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The article announces the recipient for the 2005 IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology Outstanding Paper Award presented at the Awards Ceremony of the Society during the 44th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control in Seville, Spain on December 14, 2005. The winning research titled "Worst-Case and Distributional Robustness Analysis of Finite-Time Control Trajectories for Nonlinear Distributed Parameter Systems," by Zoltan K. Nagy and Richard D. Braatz was selected among the papers published in the 2003-2004 issues of the journal. It also calls for nominations for the 2006 IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology Outstanding Paper Award covering the period from January 2004 to December 2005 issues of the journal.

Multi-Media applications are amongst the most demanding services, requiring high amounts of network capacity and computational resources for synchronous audio-visual streaming with high quality. Gaming streaming is one of the most demanding of these media applications. Recent technological advances in the 5G domain, precisely Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC), unlock media industries’ potential by offering high-quality media services through dynamic and efficient resource allocation with low latency. This work presents a multi-site gaming streaming use case implemented over an end-to-end 5G-enabled platform provided by the EU H2020 5G-PPP 5G EVE project. Furthermore, we present the executed use case experiment scenarios to validate the use case performance following a set of defined Quality of Experience(QoE)-related Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). In particular, this paper discusses the design workflow and orchestration of the multi-site gaming streaming use case across two 5G EVE sites (i.e., Spain and Greece), providing a detailed description of the network function applications and resources utilized for the use case. Subsequently, leveraging the 5G EVE monitoring platform, this paper elaborates on the executed experiment scenarios that provide the defined KPI metrics data. Finally, this paper presents, discusses, and analyzes the obtained KPI metrics data results and provides recommendations on future works for these kinds of use cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we design an Anomaly Detection (AD) framework for mobile data traffic, capable of identifying different types of anomalous events generated by flash crowds in metropolitan areas. We state the problem using a semi-supervised approach and exploit the great performance of different Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) models to learn the temporal context of input sequences. Our proposal processes real traffic traces from the unencrypted LTE Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) of an operative network, gathered during an extensive measurement campaign in two major cities in Spain. The AD framework is designed to perform: i) a-posteriori analysis to understand users’ behavior and urban environment variations; ii) real-time analysis to automatically and on-the-fly alert urban anomalies; and iii) estimation of the duration of the periods identified as anomalous. Numerical results show the higher performance of our AD framework compared to classic AD algorithms and confirm that the proposed framework predicts anomalous behaviours with high accuracy and regardless of their cause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of protons and heavy ions for the treatment of tumors is increasing since it provides a better relative biological effectiveness (RBE) than traditional radiotherapy. Accurate knowledge of the energy deposition at submicrometric scales is paramount for RBE characterization. This paper shows the latest version of the silicon cylindrical microdosimeter array developed by the Instituto de Microelectrónica de Barcelona, Centro Nacional de Microelectrónica (IMB-CNM, Spain). The detector consists of a matrix of $11 \times 11$ cylindrical sensitive unit cells with individual readout etched within the silicon substrate available in different diameters and pitches between detectors. The detector employed in this paper had a diameter of $15~\mu \text{m}$ , a pitch of $200~\mu \text{m}$ , and a thickness of $5.5~\mu \text{m}$. The detectors were tested in the clinical facilities of Fondazione Centro Nazionale di Adronterapia Oncologica (CNAO) (Pavia, Italy) employing a 12C pencil beam at a therapeutic beam fluence rate. Microdosimetric spectra of lineal energy were measured in different depths of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) up to the Bragg peak. Results were then compared with Monte Carlo simulations using the FLUKA particle transport code, showing an excellent agreement between experimental and simulated microdosimetric distributions even at the high fluence rates associated with clinical beams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Banks are the backbone of the financial sector and catalysts in the economic development of any country. Current changes in their global business ecosystem make knowledge of about the fund-supplying and fund-demanding parties of the society a key resource for the fulfillment of banks’ investment and saving functions. This paper addresses the relationship between the performance and a learning culture that is supported by knowledge processes within the organization. Given the relevance of this subject for organizations from most knowledge-intensive domains, this research has focused on the Spanish banking sector. Using a structural equation model, feedback received from 215 employees from 142 individual branches from a major banking institution in Spain is studied. The results of the data analysis show that in addition to maximizing on what is already known about the customer base, employees’ learning about the potential new stakeholders and also about the internal strategies, tools, and techniques is directly related to the bank's performance, which, in turn, influences the economic recovery and socio-economic development. Results support that an active pursuit of learning within the context of the