maintains excellent mechanical properties both dry and wet.

Applications

1. Cooling towers / evaporative condensers . Legionella . Legionella is a bacterium that produces significant health problems, even death, to those individuals who have their infection. The main point of growth of these bacteria in cooling systems and in particular industrial and humidification. This requires monitoring the presence of iron in these systems since an excess helps the grow1th / o2f the bacteria.

2. Sowing Fruit and Vine. Iron chlorosis . Iron chlorosis is a disease that affects the leaves due to iron deficiency in the soil for
planting. With a simple measurement can control their soils are rich in iron can even know what soil is suitable for planting.

3. EDAR and ETAP . Anticoagulants Iron and Aluminum . In sewage treatment plants and sewage treatment plants for drinking water are used daily and in large quantities based coagulants salts of iron and aluminum. Therefore, there is a real risk of contamination of water by these metals. This risk can be eliminated by our detector film, and when we would know if they are contaminated.

4. Industrial / process piping construction . Corrosion . In all systems containing iron pipes there is a danger that corrosion occurs and pollutes the water flowing through these circuits. The formation of these rusts causes problems in industrial processes that depend directly on the water supplied by these pathways. Similarly boiler systems or flow in this type of water eventually wear is stored so that the pipes have to be replaced.

Intellectual property status

Patented for the University of Burgos. P201300575.

Current development status

Working Prototype or Samples Ready for Testing

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 and Innovative aspects: the product is obtained for minimal processing of the masses of vinification, it is not an extract, therefore, is a natural product that in addition to seasoning and preservative, it is multiple source of bioactive compounds in grapes as are polyphenols, fiber, potassium and other minerals.

Main advantages of its use

The product has a value "per se" because it is 100% "natural", obtained by minimal processing with low power consumption and virtually no water, helps reduce carbon footprint of wine production, reduce waste and thus increase the profitability of the process. Adds value to products through additional bioactive components and rich in potassium.

Specifications

Natural preservative and common salt substitute with "functional" properties.

Applications

Food industry in general, especially those that need to reduce salt levels in their products without losing stability or endanger conservation. In addition, the product is suitable for being applied in restaurants, in the preparation of dishes, tapas, etc. Possible limitation: products that allow the incorporation of "colored" solid products.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P201300555

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 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

Spain is the world's leading exporter in volume, with just over 2,300 million litres exported in 2021 and is responsible for 25% of wine production in Europe. The presence of sulphur compounds in wine causes the appearance of unpleasant odors, such as the smell of rotten eggs. The formation of these compounds represents one of the main reasons for complaints. Although methods for the determination of these compounds have been developed in recent years, the method developed at the University of Burgos is presented as a reference since it allows mercaptans to be quantified selectively without being in direct contact with the sample.

Main advantages of its use

The main advantages offered by this method are the following:
- Allows analysis to be carried out in the gas phase, reducing the number of interfering species and increasing selectivity.
- The sensor is not in direct contact with the wine, so it does not alter the product.
- No pre-treatment of the sample is required.
- The method is also characterized by its high sensitivity, its low cost and, due to its compact size, its portability.
For all these reasons, this methodology is positioned as one of the most suitable for the determination of mercaptans.

Specifications

Electrochemical measurements are performed using a potentiostat to which the CoPh-modified screen-printed device is connected, which has previously been immersed in a supporting electrolyte solution in such a way that it is pre-charged by adsorption. Amperometric measurements are subsequently made in the headspace of a sealed cell. Once a constant current is registered, a determined volume of the EtSH or wine solution is added to the cell, as appropriate, registering the corresponding increase in the registered current due to the oxidation process that takes place on the surface of the electrode. The current measured at the surface of the working electrode depends on the EtSH concentration in the cell.

The applicability of the developed method has been validated through truthfulness experiments, in which wines were analysed both in their original state and after the addition of a known amount of the analyte.

Applications

The main application of the developed sensors is in the wine industry as a technique for the determination of mercaptans. The analysis would make it possible to quantify these compounds throughout the winemaking process.
Additionally, this methodology could be widely implemented in the agro-food industry.

Intellectual property status

Protected by a patent P202231013

Current development status

Research or Experimental

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 methods for virus detection in food have several limitations, such as low representativeness of the sample, difficulty in isolating viruses from inside cells and the use of organic solvents that are harmful to the environment and health.
In view of this situation, the need to develop an efficient method for virus detection has become evident. The procedure described by researchers at the university of Burgos has made it possible to overcome these limitations. This method makes it possible to achieve greater efficiency in the concentration of viruses; it makes it possible to extract viruses from inside the cells of the sample; and it is a more environmentally friendly and safer method.

Main advantages of its use

• The method is able to extract viruses found both on the surface of the sample and inside the cells. In this way, both the viruses on the surface and inside the cells of the food can be quantified.
• This method does not use organic solvents, making it a more sustainable method than the current ones.
• Lower economic cost.
• Lower risk in the workplace.

Specifications

• Viruses capable of being detected by this method are viruses causing food-borne diseases such as, for example, hepatitis E virus.
• The sample is subjected a double lysis, which increases the amount of virus that can be isolated from a sample, resulting in an increase in the sensitivity of the subsequent extraction and detection steps.
• The method is easy to implement in a routine laboratory setting as only routine equipment present in any laboratory is required.

Applications

- Companies in the food sector.
- Public and private health sector.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P202230844

Current development status

Research or Experimental

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 role of both oxidative stress and natural antioxidants against the damaging effect of foods and against the pathogenesis of various diseases has led to the development of methods for assessing total antioxidant capacity and biomarkers of oxidative stress "in vitro" and "in vivo".
Many epidemiological evidences associate the consumption of vegetables and fruits with a lower incidence of chronic diseases related to oxidative stress, such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancer, etc. This fact, together with an increasing consumers’ concern for keeping healthy has lead us to search for bioactive compounds obtained from foods. However, it is known that the health benefits of these compounds depend on the intake and bioavailability, which can vary greatly depending on factors such as the matrix, processing, interaction with other compounds, chemical structure, etc. Thus, is important studies conducing to the evaluation of bioactive compounds and of their health preventive effects.

Main advantages of its use

• Evaluate the potential healtly effect of food and of extracts with antioxidant capacity.
• Revaluation of agro-industrial wastes for the production of natural antioxidants with applications in food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products.

Specifications

1. Determination of antioxidant and antiradical capacity of foods, beverages or vegetal extracts.
2. Evaluation "in vitro" of biomarkes of oxidative stress as indicators of the protective effect for bioactive compounds.
3. Determination of cell viability, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and ROS production.
4. Evaluation of molecular biomarkers related to oxidative stress in cellular and animal models: malondialdehyde, carbonyl groups, 8-OHdG, NO, NOs, enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase) and no enzymatic antioxidant (GSH/GSSG, thioredoxin).

Applications

This technology can be applied to design functional foods or for the revaluation a product with health claims. Applications for food and pharmaceutical industry.

Current development status

Research or Experimental

Desired business relationship

Technical Cooperation: adaptation to specific needs.

New and innovative aspects

Lipases (EC 3.1.1.3) constitute a very versatile group of enzymes due to the large number of reactions they catalyze, with the advantage of their ability to act selectively on different substrates. Additionally, the action of enzymes, in terms of efficiency and stability, can be improved by immobilization techniques. Through this technology, the enzyme is fixed to a support or microencapsulated, which generally allows its stability and catalytic efficiency to be increased by reducing the possibilities of denaturing modification of its three-dimensional conformation. In addition, there are other additional advantages, such as its reuse, the possibility of using continuous reactors, rapid completion of reactions, controlled product formation, the greater variety of engineering designs and the greater efficiency in reactions with successive stages.

Main advantages of its use

With this enzymatic technology, it is therefore possible to develop edible fats or oils with nutritional, organoleptic and thermal stability properties, for each culinary use. In this way, it is possible not only to obtain nutritional benefits in patients with specific requirements, but also to prevent the risk of morbidity and mortality due to some highly prevalent pathologies, such as cardiovascular diseases, through the consumption of oils designed with a specific stereochemistry.

Specifications

The food industry uses chemical and enzymatic modification procedures for fats and oils in order to improve their organoleptic and nutritional characteristics and/or stability against processing. Due to the fact that chemical processes have many limitations and drawbacks, the application of technologies that use enzymes appears very promising for the development of new types of fats and oils. The use of lipases has allowed, through biotechnological techniques, the obtaining of structured lipids with an established and constant stereochemistry.

Applications

This technique is aimed at the Food sector, especially aimed at the design of functional foods.

Current development status

Research or experimental

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 determination of cocaine has been carried out habitually using techniques very expensive chromatography. It is also a direct, fast, simple and inexpensive technique.

Main advantages of its use

The construction process by screen printing basically involves three stages consisting of the sequential deposition of the different inks and their subsequent curing. The first stage consists of the deposition of the graphite ink (Electrodag 407A) on the polyester substrate and its subsequent curing at 120 ºC for 30 min. The substrate, which already contains the motifs printed on it, is then properly aligned graphite ink, and the screen that defines the reference electrode. Ag / AgCl ink (Electrodag 6037 SS) is deposited, and cured under the same conditions.
Finally, and in order to define the electrochemically active area according to the design of figure 1, a last layer of an insulating ink is printed with the help of a third pattern, leaving free the upper part of the conductive bases of Ag to make the corresponding electrical connections.

Specifications

A device has been constructed containing three screen-printed electrodes. Two of the electrodes, silk-screened with carbon paste, will act as working electrodes, another silk-screened with an Ag / AgCl ink, it will act as a reference electrode and the third, also carbon, as a counter or auxiliary electrode.
Figure 1.- Designs made for the manufacture of the serigraphic sensors: auxiliary electrode (black), reference electrode (gray), working electrode (red).
Figure 2.- Images of the screens used in the construction of the serigraphic electrodes:
definition of the conductive paths and the working and auxiliary electrodes in carbon (A), definition of the reference electrode in Ag / AgCl (B) and definition of the insulating material (C).

Applications

Of great interest for the determination of this substance in routine controls of biological samples. Equally useful for determining the purity of drug samples.
Companies related to doping control.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P201000738

Current development status

Developed but not commercialized.

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

Using biocatalysts as an alternative to chemical treatment with alkaline lye. The debittering of olives using enzymes is a very interesting alternative compared to traditional chemical process since apart from the advantages in terms of reduced conditioning times and the overall costs of the process, also would decrease the environmental impact created by the use of NaOH.

Main advantages of its use

Researchers at the University of Burgos are developing a technology, based on the used of enzymes, directed to the removal of bitter compound oleuropein, as alternative to the use of alkali in the production of green table olives.

Specifications

Processing of green table olives consists of a treatment with an alkaline lye (NaOH) which causes loss of soluble constituents and nutrients responsible for the sensory properties of typical high quality olives. The aim of this biotechnological process is apply the enzyme technology for removing the bitterness due to oleuropein, avoiding the physical and chemical changes that the addition of NaOH produces, and, moreover, reduce fermentation times during the conditioning step.

Applications

This technique is aimed at the food industry, especially for companies producing of green table olives.

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

Chiral organic compounds with hydroxyl groups are important synthetic precursors of amino acids, alkaloids, carbohydrates, and other chiral compounds with possible biological and / or pharmacological activity. That is why one of the main challenges of current organic chemistry is the search for new efficient and clean synthesis procedures that allow access to chiral compounds. The novel procedure described by the UBU researchers makes it possible to obtain a new family of derivatives of (6-hydroxyphenyl)-N,N-diethyl-3-hydroxyalkylamides, which are not described in the literature and which are obtained as a single diastereoisomer. The pharmacological relevance of both chiral organic compounds and epoxides is demonstrated by the fact that they are found or precursors of numerous biologically active compounds or natural products.

Main advantages of its use

• The process that makes it possible to obtain a new family of derivatives of (6-hydroxyphenyl)-N,N-diethyl-3-hydroxyalkylamides is novel.
• The compounds are not described in the literature and are obtained as a single diastereoisomer.
• The process can also be carried out using chiral epoxides, thus making it possible to obtain the final products in an enantiospecific way.

