Reverse engineering as a teaching tool: the corneal topographer

Póster presentado en EDULEARN12, International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies, Barcelona, 2nd-4th July 2012.

Reverse engineering as a teaching tool: the corneal topographer

Reverse engineering is the process of discovering the technological principles of a device, object or system through analysis of its structure, function, and operation. From a device used in clinical practice, as the corneal topographer, reverse engineering will be used to infer physical principles and laws. In our case, reverse engineering involves taking this mechanical device apart and analyzing its working detail. The initial knowledge of the application and usefulness of the device provides a motivation that, together with the combination of theory and practice, will help the students to understand and learn concepts studied in different subjects in the Optics and Optometry degree. These subjects belong to both the core and compulsory subjects of the syllabus of first and second year of the degree. Furthermore, the experimental practice is used as transverse axis that relates theoretical concepts, technology transfer and research.

Agua, derecho de uso y utilidad en el regadío de tradición andalusí del Reino de Valencia

El origen de la normativa escrita sobre el uso de las aguas en el territorio peninsular levantino plantea diversas incógnitas. Las primera de ellas sobre los quienes fueron los protagonistas en la redacción y determinación de ese derecho. La segunda sobre el papel que la costumbre de los sarracenos desempeñó en la preservación de tradiciones jurídicas, mantenimiento de infraestructuras y gestión del agua. La tercera tiene que ver con el modo de aunar intereses de comunidades distintas desde el punto de vista religioso y jurídico sobre el derecho de uso de forma equitativa y proporcional a necesidades no necesariamente coincidentes. Lo cierto es que las fuentes conservadas sobre el proceso de reconquista y población siguen siendo una de las mejores referencias para despejar incógnitas y justificar la tradición y pervivencia de un derecho inmemorial y vigente en algunas de sus formas y manifestaciones, no solo en el marco levantino sino en otros muchos espacios de la cuenca mediterránea con idénticas características medioambientales y geo-climáticas.

Architectural Technology and the BIM Acronym 3: Getting to Grips with BIM

Among Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in particular, the UK Government’s ambitions regarding BIM uptake and diffusion across the construction sector may be tempered by a realpolitik shaped in part by interactions between the industry, Higher Education (HE) and professional practice. That premise also has a global perspective. Building on the previous 2 papers, Architectural technology and the BIM Acronym 1 and 2, this third iteration is a synthesis of research and investigations carried out over a number of years directly related to the practical implementation of BIM and its impact upon BE SMEs. First challenges, risks and potential benefits for SMEs and micros in facing up to the necessity to engage with digital tools in a competitive and volatile marketplace are discussed including tailoring BIM to suit business models, and filtering out achievable BIM outcomes from generic and bespoke aspects of practice. Second the focus is on setting up and managing teams engaging with BIM scenarios, including the role of clients; addresses a range of paradigms including lonely BIM and collaborative working. The significance of taking a whole life view with BIM is investigated including embedding soft landings principles into project planning and realisation. Thirdly procedures for setting up and managing common data environments are identified and the value of achieving smooth information flow is addressed. The overall objective of this paper is to provide SMEs with a practical strategy to develop a toolkit to BIM implementation.