organization is required for banks to remain competitive in the dynamic, global business ecosystem, where international, national, and local banking sectors operate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addressesthe problem of real-time state estimation in European-type four-wire low-voltage distribution networks with advanced metering infrastructure based on power line communication (PLC). The main drawback of this type of infrastructure is its high latency and a sequential data sampling process. Both factors make it difficult to obtain instantaneous values from the smart meters in a timely and adequate manner to estimate the real-time state of the system. This problem may be solved in the future with the deployment of metering systems based on other technologies such as 5G. However, PLC technology prevails in many countries, and is not likely to be replaced in the medium term. In the meantime, a solution is needed to provide acceptable real-time state estimates in low voltage networks, not to hinder the active management of these assets in the context of smart grids. In this work, a solution is proposed that allows estimating the state of the low voltage network with a reasonable accuracy considering the low quality of the measurements provided by the deployed infrastructure. The system is validated using a portion of a real pilot network located in the north of Spain fed by a transformer station with seven feeders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large penetration of renewable energy resources is demanding additional flexibility for the operation of power systems. In this sense, real world applications are proving that wind power units are able to provide part of the required flexibility. Therefore, these new sources of flexibility need to be considered by power system planners in order to make appropriate generation capacity expansion decisions. This paper proposes a generation and storage capacity expansion formulation considering that wind power units are able to participate in the reserve provision service. The proposed model is a stochastic linear program that is solved using a commercial solver. A case study based on the isolated power system of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura in Spain is solved to quantify the impact of considering the reserve provision of wind power in capacity investment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

5G is a key tool for the cloud-based wireless production of audio-visual contents. By providing higher throughput and lower latency than previous mobile network technologies, as well as flexible allocation of network resources, it enables that some content production pipelines, which are currently implemented using wired connectivity, are provided on top of a 5G network. This brings down production costs, reduces environmental impact and increases operational efficiency. In particular, live immersive production services, such as free-viewpoint video (FVV), can be provided in a much more efficient way. In this paper, we address the challenge of producing and streaming FVV services in real time through 5G networks. We have adapted a state-of-the-art FVV system to integrate it within a 5G architecture, using three key technological enablers: mmWave radio access network to support the uplink traffic requirements from FVV cameras, multi-access edge computing to run video processing algorithms with minimum latency, and end-to-end slicing to guarantee a sufficient quality of service (QoS) within the production pipeline. We have built a field trial over the production network of a telecommunication operator, including a mmWave pilot deployment, edge cloud processing, and remote content production, involving three different locations across Spain. We have measured the key performance indicators at the relevant parts of our trial deployment, showing that, with existing 5G technology, it is possible to achieve live FVV production, although with some limitations. We have also analyzed such limitations, obtaining some insights on how the next generation of 5G networks can overcome them to achieve higher quality of experience (QoE). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-technical losses (NTL) in electricity utilities are responsible for major revenue losses. In this paper, we propose a novel end-to-end solution to self-learn the features for detecting anomalies and frauds in smart meters using a hybrid deep neural network. The network is fed with simple raw data, removing the need of handcrafted feature engineering. The proposed architecture consists of a long short-term memory network and a multi-layer perceptrons network. The first network analyses the raw daily energy consumption history whilst the second one integrates non-sequential data such as its contracted power or geographical information. The results show that the hybrid neural network significantly outperforms state-of-the-art classifiers as well as previous deep learning models used in NTL detection. The model has been trained and tested with real smart meter data of Endesa, the largest electricity utility in Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recently approved regulation about self-consumption in Spain will dramatically change the level of penetration of photovoltaic distributed generation combined with storage devices at residential level in short term. In this paper, we will study the impact of the massive installation of such technologies under the constraints imposed by the new regulation, over the terminal distribution network. As it will be demonstrated, this impact will be drastic in terms of energy demand, voltage profile, and load curves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The five papers in this special section are extended versions of papers presented at the 5th International Conference on Mechatronics (ICM 2009), held in Malaga, Spain in April 2009. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the highlights of the 2005 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) in Barcelona, Spain. Total attendees at ICRA; ICRA 2005 award winners; IEEE RAS/IFR Entrepreneurs' Workshop and Innovation Awards; Robotics and Automation Society Awards.