Specifications

The described procedure allows the synthesis of new compounds derived from (6-hydroxyphenyl)-N,N-diethyl-3-hydroxyalkylamides from O-aryl N,N-diethylcarbamates as starting substrates, being able to present groups of different chemical nature on the aromatic ring, such as halogens, methoxy groups, or unsubstituted. Likewise, the use of sec-butyllithium or lithium diisopropylamide is required, in tetrahydrofuran, at –78 ºC, atmospheric pressure and in an inert nitrogen gas atmosphere, for the ortho-lithiation reaction of the starting carbamates. The subsequent addition of lithium 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidide and the addition of a terminal epoxide, which can be alkyl or with a functional group, both racemic and enantiomerically pure, gives rise to the homologous regrouping of Snieckus-Fries 1,4 -O → C of the carbamoyl group by the evolution of the reaction at room temperature for 3 hours.

Applications

The potential application of the described procedure is the synthesis of chiral aromatic organic compounds that contain alcohol groups in their structure, as well as halogens and other functional groups, for which they are postulated as highly versatile synthetic intermediates with great applicability in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, industry. chemistry, etc.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P202130635

Current development status

Laboratory tested procedure.

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

Survivin is a therapeutic target for treating cancer. Asenapine is an atypical antipsychotic sold in the form of its maleate salt under the name SAPHRIS. The role of asenapine in the treatment of cancer could be related to its ability to inhibit survivin. The main established functions of survivin are the regulation of cellular mitosis and the inhibition of apoptosis. No experimental data have been found to support the use of asenapine against cancer.

Researchers from the UBU, UB and Nostrum have found that asenapine can be used effectively in the treatment of cancer as it is not only capable of showing moderate carcinogenic activity against various cancer cell lines in vitro, but it has also shown antitumor effects in vivo.

Main advantages of its use

The inhibitory action of survivin exerted by asenapine would allow:

• induce apoptosis in tumor cells
• inhibit the cell cycle
• sensitize tumor cells to standard chemotherapeutic agents or other anticancer agents, without being toxic to healthy cells.

Specifications

In the tests, asenapine reduced cell viability in adenocarcinoma of the lung (A549) and colon (SW620), and it was not cytotoxic for healthy cells. Asenapine also showed in vitro anticancer effects against pediatric neuroblastoma (LAN-1), pediatric sarcoma (RD), and glioblastoma (U87) in the same efficacy range as other chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin.

Applications

Due to its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), asenapine may be of particular interest in the treatment of brain tumors, including primary brain tumors or cancers with brain metastases. Its potential has also been observed in lung adenocarcinoma, colon adenocarcinoma, pediatric neuroblastoma, pediatric sarcoma, and glioblastoma.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent EP21382721

Current development status

Laboratory tested procedure.

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 RT-qPCR technique amplifies the RNA present in the sample taken from the patient, but it amplifies all the RNA present, both that found within intact/infective viral particles, and that found free in the sample, from particles virus damaged/non-infective. This generates false positive results in the diagnosis of some patients. The invention allows, by pretreatment, that the RT-qPCR is able to detect and amplify only intact/infective virus particles.

Main advantages of its use

The advantage of the invention is that, once the previous treatment that is the object of the invention has been carried out, it allows the conventional RT-qPCR technique, used in the usual way (without subsequent modifications, and without the need for new equipment or methodologies) be able to unequivocally detect the presence of intact / infective particles of the SARS-COV2 virus.

Specifications

The invention consists of a treatment of nasopharyngeal swab samples taken from patients for the diagnosis of disease caused by coronavirus (SARS-COV2). The treatment consists of adding to the sample some ¨colourants¨ or PCR viability markers, which bind irreversibly to the free RNA present in the sample and are able to inhibit subsequent PCR. This means that the free RNA present in the samples (from damaged / non-infective viral particles, therefore it is free in the sample) cannot be amplified or detected in the subsequent PCR, thus avoiding false positive diagnoses.

Applications

Clinical diagnosis of coronavirus disease (SARS-COV2)

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P202130632

Current development status

Validation tests have been carried out.

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 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.

Figura 1. Viscosidad del moco en cultivos epiteliales. Las barras representan la viscosidad promedio después de 24 horas de incubación con los compuestos señalados. Los epitelios no tratados con CF (n = 8) y sin CF (n = 6) se incubaron con DMSO al 0,1% como control. Los epitelios CF se incubaron con 0.25 µM de MM3 (n = 7) o 0.25 µM de MM34 (n = 8). Los cultivos se obtuvieron de dos donantes no CF y dos pacientes homocigotos diferentes F508del-CFTR. * indica p <0,05.

Aspectos nuevos e innovadores

Existen numerosas enfermedades relacionadas con disfunciones de las proteínas encargadas de facilitar el transporte de iones a través de membranas biológicas o canales iónicos. Estas enfermedades son muy diversas y entre ellas se encuentra la fibrosis quística (FQ).

Actualmente, son conocidos fármacos como el Kalydeco u Orkambi que regulan farmacológicamente la actividad de la proteína CFTR. Sin embargo, la eficacia de estos tratamientos depende en gran medida de las mutaciones específicas que presentan los pacientes y no son eficaces para todos los enfermos diagnosticados de FQ. Hay que tener en cuenta que se han identificado más de 1.700 mutaciones con cuadros clínicos muy diversos.

Los compuestos de la invención sustituyen la acción de la proteína CFTR, facilitando el transporte de iones a través de las membranas lipídicas. Esta actividad constituye una estrategia terapéutica independiente de la mutación causante de la enfermedad de CF y, por tanto, con posibilidad de beneficiar a todos los pacientes de FQ.

Características técnicas

El compuesto de la invención ha demostrado corregir parámetros funcionales indicadores de fisiopatología de FQ en modelos de cultivo de epitelio pulmonar de pacientes. Así, el pH, la reabsorción de fluidos y la reología del moco producido en estos cultivos alcanza valores similares a los del epitelio no afectado por FQ tras el tratamiento con dosis de estos compuestos que no inducen citotoxicidad significativa.

Aplicaciones

• Ingrediente farmaceútico activo (API), con capacidad anionóforas para el tratamiento de pacientes con fibrosis quística, independientemente de la mutación detectada.
• Síntesis de moléculas con capadidad anionóforas como antimicrobiano para el tratamiento de infecciones causadas por bacterias resistentes (pacientes con FQ / sin FQ).
• Aplicación en estudios de correlación de citotoxicidad con actividades de transporte de anionóforos.
• Aplicación en estudios de actividades aniónofóricas que influyen en los gradientes de pH transmembrana (membrana celular, compartimentos intracelulares).
• Líneas celulares biosensoras y ensayos basados ​​en células para la investigación de biomembranas.
• Nanoformulaciones de compuestos y ensayos de sensores de iones para investigación en biología molecular.

Propiedad Intelectual

Protegido por patente PCT/EP2019/057696

Estado actual de desarrollo

La tecnología relativa al método de sintesis esta desarrollada.

Relación deseada

Acuerdo comercial, Acuerdo de licencia, Cooperación técnica: un mayor desarrollo, Cooperación Técnica: testar nuevas aplicaciones; Cooperación Técnica: adaptación a necesidades específicas

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 PCT/EP/2018/067048

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.

Aspectos nuevos e innovadores

Los copolímeros de la presente invención son totalmente reutilizables, siendo solo necesario un lavado con agua para volver a ser usados.

Se pueden utilizar como detectores de cloruro en continuo (en el caso de aguas industriales o de consumo humano), así como en apósitos (en el caso del sudor).

Principales ventajas derivadas de su utilización

Este método se puede aplicar en diferentes medios sin ningún tipo de tratamiento previo de la muestra. Además, se puede detectar cualitativamente la presencia de cloruros a simple vista, gracias al cambio de fluorescencia que tiene lugar.

Como ventajas respecto a otros métodos, no requiere de tomas de corriente eléctrica, ni calibrado previo a la medición y tampoco manipular diversos reactivos químicos, algunos de los cuales alcanzan precios bastante altos, lo cual también supone una limitación a la hora de realizar ensayos rutinarios.

Características técnicas

Esta invención se fundamenta en la obtención de un copolímero (lineal o reticulado), que comprende una sal de bromuro preferentemente, mediante la polimerización de al menos dos monómeros. Esta polimerización se lleva a cabo por reacción directa de grupos polimerizables presentes en cada uno de los monómeros y el resultado final se presenta en forma de filmes, de membranas sólidas (densas o porosas), de recubrimientos y en forma de aposito.

Los copolímeros resultantes se pueden utilizar como sensores para la detección cualitativa o cuantitativa de aniones, y en particular de cloruros, en agua y/o en medios acuosos como el sudor. La medida de la concentración de cloruros en el sudor es de aplicación en la detección y el diagnóstico de enfermedades, en particular la fibrosis quística.

El metodo se basa en que, ante la presencia de aniones, se producen grandes cambios en la fluorescencia del copolimero. A medida que aumenta la concentración de cloruros, la fluorescencia va desapareciendo y el resultado se puede medir empleando, al menos, un método seleccionado independientemente entre:

• detección a simple vista; o
• la utilización de técnicas espectroscópicas basadas en fluorescencia.

Aplicaciones

Presenta una alta capacidad de respuesta en:

• Aguas de consumo.
• Aguas industriales.
• Sector sanitario: detección de diversas enfermedades a través de medición de cloruros en sudor.

Propiedad Intelectual

Protegido mediante PCT/EP/2018/067048

Estado actual de desarrollo

Se han fabricado varios prototipos a nivel de laboratorio.

Relación deseada

Acuerdo comercial, Acuerdo de licencia, Cooperación técnica: un mayor desarrollo, Cooperación Técnica: testar nuevas aplicaciones; Cooperación Técnica: adaptación a necesidades específicas

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 PCT/ES2016/070859

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.

Aspectos nuevos e innovadores

Existen muy pocos estudios publicados relativos a la posibilidad de utilizar sistemas de transporte sintéticos que sustituyan deficiencias en los mecanismos naturales de transporte de aniones a nivel celular, característicos de enfermedades como la fibrosis quística. La mayoría de ellos se refieren al uso de péptidos cuya inestabilidad ha limitado el potencial de este enfoque.

La presente invención presenta como novedad la caracterización, diseño y síntesis de moléculas pequeñas con capacidad transportadora de aniones y su actividad biológica.

Principales ventajas derivadas de su utilización

Las terapias seguidas hasta la actualidad se basan fundamentalmente en tratamientos paliativos de los síntomas de la enfermedad. Más recientemente ha sido aprobado para su uso un medicamento que actúa sobre la raíz de este problema, potenciando el transporte de iones a través de los canales naturales, pero aplicable sólo a pacientes afectados de determinadas mutaciones genéticas de la proteína transmembrana CFTR.

Los compuestos objeto de esta invención son capaces de facilitar el transporte de aniones independientemente de la mutación genética que origina la enfermedad. Por tanto son potencialmente de aplicación terapéutica para todos los pacientes de fibrosis quística.

Características técnicas

Los compuestos de tipo triazol-dipirrometeno son capaces de de facilitar el transporte de aniones como cloruro y bicarbonato en modelos de vesículas de fosfolípidos y células.

Aplicaciones

Uso del compuesto para preparar un medicamento destinado al tratamiento y/o profilaxis de enfermedades derivadas de anomalías en el transporte de aniones a nivel celular como la fibrosis quística.

Propiedad Intelectual

Protegida mediante PCT/ES2016/070859

Estado actual de desarrollo

Muestras listas para pruebas

Relación deseada

Acuerdo comercial, Acuerdo de licencia, Cooperación técnica: un mayor desarrollo, Cooperación Técnica: testar nuevas aplicaciones; Cooperación Técnica: adaptación a necesidades específicas.

Description of the tech for sale

We have a specialized teamwork that works on new technologies as media production, graphic design and computer graphics. We can develope projects for differents kinds of aims, but we have experience working on the dissemination of culture and heritage, media development for events (video, 3D design, marketing 2.0, augmented reality...) and the development of new technologies and media for education and learning.