In this paper, a new method for prediction of future performance and demand on emergency department (ED) in Spain is presented. Increased life expediency and population aging in Spain, along with their corresponding health conditions such as non-communicable diseases (NCDs), have been suggested to contribute to higher demands on ED. These lead to inferior performance of the department and cause longer ED length of stay (LoS). Prediction and quantification of behavior of ED is, however, challenging as ED is one of the most complex parts of hospitals. Using detailed computational approaches integrated with clinical data behavior of Spain's ED in future years was predicted. First, statistical models were developed to predict how the population and age distribution of patients with non-communicable diseases change in Spain in future years. Then, an agent-based modeling approach was used for simulation of the emergency department to predict impacts of the changes in population and age distribution of patients with NCDs on the performance of ED, reflected in ED LoS, between years 2019 and 2039. Results from different projection scenarios indicated that Spain would experience a continuous increase in total ED LoS from 5.7 million hours in 2019 to 6.2 million hours in 2039 if same human and physical resources, as well as same ED configuration, are used. The results from this study can provide health care provider with quantitative information on required staff and physical resources in the future and allow health care policymakers to improve modifiable factors contributing to the demand and performance of ED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the configuration, modeling, and control of a fuel cell (FC)-battery-powered hybrid system for the Metro Centro tramway in Seville, Spain. The proposed hybrid system presents a polymer electrolyte membrane FC as the primary energy source and a nickel-metal hydride cell battery as the secondary energy source, which supplements the output of the FC during tramway acceleration or whenever else needed and cruise and for energy recovery during braking. The tramway presents a traction system which is composed of four traction induction motor drives. The hybrid system also supplies the power for the auxiliary services. The power conditioning system is composed of two converters: 1) a boost-type unidirectional dc/dc converter for the FC and 2) a boost-type bidirectional dc/dc converter for the battery. The energy management system (EMS) of the hybrid tramway determines the reference signals for the electric motor drives, FC, and power converters in order to regulate accurately the power from the two electrical sources. EMS also determines the reference signal for energy dissipation in braking chopper when required during regenerative braking. In this paper, the proposed hybrid system is evaluated for the real driving cycle of the tramway. The results demonstrate the hybrid system capability to meet appropriate driving cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper describes a novel healthcare IT platform developed under the LOBIN project, which allows monitoring several physiological parameters, such as ECG, heart rate, body temperature, etc., and tracking the location of a group of patients within hospital environments. The combination of e-textile and wireless sensor networks provides an efficient way to support noninvasive and pervasive services demanded by future healthcare environments. This paper presents the architecture, system deployment as well as validation results from both laboratory tests and a pilot scheme developed with real users in collaboration with the Cardiology Unit at La Paz Hospital, Madrid, Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper focuses on the validation of the empirically corrected total ozone column (TOC) data provided by the Earth Probe Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (EP-TOMS) using ground-based measurements recorded by a well-calibrated Brewer spectroradiometer located at El Arenosillo (Spain). In addition, satellite TOC observations derived from the OzoneMonitoring Instrument (OMI) with the TOMS algorithm are also used in this paper. The agreement between EP-TOMS TOC data and Brewer measurements is excellent (R² ~ 0.92) even for the period 2000-2005 when a higher EP-TOMS instrument degradation occurred. Despite its low magnitude, the EP-TOMS-Brewer relative differences depend on the solar zenith angle (SZA), showing a clear seasonal cycle with amplitude between ±2% and ±4%. Conversely, OMI-Brewer relative differences show a constant negative value around -1% with no significant dependence on SZA. No significant dependence on the ground-based to satellitebased differences with respect to the EP-TOMS scene or to the OMI crosstrack position is observed for either satellite retrieval algorithm. Finally, TOC, estimated by the two satellite instruments, have also been compared, showing a good agreement (R² ~ 0.88). Overall, we conclude that the empirical correction of the EP-TOMS data record provides a reprocessed set of high quality. However, EP-TOMS data after year 2000 should not be used in calculations of global-ozone trending due to remaining errors in the data set and because it is no longer an independent data set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes and analyzes the Spanish AGC system. The differences with respect to a standard hierarchical structure are explained. A simple model useful for simulation is proposed. Using this model, the performance of the system and the influence of several parameters in system response is evaluated. The paper also suggests some changes in the configuration and parameter settings of the system to improve its performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The penetration level of wind energy is continuously growing, and it is especially relevant in European countries such as Denmark, Germany, and Spain. For this reason, grid codes in different countries have been recently revised, or are now under revision in order to integrate this energy in the network taking into account the security of supply. This paper is related to reactive compensation, which is one aspect usually included in these codes. On the other hand, a great number of installed wind parks are formed by fixed speed wind turbines equipped with induction generators. The typical scheme for reactive compensation in this kind of wind parks is based on capacitor banks locally controlled in each machine. This configuration makes very difficult to follow the requirements of the new grid codes. To overcome this problem, a configuration with a central controller that coordinates the actuation over all the capacitor steps in the wind park is proposed in this paper. A central controller algorithm that is based on a dynamic programming is presented and evaluated by means of simulation. At this time, the proposed scheme has been installed at the Sotavento Experimental Wind Park (Spain) and it is currently being tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This two-part paper surveys the frequency and voltage control ancillary services in power systems from various parts of the world. In this first part, the nomenclature used to describe active power reserves across 11 systems is first reviewed in order to facilitate the comparison of frequency control ancillary services. The essential technical features of frequency and voltage control ancillary services are then described. Finally, the technical requirements adopted in eight jurisdictions (North America, continental Europe, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Great Britain) are compared. The companion paper surveys the economic features of these ancillary services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an introduction to the main design features of a computer-aided educational package addressed to students of the final years of Electronic and Computer Engineering is presented. The software includes interrelated tutorial, computer simulations, and test questions in which graphical outputs, hypertexts, and animations are widely used. The package is devoted to the simulation study of electrooptic and acoustooptic theory and devices. It provides instant numerical evaluation and a graphical display of different studies. The software presented in this paper has all the following features: an integrative character, self-evaluation tests, a personalized and active learning process, adaptability to teacher's aims, versatility as a teaching tool, multimedia resources, and simplicity. This study has been completed with final-year students at the Superior Polytechnic School of Cordoba, Spain, with highly favorable results when compared with students who did not use the software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents some experimental results on the application of signal processing techniques to underwater seismic signals. The novelty of this paper stems from the fact that it is the first paper, to the best of the authors' knowledge, dealing with a comprehensive processing of signals obtained from active refraction seismology. In particular, this paper has adapted known signal processing techniques to problems such as time of arrival detection (TOA), compression, and representation through conventional images (hodocrones) used in underwater seismology. This work is part of a wider project aimed at the design of a small ocean bottom seismometer (OBS) undertaken by several research and development groups in Spain. This sophisticated easy to handle equipment allows recording useful active and passive seismicity information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an approach to determine the optimal daily generation scheduling based on the Spanish electricity market rules. The Spanish power system considers the pool-based daily market and the technical constraints resolution as two different and consecutive processes. After the daily market has been cleared, a centralized constraints resolution process is applied to this initial scheduling through the redispatch of previously matched energy. In this paper, an algorithm based on Benders decomposition, arranged in three levels, is proposed to solve the technical constraints solution process in order to define a preventive secure dispatch. The constraints resolution process includes a full ac network and security model. This method determines the active power committed to each generating unit so as to minimize the energy redispatch cost subject to dispatch, network, and security constraints. The solution also provides the reactive power output of the generating units, the value of the transformers taps, and the committed voltage control devices. The model has been tested in an actual example of the Spanish power system. Some relevant results are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a probabilistic methodology for estimating the energy costs in the market for wind generators associated with wind prediction errors is proposed. Generators must buy or sell energy production deviations due to prediction errors when they bid in day-ahead or hour-ahead