Specifications

- We have facilities and a specialized teamwork. We have a virtual reality room, a media lab and media equipment for develope any kind of project (in theese areas) - We can develope projects of 3D design, video, videogames, augmented reality, graphic design, web apps, social media and virtual reality.

Main advantages of its use

• - We have a multidisciplinary teamwort and we are able to manage the whole project.

Applications

• Events
• Dissemination of culture and heritage
• Education and learning
• Entertaiment

Description of the tech for sale

Strategy planning and design to analyse a market, define the target, market segmentation and develop a new electronic or mobile business as exclusive or complementary to an offline business. Planificación y diseño de estrategias y asesoramiento para lanzar un negocio online o móvil. Estudios de mercado e identificación del público objetivo y segmentación del mercado.

Specifications

Market research design; questtionaire; collection of primary information from firms or consumers; statistical analyses (uni, bi and multivariant) and managerial implications and recommendations. Diseño de estudio de mercado, cuestionario, recogida de información primaria de consumidores o empresas, análisis estadísticos uni, bi y multivariantes y recomendaciones empresariales

Main advantages of its use

• Businesses support who wish to combine their offline commerce with other online or mobile. Ayuda a las empresas que deseen compatibilizar su negocio offline con uno online o móvil

Applications

• Development of online and mobile commerce.Desarrollo de un negocio online o móvil.

New and innovative aspects

In contrast to traditional approaches that employ deterministic or heuristic methods for optimizing manufacturing and production systems, the innovative approach adopted by the Extended PQ Problem is to address the intrinsic complexity of the PQ Problem and extend it with uncertainty in both volume and mix through modeling and simulation techniques. These methods enable the capture of both internal interactions within the production system and external uncertainties, potentially leading to more realistic and effective solutions. By considering stochastic situations and applying simulation-based approaches using both discrete simulation and intelligent agent techniques, the limitation of oversimplification in traditional approaches is overcome, resulting in more informed and efficient decision-making in complex production systems.

Main advantages of its use

-Allows for the identification of current issues and potential improvements in the sequencing of manufacturing and production systems.

-Takes into account sources of uncertainty, both in production volume and mix, thereby enhancing the practical utility of the proposed solutions.

-Facilitates experimentation before implementing decision-making in real manufacturing and production systems.

Specifications

In general terms, the PQ Problem Extended simulator is a tool that allows experimentation with the well-known Goldratt PQ Problem production system. To provide greater realism and similarity to a real production system, the PQ Problem Extended has been extended with uncertainty in both production volume and mix. In this way, the PQ Problem Extended offers an appropriate framework for analyzing the behavior of managers and the impact of their decisions on manufacturing system flexibility.
To implement this PQ Problem Extended, hybrid modeling and simulation techniques have been used. Modeling has been done through Petri Nets, a common choice for capturing the dynamics of agent-based systems, representing the operation of the production system over time. Regarding simulation, discrete simulation has been used to implement a future event list, which is necessary for advancing the simulation clock and managing the sequence of discrete events that trigger actions. Additionally, intelligent agent-based simulation has been utilized, as this decentralized approach is considered highly suitable for analyzing the complex behavior of flexible manufacturing systems that rely heavily on interdependencies in variable environments. Systems are created from the interaction of their basic units, agents, so the global system is modeled as a multi-agent system, where individual agents interact in a changing environment and cooperate to achieve collective objectives.
Please do not hesitate to contact the University of Burgos for further information regarding the technical features of this software.

Applications

This simulation tool enables the analysis of a manufacturing system's behavior while considering various levels of uncertainty in production volume and product mix. Through experimentation, it becomes possible to anticipate outcomes before making changes to real production systems. The tool assists in decision-making by identifying how these sources of uncertainty can impact the economic performance of the system. Furthermore, it offers managers insights into the system's behavior over time.

Intellectual property status

Protected by software

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 tool extends the Beer Game in a way that allows the configuration of different levels of uncertainty and the working philosophy of the supply chain (collaborative and non-collaborative). Through simulation, different alternatives can be experienced beyond those offered, facilitating decision-making.

Main advantages of its use

- It allows the identification of current issues and potential improvements within a specific supply chain.

- Fosters a paradigm shift from a non-collaborative approach to a collaborative approach.

- Facilitates experimentation before implementing decision-making in real supply chains.

Specifications

In broad terms, the Beer Game Extended simulator is a tool that enables experimentation with the well-known Beer Game production and distribution system. In addition to the two classic sources of uncertainty considered in the Beer Game—consumer demand and distortion caused by fixed waiting times (production and shipments)—to offer greater realism and similarity to a real supply chain, the Beer Game Extended has been expanded with different sources of noise: defective product rate, production capacity constraints, transportation capacity constraints, production costs, shipping costs, and storage costs. In this way, the Beer Game Extended provides an appropriate framework for analyzing managers' behavior and the impact of their decisions on the supply chain's dynamics. To implement this Beer Game Extended, hybrid modeling and simulation techniques have been employed. On one hand, discrete-event simulation has been used to implement a list of future events, which is necessary to advance the simulation clock and manage the sequence of discrete events that unfold actions. On the other hand, agent-based simulation has been used, as this decentralized approach is considered very suitable for analyzing the complex behavior of supply chains. Thus, the supply chain has been modeled as a multi-agent system, where individual agents interact within an environment and cooperate to achieve collective objectives. Feel free to get in touch with the University of Burgos to learn more about the technical features of this software.

Applications

The software assists managers in understanding the underlying effects when making decisions in all sectors that involve a supply chain.

Intellectual property status

Protected by software

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

In basic computer classes, practical exercises on the components of a computer are not usually carried out (assembly-disassembly), due to the cost involved. This could result in a lack of basic knowledge (function and main characteristics of the components of a computer). To meet this need, the PC Virtual LAB tool has been created. The aim of this tool is to give students of technical degrees a better understanding of the function and main characteristics of the components of a computer and thus increase the success in learning basic computer skills in a very large number of students.

Opening a computer, removing components or replacing them with others involves a high cost, which is why this video game is a valuable tool. This video game allows the student to deepen this knowledge outside the classroom in an autonomous way.

The results of the validation of this educational tool show statistically the improvement in learning performance, comparing its use with other more traditional learning methodologies (visualisation on flat screens of the same software or a traditional classroom in which only the teacher has access to the inside of a computer).

Main advantages of its use

• It allows for increased success in learning basic computer concepts.
• It allows to deepen basic computer skills outside the classroom in an autonomous way.
• Provides basic computer skills.
• It provides a better understanding of the function and main characteristics of the components of a computer.
• It generates greater student interest and engagement compared to conventional learning environments.

Specifications

The main novelty of this tool is that it can be viewed both on computer screens and in Virtual Reality environments. This virtual reality educational game allows "doing" rather than just observing. Students can learn experientially and progress at their own pace. In addition, the use of virtual reality provokes greater interest and engagement compared to conventional learning environments.

Applications

The tool is specifically developed for students of basic informatics, mainly a young people. Although the main target audience would be computer science teachers who want to use this educational game in classes or to recommend their students to use it as a complement to what they have seen in class. Secondly, there would be students who wish to learn more about informatics concepts and finally, computer enthusiasts who are interested in the latest advances in computer science. Regarding entities, the tool is also aimed at educational institutions so that they decide to incorporate this game into their teaching methodology within the basic computer science programmes. Finally, there is another, more secondary target, which is the technological hardware and software development companies that want to cooperate in the development and improvement of this simulator in exchange for their brands appearing in this technology.

Current development status

The videogame is temporarily available for free download on the Steam
under the name "PC Virtual LAB"
(https://store.steampowered.com/app/1825460/PC_Virtual_LAB/).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceQjUx9PMyc

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 compounds described in this invention display interesting antitumor activity "in vitro" showing low toxicity against normal cells. Their action mechanism is proposed to be their ionophoric activity. These compounds can function as anion carriers upsetting the ionic balance of cells. They are cytotoxic and through thios activity they induce apoptosis indifferent cellular cancell lines.

Main advantages of its use

The mechanism of action of these compounds allow them to be used in resistant cell lines against conventional chemotherapies.

Specifications

The compounds described in this invention are inspired by the structure of marine alkaloid bearing a 4-methoxybipyrrol unit. Substitution of this moiety by different enamine group yields the active derivatives. These compounds can promote the transmembrane transport of anions such as chloride an bicarbonate.The ionophoric activity of these compounds change the intracelular pH of the treated cells. Vital tinction assays using acrinidine orange revealed the deacidification of acidic organelles such as lysosomes. It is known that this process triggers apoptosis and IC50 values in the low micromolar range were calculated for these compounds in different cancer cell lines.

Applications

These compounds should be of interest for pharmaceutilcal companies willing to conduct preclinical studies to assess their potential in the clinic. They can be used for the treatment of different cancer conditions.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P201201039

Current development status

Research or Experimental

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 modeling of distribution networks is automated from files that all electricity distributors in Spain are obliged to report to the CNMC. As it is plain text from the GIS of each distributor, the output format is unified to view it in a universal and free software (Google Earth).

Main advantages of its use

- It allows to visualize in a geolocated way the correction and consistency of the numerical data of the distribution networks.
- A network model is obtained for study in power flow software that is otherwise very laborious to obtain.

Specifications

The software, developed in Visual Basic NET, processes the tables of plain text files to generate the models of the networks and export them in KML format or from another software provider.

Applications

Processing of the files of the Spanish Electric Power Distributors for visualization and subsequent exploitation calculations.

Current development status

Software developed and validated for your use.

Desired business relationship

Commercial agreement for data processing and technical studies

New and innovative aspects

Available in the market for mobile devices are many applications that provide the user with two main different services (a) to calculate the fastest route to reach a certain determined destination (as GPS devices do) (b) to display a list of places of interest (sometimes located in the vicinty of the requesting device) that can be found in a certain town (similar to a tourist guide). However we are not aware of any application that can recommend a tourist route, that usually includes several intermediate destination points, which facilitates the way to reach each of them and that includes only interesting locations for the user. The proposed application offers several advantages to the final user: he can delegate into the application the decision of which could be the most interesting points to visit given a certain amount of time (leaving out of the route points that do not match his/her iterests), in which order should be visited or how which is the best route to reach each of them.

The application is completed with characteristics that make it useful in the moment of completing the route: indicatin in which point of the map is the user located at each moment, storing the user preferences for their use when the user requests new routes, or showing comments or advice from previous visitors to the same spot the user is headed to. All this information can be accessed by a great variety of mobile devices, depending on the preferences of the user.

Main advantages of its use

The application is proposed as a valuable addition to the advice or information that could be given by a tourist office employee on a given town, recommendeing certain points of interest and advising a route between them and giving a general overview of the town to visit. All this having the advantages of knowing in advnace which are the user's interests and beaing able to consult or modify the request at any moment (before, during or after the visit).The system inteds to facilitate a pleasing
visit to any town:

- By means of a selection of the user's preferences, the system can offer routes including only points of interest that can appeal each user individually. This system is flexible enough to support a "degree of preference" form 0 to 100 for each of the main location categories (culture, leisure, gastronomy, nature) or to filter certain types of points belonging to each of the main categories (i.e. including "restaurants", but no "terraces" in the "gastronomy" grouping).

- By using the location classification obtained from the OpenStreetMap data and the valuation that can be introduced by users that have visited each location previously (stored in the D.B.), the system can propose the current user a route that includes the most interesting locations for him/her and that can be visited in the alotted time. That is, the system is able to maximize the interest of the visit for the user without exceeding the alloted time for the route.

-The automated calculation of a route lets the user stop worrying about many of the details related to the planning of a tourist visit: look for maps or travel guides of the city, read them, plan a determined route, carry the map or guide along when completing the visit… In this case the route is offered to the user at the precise moment he/she needs it, using as a base the information of the time and location at the time of the request.

- The sytem would work at any town or city of the world, as long as there is data available about it included in the OpenStreetMap project (which is quite complete for most touristic cities).