energy markets. The prediction error is modeled through a probability density function that represents the accuracy of the prediction model. Production hourly energy deviations and their associated trading costs are then calculated. Three study cases based on real wind power installations in Spain are analyzed. The three study cases show that the error prediction costs can reach as much as 10% of the total generator energy incomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the undergraduate radar course taught at the Escola Universitària Politècnica del Baix Llobregat (EUPBL) of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Barcelona, Spain. At present, the EUPBL offers a three-year degree in Technical Telecommunications Engineering. This paper briefly describes the EUPBL, the organization of the degree program, the structure of the radar course, the evaluation methods, and two practical exercises on a sonar demonstrator and a global positioning system kit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tunnels represent strong multipath environments for communications, where wireless propagation differs from regular indoor or outdoor scenarios. Moreover, with an adequate operating frequency choice, a tunnel behaves as an oversized waveguide, extending the communication range but affecting the signal with strong fadings. These fadings have been closely studied in the literature in the longitudinal dimension (tunnel length). Nevertheless, they also occur in the cross section, where they have only been analyzed statistically and on a small scale. In this paper, we present the results from an extensive measuring campaign carried out at the Somport tunnel, in Spain. We have adopted the modal theory approach to analyze the large-scale fadings (also known as slow fadings) in the longitudinal, transversal, and vertical dimensions. More specifically, the modes’ geometry allowed for the adequate placement of transmitters to create different periodic fading structures and to virtually divide the tunnel cross section into sectors, where the fadings presented a phase shift of 180°. This study enabled the development of large-scale spatial diversity schemes and navigation techniques to improve communication and localization inside these scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minimizing energy consumption in buildings is one of the priorities of the European Union energy strategy. The European legislation has defined a legal framework to determine the energy qualification of a building that is used by each of the member states to define its own energy qualification procedure. This paper presents a methodology to evaluate the effect of climate conditions in the energy qualification procedure. It evaluates the effectiveness of the qualification in representing the yearly energy demand and \CO2 emissions. Moreover, it determines the effects of improvements in different parameters of the procedure (e.g., the construction materials of the enclosure, thermal installations, etc.) in order to improve qualifications. It has been applied to the Spanish legislation using a series of simulations of a typical domestic building, with climatic data from different zones of the Spanish territory. The most significant results are the similarity in the energy certification values obtained in all scenarios and the lack of concordance between the energy rating scale, energy consumption, and \CO2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The COVID-19 pandemic presents unprecedented challenges to the healthcare systems around the world. In 2020, Spain was among the countries with the highest Intensive Care Unit (ICU) hospitalization and mortality rates. This work analyzes data of COVID-19 patients admitted to a Spanish ICU during the first wave of the pandemic. The patients in our study either died (deceased patients) or were discharged from the ICU (non-deceased patients) and underwent the following landmarks: beginning of symptoms; arrival at the emergency department; beginning of the hospital stay; and ICU admission. Our goal is to create a graph-based data-science methodology to find associations among patients’ comorbidities, previous medication, symptoms, and the COVID-19 treatment, and to analyze their evolution across landmarks. Towards that end, we first perform a hypothesis test based on bootstrap to identify discriminative features among deceased and non-deceased patients. Then, we leverage graph-based representations and network analytics to determine pairwise associations and complex relations among clinical features. The descriptive statistical analysis confirms that deceased patients exhibit multiple comorbidities with stronger levels of association and are treated with a wider range of drugs during the ICU stay. We also observe that the most common treatment was the simultaneous administration of lopinavir/ritonavir with hydroxychloroquine, regardless of the patients’ outcome. Our results illustrate how graph tools and representations yield insights on the relations among comorbidities, drug treatments, and patients’ evolution. All in all, the approach puts forth a new data-analysis tool for clinicians that can be applied to analyze (post-COVID) symptom/patient evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows the results of a survey performed in Spain on the different functionalities of e-learning platforms. This survey was filled in by a group of teachers, experts in engineering education from across Spain, within the scope of the Spanish Chapter of the IEEE Education Society. This paper