Applications

As the main objective of the system is to increase the satisfaction of a tourist visiting a determined town or city, one of the main stakeholder of the sytem would be the town or city council of a locality interested in promoting its tourist appeal.As explained before, the system is prepared to function with as much locations are needed, as long as they have their data maped in the OpenStreetMaps project. It is also adpatable to calculate longer routes, that can span along several locations.As two of the main categories of locations of the system are "gastronomy" and "leisure" and information about each location is stored in the D.B.; it is an interesting possibility that the owners of each of the establishments publicise them to their potential clients by means of the application. That way, conditioned to the client requesting for some locations included in the same category, the application can include a certain business/restaurant/bar in the routes of the users with a higher probability depending on the quote the owner of the business is subscribed to. This type of advertising has the advantage of being quite
effective and at the same time very unobtrusive, as the promotions are showed to the client only when he/she demands precisely that service/activity.

Intellectual property status

The software is registered at the Burgos Local Office of the Spanish Central Intelectual Property Registry (application BU-143-13).

New and innovative aspects

It uses Geolocation mechanisms to Support Mobility. The development takes advantage of the possibilities of mobile phones to fix, fundamentally by means of satellite, the user's position and benefits at all times from the information of the environment.

Main advantages of its use

This android application allows you to maintain control over one or several clients at all times, over the different aspects offered by the configuration. In this way we can monitor the elderly, people with some type of physical or mental disability, school-age children, high-risk athletes, etc.
As it is an application whose use must be responsible and used with caution, at all times the client has a code which must be provided to the administrators who want to be monitored. At any time you can unsubscribe from the application and as a consequence of the control of its administrators, in the same way that administrators can unsubscribe or unsubscribe clients.

Specifications

Android application whose objective is to be able to control a person in different aspects. GeoMobility consists of two applications, client and administrator, and a server:
• The client consists of an application that is sending your phone's data (positioning, speed, battery, etc.) to a server where a series of checks are carried out and the administrator is notified, if necessary, of any changes. incident. It also offers the possibility of pressing the SOS button when the user is in trouble, and directly calls the administrator and sends an SMS indicating the current coordinates. And finally, it has a color control indicating to the user if everything is fine (green screen background) or if there is any active notification in the administrator (red screen background)
• The administrator is the application where you can monitor different clients, each one with its own personalized configuration. It offers multiple settings, notifications for speeding, reaching the set battery limit, leaving a set area, leaving a set path, getting hit, sending messages to the client, etc.
• The server is where the bulk of all operations are carried out, which is why it would be very easy to develop the application on any other platform, since the logic is centralized on the server. The two applications need to have communication with the server in order to work correctly
Includes the concepts of Usability + Accessibility
• USABILITY: Quality attribute that measures how easy it is to use an object, service or item.
• ACCESSIBILITY: Degree to which all people can use an object, visit a place or access a service, regardless of their technical or physical abilities.

Applications

It is an application that can have multiple uses, from people with some kind of disability who need to be watched, to children who go to school alone and parents can keep an eye on them, to high-risk athletes who, out of precaution, prefer that they know where they are at all moment.

Current development status

Proof of concept or laboratory prototype

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 application takes advantage of the possibilities of mobile phones to fix, fundamentally by satellite, the user's position and benefit from information about the environment.

Main advantages of its use

Previous knowledge on the part of the user, people with disabilities or reduced mobility, of the availability of parking spaces, avoiding the transfer or displacement in case of total occupation.

Specifications

Client server application for Android mobile devices whose objective is to know the availability of places reserved for people with reduced mobility or disability in a specific environment, thus facilitating their day to day life.

Applications

It can be used in any town or municipality that has parking spaces for people with disabilities.

Current development status

Functional prototype or samples ready for testing

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

Novel solid polymeric materials which allow for the detection and differentiation of non-explosive nitro-compounds from nitro-explosives (TNT, RDX and PETN) by the mathematical processing of spectral changes in fluorescence associated to the presence of vapor of these compounds.
With respect to other known solutions represents a step forward in terms of economy of use and ease of application because nowadays technologies are sensitive and selective, e.g., ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) and gas chromatography (GC), require expensive equipment and costly maintenance.

Main advantages of its use

Inexpensive technology for detecting explosive vapors. It is based on a system of sensory films whose fluorescence changes in the presence of explosive vapors. Allows not only for the detection of explosives but also their differentiation and discrimination of similar non-explosive compounds.

Specifications

Solid polymeric materials for the fluorogenic detection of nitro-explosives based on new vinyl monomers.
The polymerization of these monomers with others, including polyfunctional monomers, renders dense films or membranes, materials with good mechanical properties in both dry and swollen state, which behave as fluorogenic sensors for nitroderivatives solid vapor explosive compounds TNT, RDX and PETN. Furthermore, the combined use of these sensors in a sensor array and the statistical treatment of the data obtained from its use allow for the selective detection of these compounds and their differentiation from interference or explosive-mimics.

Applications

- It may be of interest to companies that use this kind of explosives.
- Detection of explosives in terrorist attacks (forensic chemistry).
- Civilian security: detection of explosives in cargo, luggage, mail, vehicles, aircrafts and on personnel (airports, stadiums, stations, etc.).
- Mining and quarrying.
- Companies whose area is the manufacture of explosives and weapons.
- Companies using explosives for demolition.

Intellectual property status

Protected by P201400073

Current development status

Functional prototype or samples ready for testing

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 new technologies (Internet/mobile phones) can involve a competitive advantage for small and medium sized firms. The advice can be focused on the development of a new business or on the complementarion of a new business at a low cost with an existing one.

Main advantages of its use

Businesses support who wish to combine their offline commerce with other online or mobile.

Specifications

Market research design; questtionaire; collection of primary information from firms or consumers; statistical analyses (uni, bi and multivariant) and managerial implications and recommendations.

Applications

Development of online and mobile commerce.

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

Access to these visits is generally through the web, which allows universal access to the places visited and also makes it possible to make complementary information available to the visitor but integrated into the visit, such as audio, video and other resources.

Main advantages of its use

The main advantage we offer is the grouping of all phases of the activity, compared to the multiplicity of companies that are necessary in other cases: photography, design, IT... This represents a clear saving, both in time and money.
The fact of being able to count, in the same research group, with people from different fields of activity, provides added value to our offer since it enables the solution of problems that, otherwise, would make it necessary to resort to third parties or companies with the consequent increase in price and time invested.
Another advantage is the rapid incorporation into our work mechanisms of the results obtained in their investigations by the members of our group, which results in higher quality and better customer service.

Specifications

Through photographic shots, through the software, virtual visits are generated. A series of initial corrections are applied to the images, after which they are processed by the corresponding software, which allows corrections in the projection and linking of the photos. After verifying the correct quality of the fusion of the final image, it is rendered and a new control phase is carried out to eliminate details that would have gone unnoticed in previous stages.
The final image, thus prepared, is adapted to the viewer used by the client, generally of the Flash type due to its universality and its independence of platforms and versions.
This adaptation includes references added to the photo as well as hyperlinks that allow jumping from one point to another in the panorama or providing additional documentary or multimedia information.
Currently, and in the process of development, we are adding the possibility of making the connection between images and databases to provide added value to virtual visits.

Applications

The main utility of virtual and/or interactive guides lies in making available to a practically universal public those visual elements specific to each business that want to be disseminated and are interested in making their territory or facilities known interactively so as to the user. Being able to control the quantity and quality of the information that complements the visual information is very important.
The companies and organizations to whom these guides are addressed are very varied, ranging from small companies, which through their implementation on the Internet want to make themselves known physically, to large companies or organizations that want to inform the public those parts of its facilities and work techniques that it deems appropriate.
Companies, particularly those dedicated to hospitality, home sales, recreational activities, residences, etc. are the recipients of virtual visits, especially if they are accompanied by the possibility of obtaining valuable data, be it multimedia, or
come from a database.
So are those public administrations such as town halls, county councils, museums, etc. who wish to publicize their heritage or their facilities in a virtual and attractive way to potential future visitors.
To do this, they have these technologies as a first-rate tool to make the object of their work known to the general public in detail.

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

So far there are very few technologies applied to the visualization of network trafficfor its monitoring and / or identification of anomalies.

Main advantages of its use

Regarding the few solutionsexisting, MOVICAB-IDS provides the following advantages:

• It offers a much more intuitive visualization than other tools, whichrequires little training for security personnel, as well as minimal setup.
• Network monitoring tasks can be relegated to personnel with little experience,thus freeing up the most experienced staff to carry out critical tasks.
• It can be used in the training of security personnel. Other security tools may be working at the same time, being able tocombine the output / display of both.
• Reduction in the time required to process the output compared to other IDSs, whichthey generate a large number of false positives and negatives.

Specifications

MOVICAB-IDS combines different paradigms from the field of Artificial Intelligenceconstituting a hybrid artificial intelligence system (HAIS). It is based on a systemmultiagent that includes deliberative agents capable of learning and evolving with theirenvironment. These agents combine a projectionist neural model based on non-learningSupervised and Case-Based Reasoning Paradigm.By applying the aforementioned neural model, MOVICAB-IDS extracts projectionsinteresting data from a set of network traffic data and presents them through adisplay, which can be mobile (telephone, PDA, etc.). As a result of viewing eachpacket and preserve the temporal context, MOVICAB-IDS offers the network administrator asynthetic and intuitive view of network traffic and interactions between differentprotocols. This visualization allows the detection of anomalous situations and intrusions of asimple glance and subsequent identification. In addition, it helps to know the internal structure and thebehavior of network traffic, allowing monitoring of the activity in it. Additionally, work is continuing on this technology to ensure that thereal-time display.

Applications

This technology can be applied for the supervision of any computer network,regardless of its size. For large networks or with a large volume of traffic, filtering and segmentation processes have been developed, which allow the correct visualization to be carried out.

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.

Aspectos nuevos e innovadores

Hasta el momento existen muy pocas tecnologías aplicadas a la visualización de tráfico de red para su monitorización y/o identificación de anomalías.

Principales ventajas derivadas de su utilización

Respecto a las pocas soluciones existentes, MOVICAB-IDS proporciona las siguientes ventajas:

• Se ofrece una visualización mucho más intuitiva que las de otras herramientas, lo que requiere escasa formación para el personal de seguridad, así como una configuración mínima.
• Las tareas de supervisión de la red pueden relegarse en personal con escasa experiencia, liberando de esta forma al personal más experimentado para llevar a cabo tareas críticas.
• Puede emplearse en la formación de personal de seguridad.
• Otras herramientas de seguridad pueden estar trabajando al mismo tiempo, pudiendo combinarse la salida/visualización de ambas.
• Reducción del tiempo necesario para procesar la salida en comparación con otros IDSs, que generan una gran cantidad de falsos positivos y negativos.

Características técnicas

MOVICAB-IDS combina diferentes paradigmas del campo de la Inteligencia Artificial constituyendo un sistema híbrido de inteligencia artificial (HAIS). Se basa en un sistema multiagente que incluye agentes deliberativos capaces de aprender y evolucionar con su entorno. Estos agentes combinan un modelo neuronal proyeccionista basado en aprendizaje no supervisado y el paradigma de razonamiento basado en casos.
Mediante la aplicación del mencionado modelo neuronal, MOVICAB-IDS extrae proyecciones interesantes de un conjunto de datos de tráfico de red y las presenta mediante un interfaz de visualización, que puede ser móvil (teléfono, PDA, etc.). Como resultado de visualizar cada paquete y preservar el contexto temporal, MOVICAB-IDS ofrece al administrador de red una visión sintética e intuitiva del tráfico de red y de las interacciones entre los diferentes protocolos. Esta visualización permite la detección de situaciones anómalas e intrusiones de un simple vistazo y su posterior identificación. Además, ayuda a conocer la estructura interna y el comportamiento del tráfico de red, permitiendo la supervisión de la actividad en ésta. Además, se continúa trabajando en esta tecnología para garantizar que se muestra la visualización en tiempo real.

Aplicaciones

Esta tecnología puede aplicarse para la supervisión de cualquier red de ordenadores, independientemente de su tamaño. Para redes de gran tamaño o con un gran volumen de tráfico, se han desarrollado procesos de filtrado y segmentación, que permiten llevar a cabo la correcta visualización.

Estado actual de desarrollo

Dispositivo desarrollado y validado para su industrialización.

Relación comercial deseada

Acuerdo comercial, Acuerdo de licencia, Cooperación técnica: un mayor desarrollo, Cooperación Técnica: testar nuevas aplicaciones; Cooperación Técnica: adaptación a necesidades específicas.

New and innovative aspects

• New platforms such as Android
• New technologies such as Augmented Reality
• Education sector: children, seniors, disabled population
• Figures interaction when selecting them

Main advantages of its use

• Ease of use of the tool
• Can be used by children, the elderly and people with disabilities

Specifications

The game shows various objects (represented by the use of augmented reality anywhere on the screen of the mobile device) and the user's goal is to find the objects through clues.

initially, by default, there are several categories (geometric figures, animals, objects, kitchen, bathroom ...) and levels of difficulty, which can be varied, for example from searching a cube to find the 3-dimensional shape that has 30 edges.

You can create your own categories, questions, levels, and add your 3D designs from internal storage with simple menus, allowing you to create a custom game.

The software applies augmented reality in smartphones and tablets that have the Android operating system and the corresponding camera.

Applications

Educational sector. Children education, disabled population and aging support. It emphasizes the training on forms, colors, words, concepts, languages, etc.

Intellectual property status

Protected by intellectual property registration BU-146-13

Current development status

Commercially 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

Hybrid Artificial Intelligent Systems (HAISs) proved to overcome previous proposals when dealing with real-life and complex problems. This new paradigm from the AI (artificial intelligence) field enables the successful application of combined techniques and models to deal with complex problems.

HAISs have been applied to many different problems, getting nice performance results.

Main advantages of its use

By the combination of different AI technologies, the limitations of individual models and paradigms are overcame.

Specifications

The research group has wide experience on the design, development and deployment of such intelligent systems, to solve practical problems from a range of different applications: parameter tuning of machine-tools, network security, knowledge management, etc.

It requires choosing the appropriate techniques (Artificial Neural Networks, machine learning models, evolutionary learning techniques, optimization mechanisms, etc.) and combining them for each one of the problems, adjusting to the specific nature of the problem.

Applications

Problems with a hybrid nature, whose solution requires the combination of different techniques.

Current development status

In Use Testing 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

Most of related works only are dedicated to iOS platforms (iPhone and iPad). These devices are expensive. On the other hand Socio-Ruta, being developed for Android platform, has the advantage of can operate in Android tablets low cost (up to 10 times lower than an iPad). Thus Socio-Ruta can reach more people and with price more reduced.
• It can be create customized scripts, thus providing the option to create a script for each different case.
• The resulting application can be reusable for other uses that were not the original.
• By editing graphs can be constructed e.g. test of any kind and for any purpose.
• It could be consider the option to make a desktop application for the end user, in order to reach a wider audience.
• Today there is no such tool in Spanish.

Main advantages of its use

Specific product. Spanish language. Customizing scripts. Possibility of expansion by translation

Specifications

Software based desktop for social scripting and Android for viewing by people with ASDs.
To help people with ASDs, tutors have a desktop Java application with which can generate complex scripts while end users have an Android app for tablets, in which can access a set of social scripts that respond to different environments (school, work , street, meetings in the home, day center ... ) and various social situations or relationships which frequently develop in these environments or suppose a problem for the person with the social deficit . These scripts represent structured fragmentation step-by-step of the development of social situations that may represent different levels of complexity.
It is totally modelled on individual needs, it can be add new scripts simply by educators, family or by the person , keeping in mind their particular social situations, age , preferences, and the complexity that can handle the child or adult who use it. Thus, it can be choose the content that appears (images, video or audio ) and also the level of complexity based on whether or not the child can manage categories and writing sentences. Also this software could be readjusted for educational environments at all levels to complement the traditional method of teaching with new technologies.

Applications

In adition to autism centers, this software can be useful for training in domestic environment and this way complement the education of these centers. Also it may be applicable to other types of institutes as schools, colleges or universities.

Intellectual property status

Copyright - BU-144-13

Current development status

Working Prototype or Samples Ready for Testing

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 many scanning keyboards on the market. What makes our product different from the rest is its highly configurable character.

This was a major objective when we decided to tackle this challenge as it was mainly intended to help people suffering from cerebral palsy. These patients are affected by the disease in many different forms either physically, intellectually or both. For this reason, the program had to be very flexible.

Main advantages of its use

Due to its flexibility, this product can be used by many users affected by different diseases. It was designed for cerebral palsy but its use can be extended to many other disabilities. As stated before, it has two major utilities:

• As a training tool used by therapists to train patients on the use of the computer, to teach them how to write, etc.
• For the disabled population to make the computer more accessible to them

Specifications

The application program can be installed in any computer running under Windows XP or latter. As stated before, the software is highly configurable for two reasons:

• To provide adaptability for any user whatever his or her mobility impairments may be.
• To adapt it to any application the user may want to control or to any kind of training on the use of the computer. What the users sees on the screen can vary in size, color, speed of the active key’s displacement, etc. It is also possible to decide which keys are to be displayed: all letters, vowels only, consonants only, numbers, mouse, etc. The way the keyboard is scanned can also be configured: rows after columns or vice versa.

Sound can also be added so the computer “tells” where the active key is located at any moment. This is especially useful to people with low or null eyesight.

Applications

According to statistics, the number of disabled people in Spain is up to 3,8 millions, what means nearly 9% of the population. Among them, 120.000 are affected by cerebral palsy. The intensity of the disease varies. There are individuals who are able to conduct a normal lifestyle whereas some others are totally dependent on other persons on a daily basis. The application itself can be used by this percentage of the total population. There are different user profiles though:

• Individuals, men or women, who have a computer at home.
• Associations, foundations and social services.
• State or private schools where disabled students may be present

Intellectual property status

Protected by intellectual property registration BU-157-12

Current development status

In Use Testing 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 technique of viewing by the camera chips and subsequent screen representation that represent the same concept is called augmented reality. This process is carried out with the collaboration of the Cerebral Palsy Association of Burgos (APACE).

Main advantages of its use

We found with the difficulty that have a person with cerebral palsy and much more if it is a child to operate a computer. Also concerned about people who have big problems to engines, using learning tools such as puzzles, although very simple, causes them a lot of frustration because the disease are often unable to properly interact with them. Relying on the use of the webcam and augmented reality got a very visual and attractive to them because they see the place where they are on screen, combined with graphics or text which change position while they move sheets provided to them. We intend to approach the management of these computer users, you find it useful and stimulating though not handle typical applications and programs of a computer.

Specifications

The application is written in object-oriented language Action Script (similar to Java) developed by ADOBE and is freeware. The libraries needed to work the project are:

- Papervision 3D which is used to make graphical support for the application and it is free software. Programmed in Action Script.

- FLARToolKit which is used for the treatment of the augmented reality cards, webcam and 3D images. This case has a GNU license which is not to pay a license if the application you do not used for commercial purposes, otherwise, would have to pay in order to develop and profitable idea. Programmed in Action Script.

The 3D models are designed in the free program Blender.

The greatest strength of the project is that with a minimal amount of resources can create a viable application, since we only need a PC with Flash Player (free download Internet is to see such videos on youtube ) installed a web Cam and application. In the event that the availability of more financial resources could be improved as a better camera tools, use more programmers to improve the application or designers to detail and expand the catalog of objects and 3D animations, etc.

Applications

Although this tool is intended for learning and stimulation for people with cerebral palsy, is for use and support of psychologists and therapists and in no event shall use the patient / student solo. In other words, is an educational tool for use by special education teachers. It can be said that the development of applications in the field of augmented reality is quite advanced and covers many fields such as video games, marketing companies, mobile phone. However, in the sector in which we're moving we do not we are aware that there is no similar tool and addressed to such people with such problems.

Current development status

Working Prototype or Samples Ready for Testing

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 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

Viologens are a type of cationic organic compound characterized by rigid structures deficient in π electrons and excellent reversible redox properties. Researchers at the University of Burgos have been able to develop a new methodology for the synthesis of a novel organic structure in a simple way (a single reaction step), efficiently (yields greater than 90%) and in multigram quantities. This new 3-butylsulfonate viologen has been used as an electroactive molecule for the anolyte of organic redox flow batteries.

Main advantages of its use

- By using the methodology described by the authors, the desired organic compound is prepared from accessible starting materials and in a single reaction step.

- The novel viologen is isolated with a yield greater than 90% and in amounts higher than one gram.

- Flow batteries built using this molecule as an anolyte have a superior stability.

- It allows to replace vanadium, positioning itself as a more economical and ecological alternative.

Specifications

The patented method describes the preparation of 3-butylsulfonate viologen from 4,4'-bipyridine and 1,3-butanesultone. Through a double alkylation of the nitrogen atoms of the bipyridine, the final compound is obtained (1.61 grams, 93% yield) using dimethylformamide as solvent and thermal heating. The flow battery constructed using this organic compound resulted in a lower capacity loss obtained (0.15% h-1) than the corresponding battery containing the viologen of propylsulfonate (0.49% h-1).

Applications

Among the various applications of 3-butylsulfonate viologen, finds its use as an electroactive molecule for the anolyte of flow batteries (energy storage).
The developed methodology could be applied to the synthesis of other viologens of interest.
On the other hand, the viologen described by the researchers at the University of Burgos could have other applications typical of viologens (herbicides, electrochromic elements, etc.).

Intellectual property status

Protected by a patent P202230676

Current development status

Prototype available for demonstration.

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

Direct treatment of wastewater with high oil and grease content without pre-degreasing. Chemicals costs and sludge production are reduced by doing without the coagulation-flocculation-flotation processes. Oils and grease, according to their chemical composition, have a high methane potential that this process allows to recover.

Main advantages of its use

Adsorption of long chain fatty acids reduces degassing capacity of microbial flocs hindering the ability to settle required in the conventional suspended cultures processes. The proposed technology is based on suspended cultures but the retention takes place by micro or ultrafiltration membrane processes that can fully retain the biomass, even dispersed, regardless of its density.

Specifications

The membrane anaerobic reactor AnMBR is equipped with submerged hollow fiber modules. The reactor consists of two stages: upflow anaerobic suspended sludge and filtration tank which are in series with recirculation. The separation of the two stages prevents direct contact of the oils and greases with the membranes and facilitates cleaning operations since it allows performing maintenance tasks in the membrane tank without any upset in the anaerobic reactor.
The biomass retention by filtration avoids sludge losses, typical problem of the anaerobic process based on the separation by gravity when are employed in the treatment of wastewater with high oil and grease content.

Applications

Treatment of oily wastewater from the food processing industry.

Intellectual property status

Protected by P200201891, U200501010, P200703231

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

If the results from the dynamic probing are not corrected by means of an energy efficiency factor, these results are greater than the real ones, so we will be unnecessarily deep in the safety side. This way, the engineering elements will be over designed with greater dimensions than necessary, so the cost will be unnecessarily greater than if we apply this energy efficiency factors.

Sometimes, due to this greater energy efficiency of the modern dynamic probing equipments, the safety factors are reduced. Most of the times this reduction is made without any real measure of energy efficiency, but making a guess. This implies that if the reduction of the safety factor is not enough, we will have an increasing cost. Otherwise, we could use safety factors more little than necessary that could lead the structure to failure. This way, it is demonstrated the need of measuring the energy efficiency.

Main advantages of its use

The main advantage is the economical save. Some engineering elements are design by the results from these dynamic probing tests. If we do not apply the energy efficiency corrections, the safety factors will be greater than necessary, so there will be an overrun.

Specifications

Bar instrumented to measure real energy in dynamic penetration tests of continuous recording, used in in-situ geotechnical characterization, identification, determination of strength and / or soil deformability. This bar enables sensors measuring equipment attached to it, making access static and dynamic data, which then can calculate the actual energy that traverses the bar stem of a continuous recording dynamic penetration equipment during a penetration test on ground.

Applications

This device could be used by any company who has dynamic probing equipments.

Intellectual property status

Protected by Utility Model U200900809

Current development status

Device Commercially 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

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.

Aspectos nuevos e innovadores

La tecnología de biorreactores anaerobios de membranas se emplea desde hace tiempo con buenas eficacias de depuración, pero presenta altos costes de instalación y operación.