presents their opinions on several aspects of e-learning functionalities, such as knowledge levels, levels of use, and usefulness, as well as describing the most commonly used platforms. One of the objectives of this work is to create a debate in the international community about the use of e-learning platforms and their main functionalities, the most frequently used standards, the implications for and the levels of support by institutions in their use of e-learning platforms, and in general, their advantages and disadvantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the application of sliced inverse regression to model the electrochemical process of aluminum smelter plants. Real data measurements obtained during several years in a Spanish industrial environment are used to illustrate the main dependencies between parameters. Nonlinear relations between the output variables and relevant linear combinations of input variables are deduced. An exploratory statistical analysis is also presented, checking for correlations and possible linear dependencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel hybrid approach, combining wavelet transform, particle swarm optimization, and adaptive-network-based fuzzy inference system, is proposed in this paper for short-term electricity prices forecasting in a competitive market. Results from a case study based on the electricity market of mainland Spain are presented. A thorough comparison is carried out, taking into account the results of previous publications. Finally, conclusions are duly drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a fault diagnosis method using a timed discrete-event approach based on interval observers that improves the integration of fault detection and isolation tasks. The interface between fault detection and fault isolation considers the activation degree and the occurrence time instant of the diagnostic signals using a combination of several theoretical fault signature matrices that store the knowledge of the relationship between diagnostic signals and faults. The fault isolation module is implemented using a timed discrete-event approach that recognizes the occurrence of a fault by identifying a unique sequence of observable events (fault signals). The states and transitions that characterize such a system can directly be inferred from the relation between fault signals and faults. The proposed fault diagnosis approach has been motivated by the problem of detecting and isolating faults of the Barcelona's urban sewer system limnimeters (level meter sensors). The results obtained in this case study illustrate the benefits of using the proposed approach in comparison with the standard fault detection and isolation approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The level of secondary reserve needed in a power system is traditionally settled by system operators according to engineering criteria. This paper proposes a novel methodology to determine the optimum level of secondary reserve based on both engineering and economic criteria. Within the proposed approach a price elastic-quantity demand curve for the secondary reserve is built. This approach assumes that the provision of secondary reserve is made under a competitive market. In this market, the supply curve that collects the bids from generators providing secondary reserve is matched with the calculated elastic demand cost curve. The cross of the supply and demand curves determines the optimal level of secondary reserve and the price for provision of the service. The developed approach is illustrated with a case study based on the current day-ahead secondary reserve market in Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fact of placing competences and outcomes learning at the heart of the academic activity means overhauling the curricular architecture of higher education in Europe. Some universities have undergone important transformations moving toward a competence-based learning environment, while others maintain traditional curriculum packaged formats. In the realm of the European Higher Education Area, this paper examines the use of competence-based initiatives in curricular development for engineering degrees with special focus to the Spanish case. Although the concept of competence and competence-based learning has a long history in education and training research, these terms are still very diffuse and demand a clear conceptualization. In the first part of this paper, we provide a conceptual overview and a critical reflection of competences as implemented in a wide range of settings, including its origins, key concepts, and definitions. Next, we discuss the purposes, principles, pitfalls, and processes that enable defining a map of competences within engineering education. Lastly, we present a pilot project involving curriculum development and faculty enhancement within a competence-based learning initiative in Electronic Engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem-based learning (PBL) has proved to be a highly successful pedagogical model in many fields, although it is not that common in computer engineering. PBL goes beyond the typical teaching methodology by promoting student interaction. This paper presents a PBL trial applied to a course in a computer engineering degree at the University of Seville, Spain. To promote the reusability and interoperability of the PBL trial, a design-driven approach was used, based on the Internet protocol Multimedia Subsystems (IMS) Learning Design (LD) standard. This paper presents the outcomes of using this