Esta patente utiliza material de relleno plástico para la retención de la biomasa en el tanque de digestión anaerobia y recirculación gas-lift en el tanque de filtración, minimizando el daño que el bombeo provoca a la biomasa.

La fijación de la biomasa activa en el material de relleno permite trabajar con flujo descendente en el tanque de digestión, sin el arrastre de biomasa que tendría lugar en los reactores de cultivo suspendido.

Principales ventajas derivadas de su utilización

• Debido al empleo de este material de relleno se aumenta la capacidad de acumulación de biomasa activa y su capacidad de tratamiento.
• Como consecuencia de la disminución de la deposición de sólidos sobre la superficie de las membranas, se reduce la frecuencia de las operaciones de limpieza y se aumenta su vida útil.
• La recirculación asociada al burbujeo, por el efecto conocido como gas-lift, reduce los costes de bombeo y, especialmente, el estrés mecánico provocado por el uso de bombas electromecánicas que producen daños en la biomasa y empeoran la calidad del efluente.

Características técnicas

El problema técnico que resuelve esta tecnología es que permite mantener elevadas concentraciones de biomasa activa y baja concentración de sólidos suspendidos en las corrientes internas, lo que reduce el ensuciamiento de las membranas de filtrado de la instalación, con vistas a aumentar el rendimiento y efectividad de dicha instalación.

Los rendimientos de eliminación de materia orgánica pueden alcanzar valores del 91-98%, con una producción de biogás de 460-690 l/kg DQO, con un contenido en metano de 60-70% en base seca, dependiente de la composición de la materia orgánica contaminante.

Aplicaciones

El mercado potencial es relativamente amplio y presenta necesidades en el ámbito de la mejora de procesos de depuración.

Las principales industrias en las que se emplean estas tecnologías son:

• Biocombustibles
• Cervecerías
• Lácteas
• Destilerías y bodegas
• Mataderos y subproductos cárnicos
• Procesado de productos de pesca
• Conservas
• Platos precocinados
• Papelería
• Farmacéutica y cosmética
• Química

Propiedad Intelectual

Protegida mediante PCT/ES2018/070461.

Estado actual de desarrollo

Planta piloto operativa instalada en matadero industrial.

Relación deseada

Acuerdo comercial, Acuerdo de licencia, Cooperación técnica: un mayor desarrollo, Cooperación Técnica: testar nuevas aplicaciones; Cooperación Técnica: adaptación a necesidades específicas.

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 PCT/ES2018/070461.

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

New and innovative aspects

The fundamental advantage is economic, using less quantity of material from the new conceptual designs that the research group is capable of analyzing for different structural types. This is especially important in the industrial sector, which by its nature has a tendency to run a multitude of identical units.

Main advantages of its use

In the case of structural concrete, due to its nature, small-scale tests are insignificant, making it necessary to carry out full-scale tests.
The Large Structures Laboratory of the University of Burgos has suitable facilities to carry out 1:1 scale tests on concrete elements up to 30 meters long and weighing up to 40 tons.
Optimizing structural solutions is essential (especially in the industrial sector, in which the number of units to be executed can be very high), as this can provide the customer with a competitive advantage for their product compared to that of the competition.

Specifications

There are more and more structural situations in which concrete elements are subjected to load states of a dynamic nature. Noteworthy, for example, are the structures located on the High-Speed ​​Rail lines, as well as towers and foundations for wind turbines, foundation slabs for heavy machinery.
The optimization of the structural solutions to be used in these cases necessarily involves knowing, precisely, their structural response, both under static stresses and dynamic stresses.
For this last situation, it is important to know how the mechanical capacity (and, consequently, the structural safety factor) evolves with the number of cycles; and, from this, determine, in a more exact way, the useful life of our element.
Based on numerical models alone, it is currently not possible to know this data and it is necessary to support the necessary numerical calculations with experimental test campaigns.
In the case of structural concrete, due to its nature, small-scale tests are insignificant, making it necessary to carry out full-scale tests.
The Large Structures Laboratory of the University of Burgos has suitable facilities to carry out 1:1 scale tests on concrete elements up to 30 meters long and weighing up to 40 tons.

Applications

Companies in the Civil Engineering sector that work with large structures.
Companies in the energy sector, especially linked to wind generation, since especially the new prototypes include concrete elements (foundation and towers).

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 integration of numerical simulation technologies and testing capacities, improved designs can be obtained, making them optimal for their intended use.
Using a own protocol, it is possible to test 1:1 scale parts of a structure. Through the development of finite element models of the testings, it is possible to compare the failure modes of the testing specimens with the ones of the complete structure. Using the safety factors obtained in the test, it is possible to accurately determine the real safety factor of the
whole structure.

Main advantages of its use

Large-scale testings help to optimize the design, minimizing cost. This is especially useful in the industrial sector, because many equal pieces are casted. In this case, the optimization of the design allows significant cost reduction. Usually, international standards are over-conservative, and this is not always usefull to the industry. Testings can allow to use "out of standards" solutions, more effective in terms of cost.

Specifications

The new Laboratory of Large Civil Engineering Structures is in the west of the new civil engineering building of the University of Burgos (Burgos – Spain).
The lab consists of a 66 ft x 98 ft building. It includes a 39 ft x 78 ft strong floor with 13 ft thickness, and 225-kip capacity tie-downs on a 2.6 ft x 2.6 ft pattern. It is provided of two 10 ft x 10 ft and 10 ft x 13 ft strong walls with 3.2 ft thickens, and 225-kip capacity tie-downs on a 2.6 ft x 2.6 ft pattern.
To move specimens and equipment around the lab, two 16-ton 52-ft span simple girder overhead cranes will be furnished with two 80 ft long runways. A forklift provides additional mobility for lab activities.
One two-legged 23-ft high steel test frame with 1800-kip capacity and one two-legged 13-ft high steel test frame with 225-kip capacity will allow simultaneous loading of various structural components.
The lab will be served with a central 53-gpm hydraulic punt; one 1125-kip and four 450-kip compression servo controlled hydraulic actuators (ENERPAC models), one 225-kip, one 112-kip and one 11-kip tension/compression servo controlled fatigue-rated hydraulic actuators with 10-in stroke (MTS models); computerized controller for simultaneous use of four actuators; one 96-channel and three 36-channel high-speed data acquisition systems (HBM models); and comprehensive array of sensors to allow static and dynamic loading of large to full-scale structural components and systems.

Applications

The target companies of this technology are, mainly, civil engineering companies, and industrial companies, i.e, energy, aeronautics, aerospace, automotive, etc.. The main applications are the development of a new product, the optimization of an existing product, the analysis of the properties of a product beyond its service life, etc…

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P200801660

Current development status

Commercially 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

Honey contains a high concentration of sugars with low glass transition temperatures (Tg), which makes drying difficult since during dehydration an extremely sticky, hard and very difficult to handle product is formed. The invention that is described manages to avoid these drawbacks by drying the honey by lyophilization exclusively using honey and potato maltodextrin as a dehydration aid. The most innovative aspect that is presented with respect to other procedures described for the dehydration of honey, is that related to the temperatures of grinding the product and its conservation. The honey powder obtained contains 75% (freeze-drying) or 60% (vacuum drying) of honey solids and 25% (freeze-drying) or 40% (vacuum drying) of maltodextrin solids, being of fine texture and silky, with excellent sensory and physicochemical characteristics.

Main advantages of its use

• Obtaining powdered honey with a concentration of total honey solids of 75% (lyophilization) or 60% (vacuum drying).
• Use of maltodextrin as the sole drying aid additive at a total solids concentration of 25% (lyophilization) or 40% (vacuum drying).
• Higher process yield: 73.6% -96.4% (lyophilization); 80.6%-97.9% (vacuum drying).
• Greater solubility and less hygroscopicity in the powdered honey obtained.
• Better physical-chemical and sensory characteristics of powdered honey.
• Possibility of marketing powdered honey within the demand for "clean labels" and the name "real food", as it contains only honey and maltodextrin.

Specifications

The lyophilization and vacuum drying procedures described in this invention achieve the production of powdered honey with a floury texture, using only one additive (potato maltodextrin), with a greater amount of honey in the final solid product, a greater solubility, higher performance and lower hygroscopicity. It was found that the best honey dehydration procedures were vacuum drying and lyophilization, using maltodextrin as aid, because they presented the lowest percentages of water and were the best valued in sensory analyzes.

The honey powder obtained presented the highest values ​​of antioxidant capacity against the peroxyl radical and the highest results for in vitro anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities. The grinding and preservation of the product must be carried out at temperatures below the Tg of the honey powder obtained, which maintains optimal texture characteristics of this food without the need to incorporate anti-caking additives.

Applications

The possible applications of powdered honey is its use in haute cuisine desserts as an ornament, or in the preparation of candies and confectionery products, pastries, chocolate with honey or cosmetics with honey. The sectors with potential application are:

• High kitchen
• Biscuit industry
• Bakery and pastry industry
• Confectionery industry
• Cosmetic industry

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P202130603 and P202130604

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 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 PCT/EP2018/055317

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

Aspectos nuevos e innovadores

La posibibilidad de poder detectar y/o cuantificar con el mismo método tanto metales divalentes (mercurio y cobre) como aniones oxidantes (nitritos) hace que sea muy versatil y lo convierte en único en el mercado. También esta versatilidad se traslada a la medición, que puede ser llevada a cabo con diferentes equipos. Además, no produce migraciones de color.

El sensor desarrollado se puede aplicar a cualquier tipo de muestra sin necesidad de tratamiento previo, de una forma más sencilla que el resto de métodos disponibles.

Principales ventajas derivadas de su utilización

Este método no requiere del uso de reactivos químicos ni del empleo de equipos de laboratorio extremadamente costosos. Los resultados se muestran de manera cuantitativa con una gran precisión.

Características técnicas

Esta invención se fundamenta en la preparación y desarrollo de nuevos copolímeros reticulados, obtenidos mediante estructuras de fórmula I, derivadas de ditizona.

Los polímeros son obtenidos por copolimerización de tres o más monómeros, entre los que se incluyen monómeros polifuncionales, para dar lugar a materiales con buenas propiedades mecánicas, tanto en seco como en hinchado, que se comportan como sensores sólidos colorimétricos. Se pueden presentar tanto en forma de filmes, de membrana densa o porosa y/o de gel.

Estos copolímeros reticulados son membranas que actúan como sensores cromogénicos, es decir, son materiales que cambian de color en presencia de determinadas sustancias. Dicho cambio de color ocurre cuando hay cationes metálicos divalentes, y/o aniones oxidantes presentes en el medio.

Para la detección de los analitos se requiere, al menos, del uso de un método, seleccionado independientemente entre: la utilización de los parámetros RGB de una fotografía digital o la utilización de técnicas espectroscópicas.

Aplicaciones

Presenta una alta capacidad de respuesta en:

• Aguas de consumo.
• Aguas industriales: por ejemplo en la industria de extracción de oro.
• Productos alimentarios: el mercurio puede estar presente en diferentes pescados y, debido a su toxicidad en el organismo, es muy importante detectarlo antes de que se produzca el consumo.
• Industria biomédica: orina, saliva, suero sanguineo, etc.

Propiedad Intelectual

Protegido mediante PCT/EP2018/055317

Estado actual de desarrollo

Se han fabricado varios prototipos en colaboración con un centro de investigación.

Relación deseada

Acuerdo comercial, Acuerdo de licencia, Cooperación técnica: un mayor desarrollo, Cooperación Técnica: testar nuevas aplicaciones; Cooperación Técnica: adaptación a necesidades específicas

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

Until now, the expiration date (or best before date) is the only information available to the consumer to know the useful life of a food. The polymers developed by the University of Burgos make it possible to determine the presence of biogenic amines that a food releases during its putrefaction. By applying this technology, the presence of, for example, putrescine and cadaverine (two of the most common amines) can be determined quickly and efficiently. This technique is positioned as a viable alternative to the determination of these compounds by techniques that are more complex.