method to innovate teaching practices in a blended learning environment. Design and implementation results, as well as users' opinions, are presented and analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a competitive electricity market, an accurate forecasting of energy prices is an important activity for all the market participants either for developing bidding strategies or for making investment decisions. An adaptive wavelet neural network (AWNN) is proposed in this paper for short-term price forecasting (STPF) in the electricity markets. A commonly used Mexican hat wavelet has been chosen as the activation function for hidden-layer neurons of feed-forward neural network (FFNN). To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, day-ahead prediction of market clearing price (MCP) of Spain market, which is a duopoly market with a dominant player, and locational marginal price (LMP) forecasting in PJM electricity market, are considered. The forecasted results clearly show that AWNN has good prediction properties compared to other forecasting techniques, such as wavelet-ARIMA, multi-layer perceptron (MLP) and radial basis function (RBF) neural networks as well as recently proposed fuzzy neural network (FNN). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces and evaluates BioLab, a tool for teaching biosignal processing. BioLab has been used in the biomedical engineering module that is given in the second semester of the fifth year of the electronic engineering degree at the University of Valencia, Spain. This module and its correspondent curricular pathway are also reviewed. BioLab allows the results obtained with digital processing techniques to be shown interactively in the theory classes, and it also provides support in laboratory sessions. The graphic interface of BioLab simplifies its learning and use and provides access to processing and visualization functions by means of menus. The tool is based on Matlab since the students have had previous experience in this environment. BioLab also supports diverse formats of data files, which facilitate access to real records and their conversion to usable formats. The modular structure of BioLab allows it to be easily extended to other educational materials that are related to signal processing and to research applications. An evaluation of BioLab has revealed that students found it useful for understanding the general concepts of digital processing and biosignal processing in particular. The students also found BioLab very easy to learn and use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the Spanish voltage control ancillary ser- vice is the minimization of the transmission losses while keeping the system away from voltage instability. The latter target can be achieved maintaining an adequate voltage profile in normal operating condition and assuring that generators exhibit enough reactive margins that guarantee that the system voltages will remain under acceptable values in case of contingencies. The service has been designed in Spain to be partially mandatory and partially subject to payment based on market-driven rules and performance evaluation. In the annual time scope, the optional reactive offers submitted by the service suppliers are selected analyzing a number of forecasted scenarios. This paper explains the implementation of the Spanish voltage control ancillary service (VCAS) that is provided by generators in the annual time scope. For this purpose, a mixed-integer linear programming optimal power flow (OPF) is used. Reactive bids of generators are modeled within each scenario by modifying the reactive limits of the generators. The use of the proposed OPF in the assignment of the voltage control ancillary service is explained and illustrated using actual scenarios of the Spanish power system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an efficient method based on a new fuzzy neural network is proposed for short-term price fore- casting of electricity markets. This fuzzy neural network has inter-layer and feed-forward architecture with a new hypercubic training mechanism. The proposed method predicts hourly market-clearing prices for the day-ahead electricity markets. By combination of fuzzy logic and an efficient learning algorithm, an appropriate model for the nonstationary behavior and outliers of the price series is presented. The proposed method is examined on the Spanish electricity market. It is shown that the method can provide more accurate results than the other price forecasting techniques, such as ARIMA time series, wavelet-ARIMA, MLP, and RBF neural networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solution of power system constraints is an important issue that has to be addressed to achieve a fair operation of a competitive electricity market. In the Spanish electricity market, the System Operator (SO) is in charge of determining the technical feasibility of the generation dispatch provided by the Market Operator (MO). An optimal solution method of power system constraints in the Spanish market must take into account the connection of off-line units to solve both branch overloads and voltage constraints, the adjustment of voltage control resources, the solution of the postulated n-I and n-2 contingencies with a preventive criteria and the coupling of the solution in the 24 hourly scenarios due to the start-up cost of nonconnected units. This paper details the management of power system constraints in the Spanish market, and contains a comprehensive review of solution methods of power system constraints. In addition, the paper proposes a novel approach to solve Spanish power system constraints that overcomes the limitations of existing methods, by decoupling the solution of branch overloads and voltage constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a field measurement campaign developed to study the influence of the special features of a Single Frequency Network (SFN) reception in the C/N thresholds applicable to portable DTV reception. The measurements presented here were performed inside coverage areas of the nation wide SFN which broadcasts DTV (COFDM 8 K mode) services in Spain. The aim of this paper is to present some network planning reference values for portable reception in urban environments where both multipath and multiple transmitter reception have to be taken into account to ensure a good quality of service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the measurement results obtained in an extensive field test campaign developed in two large cities of Spain (Madrid and Bilbao) with the aim of characterizing the portable outdoor reception of digital terrestrial television (COFDM) and continue the studies carried out by the authors during the past years [1], [2]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, experimental broadband propagation measurements in a typical sea port scenario at 5.8 GHz are presented. Measurements were performed in Cádiz Bay, Spain, by sounding the channel with a periodic pulsed signal, from which power delay profiles (PDPs) were estimated for several locations. The study focuses on propagation scenarios based on low-height antenna deployments. Experimental PDPs are found with a spiky shape that can be explained from the nature of the environment. This result is significantly different from the one expected in other regular environments (urban, indoor, etc.) where continuous shaped profiles are common. Furthermore, time-dispersive parameters, such as mean delay, delay spread, and coherence bandwidth, are extracted. The estimated values for mean delay and delay spread remain small, which indicates that the channel can be regarded as flat for typical low-bandwidth signals employed over the sea. In fact, the median value for coherence bandwidth is found to be 8 MHz, hence these channels are suitable to support relatively high data rates by using simple communication systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about several topics discussed at the 2007 IEEE International Symposium on Intelligent Signal Processing held at Alcalá de Henares in Madrid, Spain in October 3-5 is presented. Topics include mobile robot applications and their interaction with the environment. It also discussed intelligent image analysis and intelligent sensor processing.

The increasing installed wind power capacity has caused wind power generation to become a significant percentage of the entire electric power generation. As a consequence, the power system operators have included wind power plants regulation to improve the control of the overall power system, both in steady-state and transient operation. Therefore, wind power systems are required to verify the grid connection requirements stated by the power system operators. In presence of grid voltage dips, the low voltage ride-through (LVRT) requirement compliance produces a mismatch between the generated active power and the active power delivered to the grid. The conventional solution assumes that the active power surplus is dissipated in a dc-link resistor. In this paper, a control scheme for the back-to-back neutral-point-clamped converter is proposed. Under grid voltage dip, the controllers for generator-side and grid-side converters work concurrently to meet the LVRT requirement by storing the active power surplus in the turbine-generator mechanical system inertia while keeping constant the dc-link voltage. Simulation and experimental results verify the proposed control scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article presents an update on the Antenna Measurement Techniques Association (AMTA) as of April 2010. The association has held its AMTA Europe 2010 event at the Barcelona International Convention Center in Barcelona, Spain. It has also set its deadline for abstract submission for the Technical Program of its AMTA 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. Information on a paper titled "Accurate Radiation Pattern Measurements in a Time-Reversal Electromagnetic Chamber," published within the issue, is also provided.

The article presents information on the 2004 Workshop on Radiation and its Effects on Components and Systems (RADECS), which was held from September 22-24, 2005 in Madrid, Spain. The special issue of the journal "IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science" contains selected papers from the Workshop. At least three reviewers scrutinized these manuscripts to ensure that all manuscripts were original and represented significant contributions to the literature. A separate proceedings of this RADECS 2004 Workshop contains a complete record of all manuscripts presented orally or via poster.

The article offers an introduction to the paper "Achieving Competence-Based Curricula for Engineering Education in Spain," by Mónica Edwards et al. which appeared within the issue. The paper focuses on the development of a program that is based on a competence-based engineering education curriculum in Spain. A list of core competencies is proposed by the authors in their paper. The authors expect competence to become the defining measure for redesigning future curricula in Spain.