Main advantages of its use

The main advantages of this material and its use in the determination of the chemical compounds of interest are:
- Simple and cheap. It does not require handling of reagents or pre-treatment.
- Specific. The detection of amines in the gas phase has no interferents.
- Response time. The analysis is practically immediate (colour change and fluorescence).
- Versatile. The polymer can be presented as a film, a membrane or covered by fibres, such as cotton.

Specifications

The synthesized aromatic polyamides (figure 1), which contain structures derived from 1,8-naphthalimide anchored to the main chain, are obtained by polycondensation reaction of the initial monomers. These structures, when interacting with amines and biogenic amines, undergo a change in colour and/or fluorescence. Specific:
Colour change: B-ethylenediamine, cadaverine, trimethylamine, morpholine and putrescine.
Fluorescence change: β-ethylenediamine, cadaverine, morpholine and putrescine.
The final material can be obtained as a film or, by foaming, as a porous membrane. Additionally, these polymers can be integrated into other fabrics, such as cotton fibres.

Applications

The material developed can be applied in the food industry as an intelligent label to account for the freshness of food packaged with a controlled atmosphere, such as packaged fish.
A more general use would consist of using this material as a sensor against the presence of a wide variety of amines in the gas phase.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P201730765

Current development status

Research or Experimental

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

This invention was born with the aim of reusing the polymer present on the roofs of vehicles, thus contributing to the circular economy. This material is mainly composed of polyurethane, mixed with additives, metal oxides, paint remains, among others. The procedure described by the researchers from the University of Burgos produces waste whose recycling process was practically non-existent.

Main advantages of its use

The main advantage offered by this procedure is the use of all the waste to produce the final material, thus avoiding the separation of the different components (polyurethane, metal oxides, additives, etc.).
The addition of this industrial residue improves the physical and mechanical properties of the paving stone, reducing its weight by up to 13% compared to traditional paving stones.
It is possible to maintain and even improve various mechanical properties, of the eco-cobble, such as resistance to breakage.
On the other hand, the building material described, complies with current regulations, which facilitates its application in the construction and civil engineering sector.

Specifications

The final material has dimensions of 200x100x60mm, although these can be modified according to demand. Regarding the appearance of the eco-cobble, it does not present significant cracks or imperfections.
The tests carried out result in an improvement in the mechanical properties, of which the resistance to wear due to abrasion, resistance to slipping and breakage stands out.

Applications

The final material can be used for the construction of flooring, paving, slabs and similar structures depending on the type of traffic and the type of soil, both in the building sector and in civil works.

Intellectual property status

Protected by utility model U202231488

Current development status

Research or Experimental

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

One of the greatest environmental challenges of the 21st century is the reduction, reuse and recycling of plastics. In view of this situation,, the need to seek alternatives for the recovery and recycling of the plastic waste generated is evident. The procedure described by researchers at the University of Burgos has enabled the development of a sustainable prefabricated gypsum using polyurethane foam waste, which means economic and energy savings, with the consequent benefit in terms of reducing the carbon footprint.

Main advantages of its use

- Cost reduction. The final cost of the material obtained is 12% lower than that of a traditional gypsum prefabricated product.
- Improvement in the physical characteristics of the prefabricated material.
- Weight reduction of up to 25% compared to standard boards.
- Increase in the insulating capacity of the material produced.
- Increased recycling rates of this waste.

Specifications

- The origin of polyurethane foam waste is varied: refrigeration industry, construction industry and automotive industry. The characterisation (physical, chemical and microscopic) of this waste has been carried out in order to establish a standard manufacturing process.
- It contains reinforcement fibres, which improve the mechanical properties of the prefabricated product.
- It contains additives of various kinds, which improve the performance of the product.

Applications

- Companies in the building, construction and refurbishment sector.
- Companies related to the refrigeration and automotive industry interested in recycling polyurethane foam waste.

Intellectual property status

Protected by utility model U201931952

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

In Spain, it is estimated that by 2030 around 40% of wind turbines will have to be renovated. In view of this situation, the need to seek methods for recycling them has become evident. In the literature, there are few options for the use of this residue, and the vast majority go through the separation of part of its components (glass and carbon fibres, polymeric resins, polyurethane foam, balsa wood and polyester resins) by pyrolysis, solvolysis or gasification processes. The procedure described by researchers from the University of Burgos has allowed the production of sustainable concrete using the crushed waste of wind turbine blades without having previously separated the different components, which allows saving both time and money, and in turn reducing the carbon footprint.

Main advantages of its use

• Obtain a concrete with good technical properties, showing the viability of these residues for use in structural elements.
• Reduction of costs by using raw waste (separation of its components is not necessary) reducing production times and not requiring the hiring of specialized workers.
• Dispose of the raw waste from the grinding of wind turbine blades as recycled fibre for use in concrete. Contributing to the minimization of climate change, while favouring a more circular economy.

Specifications

• The method developed allows the use of up to 6% by volume of waste from the blades of wind turbines.
• The produced concrete retains the flexural strength of traditional concrete despite containing a lower percentage of cement by volume. Moreover, the final material has rload-bearing capacity, providing more security. Its good workability makes it a valid alternative for use in any type of structural element according to current applicable regulations.
• The optimization carried out by the researchers has allowed the creation of a procedure with low technical difficulty and low economic cost.

Applications

• Construction and civil construction companies.
• Companies related to the construction, maintenance and/or removal of wind turbines interested in recycling them.

Intellectual property status

Protected by a patent P202230623

Current development status

Research or Experimental

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

SP (syrups and food products with a thick consistency) contain a high concentration of sugars with low glass transition temperatures (Tg), which makes drying difficult, since during dehydration, an extremely sticky, hard and pretty unmanageable product is obtained. The described invention manages to avoid these drawbacks by drying the syrupy products by freeze drying and it has also been possible to carry out the process without the need to add any carrier for dehydration.

The most innovative aspect of the invention in comparison with other procedures is related to the temperatures of product grinding and preservation. High yields of up to 96% are obtained by freeze drying and up to 94% by vacuum drying.

The obtained PS powder contains up to 100% PS solids, being occasionally necessary the inclusion of potato maltodextrin (25% for freeze drying or 40% for vacuum drying). The texture of PS powder is fine, exhibiting excellent sensory and physico-chemical characteristics.

Main advantages of its use

• Obtaining a powdered SP with up to 100% SP solids

• Obtaining a powdered SP without additives

• High process yield: 80%-96% (freeze drying); 80%-94% (vacuum drying).

• Good solubility and low hygroscopicity of the SP powder.

• Good physical-chemical and sensory characteristics of the PS powder.

• Possibility of labelling, marketing and commercializing the SP powder within the consumer-driven initiative "clean labeling" and "real food" movement, as only one natural ingredient is listed: SP, and optionally, potato maltodextrin.

Specifications

The freeze drying and vacuum drying procedures described in this invention achieve the preparation of a SP powder with a fine and pleasant texture, using optionally, a natural carrier (potato maltodextrin), with a high amount of SP in the final solid product, a good solubility, high performance and low hygroscopicity. The grinding and preservation of the product must be carried out at temperatures below the Tg of the SP powder obtained, which help keep optimal texture characteristics of this food, not being needed further anti-caking additives.

Applications

The possible applications of SP powder are related to its use for human and animal feeding products. The sectors with potential application are:

• Fine Cuisine

• Biscuit industry

• Bakery and pastry industry

• Confectionery industry

• Cosmetic industry

• Pharmaceutical industry: drug manufacturing

• Production of food enriched with prebiotics

• Production of food enriched with prebiotics

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P202230308 and P202230309

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 techniques developed in our group have still been commercialized in compact instruments in collaboration with the company Metrohm Dropsens, however, the most advanced combinations are not yet commercially available. The modularity of the components allows them to be combined in the appropriate way to obtain the best results depending on each problem posed. Although the components used are well known, their assembly represents state-of-the-art technology in the international context.

Main advantages of its use

These techniques are relatively inexpensive compared to other types of instruments and are capable of providing a great deal of information.

Specifications

One of the techniques developed in our group, Bidimensional Spectroscopy, is outlined in the section "3. pictures". It shows a device for the simultaneous measurement of two optical signals and one electrical signal. In this particular case, the equipment consists of a light source whose radiation reaches the cuvette containing the studied material through optical fibers. Three electrodes connected to the potentiostat are inserted into the cell. The cuvette holder has anchor points for optical fibers, with lenses that collimate the incident light beam. This, after passing through the electrode and/or the solution in which the reaction is taking place, decreases or increases its intensity in proportion to the amount of absorbent material or reagents present in the cell. The emerging light is collected by optical fibers that lead it to the corresponding monochromator, where it is scattered at different wavelengths on a diode array detector. The temporal synchronization of the electrochemical and spectroscopic equipment is key, since small errors in the time record can lead to large errors in the calculated potentials. The control of the experiment and the registration of the data is carried out with two independent computers.

This scheme (see figure 1) of the experimental device is modified depending on the analytical techniques used, being able to work with different spectral ranges and even with laser sources that cause optical phenomena such as Raman scattering or molecular fluorescence. Our devices also allow the acquisition of Raman spectra simultaneously with measurements in the UV/Vis spectrum in both normal and parallel configuration. In addition, photoluminescence techniques combined with electrochemical and other spectroscopic techniques can be used.
Currently, suitable SERS substrates are also being developed for the detection/determination of molecules of interest in a particular way, obtaining high sensitivity and selectivity with good reproducibility.

Applications

Our technologies have been successfully applied to the study and characterization of new materials:
1. Conductive polymers
2. Metallic nanoparticles
3. Semiconductive nanoparticles
4. Carbon nanotubes
5. Graphene
6. Biomolecules
Undoubtedly, they can be used with more “classic” materials, as long as they are susceptible to being oxidized or reduced or undergo some type of transformation over time.

Current development status

Prototype 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

Crosslinking of aramid fibers by conventional production technologies (wet, dry, and dry-jet wet spinning). The crosslinking of armid fibers will render materials with even higher fire, mechanical and electrical-isolation performance.

Main advantages of its use

The crosslinking of armid fibers will render materials with even higher fire, mechanical and electrical-isolation performance.

Specifications

The technology relates to a process for the preparation of a cross-linked aramid polymer comprising the step of heating a non-crosslinked polymer comprising the repeating unit of formula (I), figure 1 (see attached document), at a temperature comprised of from 150 to 400ºC for a period of time comprised of from 1 second to 20 minutes, wherein A and B are independently selected from meta-phenylene and para phenylene (see Figure 2 in the attached document), and R1 and R2 are independently selected from H and N3, with the proviso that at least one of R1 and R2 is N3, and R1 and R2 are attached to any of the positions 1, 2, 3, or 4 in para phenylene and 1, 2, 3 in meta-phenylene.
The heating step of the non-crosslinked polymers comprising the repeating unit of formula (I) at a temperature from 150 to 400ºC yields thecross-linking of the polymeric materials and gives rise to improved mechanical and thermal properties, while maintaining ease of processing. In particular, the cross-linked polymers of the invention have shown advantageous Young´s Modulus and Tensile Strength, and lower dielectric constant, when compared with non crosslinked aramids.

Applications

Aramid fiber proudction companies, such us DuPont, Teijin, Kolon industries, Hyosung, SRO Group, Yantai Sapndex co., Woongjin, Huvis, and Kermel.

Intellectual property status

Protected by PCT/EP2013/062824

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

- Is a rigid hood that gives stability to the assembly of the chair and increases the degree of protection against rain and wind.

- It has a mechanism which is operated automatically so that the user thereof has no impediment to operate it without help from another person.

- It has sunscreen and sidewalls that protect against the elements when gusts are lateral wind or rain.

Main advantages of its use

Today devices to cover users of wheelchairs are scarce and limited benefits. Our hood has the following advantages:

- Being a rigid hood protects the wearer from the rain and the wind and gives stability to the assembly of the chair.

- The folding and unfolding is automatic.

- It has a distinction between upper translucent zone (for sun exposure protection) and front transparent zone (for perfect visibility of the user).

- It covers the sides protecting the user from rain side bursts.

- It allows isolated from wind and cold as it covers the user through the top and front of his body.

Specifications

The retractable hood for motorized wheelchairs has a rigid upper deck formed by three toroidal hoods slide one inside the next, a drive shaft which is connected to an electric motor secured to the hood body, two articulated quadrilaterals of rods both sides of the hood (responsible for transmitting the folding and unfolding motion to the cover) of toroidal hoods and side plates of a circular sector which are opened and closed sequentially on both sides of the chair wheel and offering the user lateral protection.

Applications

This application is of interest to companies wheelchair manufacturers that want to implement a solution which would solve the problem that day still has not been resolved satisfactorily.

Intellectual property status

Protected by P201201037

Current development status

It is developed at design level and protected by patent.

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

Dimethyl sulfoxide, used as oxidizing agent in this procedure, is an easily accessible and low cost reagent, that generates as only byproduct dimethyl sulfide, that is a volatile compound that can therefore be easily removed from the reaction media allowing a straightforward isolation of the synthesized aldehyde or ketone without the use of column chromatography.

Main advantages of its use

This is an efficient method for the synthesis of aldehydes and ketones from diols, that uses an easily accessible and environmentally friendly oxidant. Moreover, the reaction is carried out in an open vessel (there is no need of using inert atmosphere) and without the use of organic solvents (economic and environmental advantages) and the aldehydes and ketones are isolated with analytical purity without the need of column chromatography.

Specifications

The present invention relates to the use of dimethyl sulfoxide as oxidizing agent for the oxidative cleavage of 1,2-diols to carbonyl-type compounds including an aldehyde or ketone functional group, in the presence of a molibdenum (VI) catalyst, in an organic solvent or in a solvent free media, under atmospheric pressure and a temperature of 100-180 ºC or, alternatively, by irradiation in a monomode microwave oven at a maximun power of 300 W and a temperature of 120-180 ºC.

Applications

Synthesis of compounds containing an aldehyde or ketone in its structure, which are highly versatile synthetic intermediates. Therefore, applications in pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. Manufacture of enamels in the Cosmetic Industry. In the Food Industry, as an intermediate product to give smell and flavor to food. Plastic industry, resins, paints, solvents. Explosives manufacturers.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P201301117

Current development status

Laboratory tested procedure.

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 fluorogenic sensors have acquired an enormous social and economic impact, this is due to the importance that may have in the everyday life. The chemical sensors imply the design of isolated molecules or ensembles of molecules that specifically recognize a particular species in a reversible manner, in an appropriate range of concentration, ideally in trace amounts. The necessity of reversibility is an essential requisite for the continuous or “in vivo” monitorization, but for isolated individual measurements it is not necessary. On the other hand, in the most recet period the detection of an isolated analyte has been surpassed by new systems that are able of detecting diverse classes or mixtures of chemical compounds in a similar way that nature has been using in the development of human smell and taste senses. In this case, the requirements to get these objectives are very complex, therefore the preparation of luminescent signaling systems as well as luminescent devices is greatly advantageous because the fluorescent measurements are usually very sensitive, of low cost, easily performed and extremely versatile, attaining sub-micromolar detection limits. Consequently, luminescent chemical sensors play an important role in key fields such as industrial detection, medical and therapeutic diagnose in health sciences and in diverse environmental monitorization. Nanotechnology is the natural frame of evolution and progression of chemical sensors, therefore combining nanotechnology and luminescent signaling may give rise to the preparation of unique materials on the way to important developments in diverse technical areas such as optical and luminescent chemical sensors for organic analytes of high environmental impact and their implementation in more complex structures to get materials capable of signal amplification to be included in detection devices. From the programmed systems of supramolecular base we are interested in the development of fluorogenic probes for their use in chemical sensors where the recognition process is bonded to a signaling process. The chemical sensors for biomolecules such as neurotransmitters, glutamate and acetylcholine, glycine, aspartate and dopamine, NO and ATP, are very useful. In the environmental sciences, it is known that mercury derivatives, in particular methylmercury, lead and cadmium are very toxic for living organisms and their detection in the environment is very convenient. On the other hand, the chemical sensors of explosives and nerve agents are currently developed for the detection of mines and chemical weapons. With the war to the terrorism, the necessity of reliable and precise chemical and biological sensors that work in real time has notably increased. There are many types of organic molecules of critical importance for which there are not chemical sensors able to detect them, therefore it is important to expand the field of analytes that can be detected and quantified, therefore it is necessary to design and develop new specific fluorogenic probes. Fluorescence is one of the most potent mechanisms of transduction to report a chemical recognition process. The integration of fluorescent molecular probes into suitable devices gives rise to chemical sensors. Reseach has focused in the preparation of new receptors but there are very few commercial fluorogenic probes, therefore the molecular probes developed by the research group fills an empty technological space that nowadays exists.

Main advantages of its use

Many problems of biodetection or biosafety have not yet been resolved. Because of this fact, the research group designs and develops new fluorogenic sensors of environmental organic contaminants for which there are not reliable detection methods in the present days, such as phosphorylating reagents in trace amounts that can come from toxic leakages or chemical weapons reagents, methylmercury, and cyanide ion, and selective fluorogenic sensors for biomolecules of low molecular weight, especially organic metabolites of toxicological or environmental interest. To get these goals, the research group has developed a new family of fluorogenic probes capable of display large differences in the fluorescent signal in the presence of specific analytes, from which the group has developed some fluorescent probes able to discriminate between biomolecules of the same series. The advantage that the new fluorogenic probes offer is that their way of action differs from the known probes, permitting the selective detection of species for which there in no current accessible protocol, for instance discrimination between sport doping substances or abuse recreational drugs. Therefore the research group develops new fluorogenic probes suitable for analytes of high social and environmental impact and with by means of supporting the fluorogenic probes to silica nanomaterials the research group develops new sensor devices of clinical or environmental utility...

Specifications

1.- Development of new OFF-ON fluorogenic probes for the fluorogenic detection of phsphorilating reagents, nerve agents or chemical weapons reagents.

Development of new sensor materials targeted to the detection of environmental organic contaminants of high interest and their application to phosphorylating reagents, nerve agents or chemical weapons reagents.

2.- Development of new fluorogenic probes for methylmercury cation and its selective detection with respect to mercury cation.

Development of new sensor materials targeted to the detection and speciation of methylmercury and mercury cations.

3.- preparation of new OFF-ON fluorogenic probes for fluorogenic recognition processes of organic contaminants and metabolites, cyanide anion and aminoacids.

Development of new sensor materials targeted to the detection of organic contaminants of environmental interest and organic metabolites derived from aminoacids.

4.- Development of new luminescent material sensors based on silica nanomaterials for the detection of organic contaminants and metabolites of high environmental impact.

Development of new sensor materials supported on silica nanomaterials, targeted to the detection of organic contaminants and metabolites of high environmental interest.

5.- Development of new luminescent sensor materials of multiple response, chromogenic, fluorogenic and paramagnetic spin resonance, for the detection of biogenic amines and their analogs of high toxicological and environmental impact.

Development of new sensor materials of multiple response, targeted to the detection of biogenic amines and their analogs used as pharmacological or recreational abuse drugs.

Applications

Enterprises of pharmacological interest, food safety and food defense industry, companies involved in production of chemical compounds with environmental concerns, industry involved in toxicological and environmental detection of chemical compounds.

Current development status

Research or Experimental.

New and innovative aspects

Nowadays the reference technique to evaluate the concentration of species of interest using colorimetric sensors is ultraviolet visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy. Nowadays the reference technique to evaluate the colour changes of colorimetric sensors is ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. This type of technique requires specialized personnel to handle this type of equipment, in addition to a long and tedious experimental procedure that requires a prior calibration that allows calculating the concentration of the species of interest in a test sample.

This app would let measure the analyte concentration quickly, easily and efficiently with a simple digital photograph. To carry out the measurements, it is necessary to photograph the sample calibration and the samples problem.

Main advantages of its use

• Fast, simple and efficient
• Only a smartphone is required
• Not require personnel or equipment specialised
• Wide range of application such as analytical chemistry, quality laboratories, industrial waters, quality control, etc.

Specifications

This application allows the determination of the analytes concentration or chemical species of interest, performing a colour analysis of both the calibration curve and analyte problem. To do this, a photograph is taken of both the calibration curve and the analyte problem. Next, the circular selector is placed on each sample for the colour analysis, and finally the application will show the graphical representation of the concentration against different colour parameters (R, G, B, H, S, V, RGB, ΔRGB). The best fit curve (linear or quadratic), that is, the fit curve with the highest R2 parameter, will appear in the first position, and the application displays the calculated concentrations of the analyte problem. The most innovative aspect is the speed, simplicity, and efficiency when performing a concentration analysis.

Applications

The possible applications are the analysis of substances of interest in analytical chemistry, quality laboratories, industrial waters, quality control, etc.

Intellectual property status

Protected by intellectual property registration BU-122-20

Current development status

The application is temporarily available for free download on the Google Play Store and Apple Store under the name Colorimetric Titration.

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 polymeric material described in the invention interacts with bacteria and viruses, and in particular altering and pathogenic bacteria of food or environmental origin and enteric or other food-borne viruses, as well as viruses of respiratory transmission. Due to this, there is an inhibition of the spread of these microorganisms, which allows the use of these materials in the preparation or manufacture of biocidal materials intended for use as bactericidal absorbents in food packaging, and in textile fiber coatings for manufacturing of masks.

Additionally, bactericidal absorbents can also be dissolved in an organic solvent so that they do not constitute plastic waste, and can be managed as liquid waste.

Furthermore, the copolymers of the present invention are totally reusable, so that, if said copolymer is washed with water and ethanol, once used as bactericidal absorbents in food packaging, or in textile fiber coatings or biosanitary material, it becomes totally operational.

Main advantages of its use

• Inhibition of the spread of microorganisms.
• Copolymers are fully reusable.
• Copolymers can be dissolved in an organic solvent so that they do not constitute a plastic waste, and can be managed as liquid waste.
• There is no migration or release of substances from the material

Specifications

The method of inhibiting the growth and propagation of bacteria and viruses, as well as the inhibition of the formation of bacterial biofilms, described in the patent is therefore based on the ability of said copolymers to interact with bacteria and viruses. The monomer (I), present in the developed copolymers, is a group derived from vanillin linked to the polymer chain by a diazo bond.

Applications

The potential applications are:

• Bactericidal absorbents in food packaging.
• Coatings of textile fibers or biosanitary material for the manufacture of masks with biocidal capacity or drainage tubes or probes

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P202130734

Current development status

Laboratory tested procedure.

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

Tensile characterization tests of concrete and other secondary binder materials are mainly carried out by means of indirect tensile tests, which are simpler from the point of view of their execution, but less reliable. Direct tensile tests, being more complex, are less common. There is no standard specimen geometry for these tests, and specimens with a wide variety of geometries have been used. The geometric design of the test specimen is essential for successful direct tensile testing.

The solution proposed by the researchers makes it possible to determine geometrically a test specimen that guarantees that the break will occur, in the highest possible proportion, in the central area and that it is not affected by the local effects derived from the anchoring system. from the specimen to the load application system.

Main advantages of its use

This specimen is intended to serve as a basis for conducting, in a more reliable way, direct traction tests on concrete and other secondary binding materials, in such a way that all the specimen show a break in the central zone and, therefore, all direct traction tests can reach the "valid" condition.

Specifications

The geometry of the test specimen described by the researchers by the present invention comprises a body of revolution made up of a central straight section, first and second straight end sections, and two first and second transition curved sections, which are arranged between the straight section. central and the first and second extreme straight sections respectively. This proposed specimen manages to substantially reduce the quotient between the maximum stress in the specimen and the maximum stress in its central straight section, approaching unity. To do this, the maximum principal tensile stress fields that appear in different examples of specimens have been calculated, all of them, with a geometry of revolution, subjected to a uniform tensile load, in such a way that the maximum principal stress in the area of the central straight section is the unit.

Applications

This specimen is of great interest for laboratories for the characterization of hydraulic binding materials (such as concrete, cement mortars, lime mortars or plaster mortars, among others). It is also of interest to research centers that are investigating the mechanical properties of concretes and secondary binding materials.

Intellectual property status

Protected by patent P202130588

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.