Assessment of laser peening induced effects on Ti6Al4V by non-destructive measurements

Assessment of laser peening induced effects on Ti6Al4V by destructive and non-destructive techniques

NAMA3DS1-COSPAD1: Subjective video quality assessment database on coding conditions introducing freely available high quality 3D stereoscopic sequences

Research in stereoscopic 3D coding, transmission and subjective assessment methodology depends largely on the availability of source content that can be used in cross-lab evaluations. While several studies have already been presented using proprietary content, comparisons between the studies are difficult since discrepant contents are used. Therefore in this paper, a freely available dataset of high quality Full-HD stereoscopic sequences shot with a semiprofessional 3D camera is introduced in detail. The content was designed to be suited for usage in a wide variety of applications, including high quality studies. A set of depth maps was calculated from the stereoscopic pair. As an application example, a subjective assessment has been performed using coding and spatial degradations. The Absolute Category Rating with Hidden Reference method was used. The observers were instructed to vote on video quality only. Results of this experiment are also freely available and will be presented in this paper as a first step towards objective video quality measurement for 3DTV.

Feasibility of a wireless health monitoring system for prevention and health assessment of elderly people

The work presented in this paper comprises the methodology and results of a pilot study on the feasibility of a wireless health monitoring system designed under main EU challenges for the promotion of healthy and active ageing. The system is focused on health assessment, prevention and lifestyle promotion of elderly people. Over a hundred participants including elderly users and caregivers tested the system in four pilot sites across Europe. Tests covered several scenarios in senior centers and real home environments, including performance and usability assessment. Results indicated strong satisfactoriness on usability, usefulness and user friendliness, and the acceptable level of reliability obtained supports future investigation on the same direction for further improvement and transfer of conclusions to the real world in the healthcare delivery.

Large-scale assessment of language proficiency: theoretical and pedagogical reflections on the use of multiple-choice tests

The new requirement placed on students in tertiary settings in Spain to demonstrate a B1 or a B2 proficiency level of English, in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL), has led most Spanish universities to develop a program of certification or accreditation of the required level. The first part of this paper aims to provide a rationale for the type of test that has been developed at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid for the accreditation of a B2 level, a multiple choice version, and to describe how it was constructed and validated. Then, in the second part of the paper, the results from its application to 924 students enrolled in different degree courses at a variety of schools and faculties at the university are analyzed based on a final test version item analysis. To conclude, some theoretical as well as practical conclusions about testing grammar that affect the teaching and learning process are drawn. RESUMEN. Las nuevas exigencias sobre niveles de competencia B1 y B2 en inglés según el Marco Común Europeo de Referencia para las Lenguas (MCERL) que se imponen sobre los estudiantes de grado y posgrado han llevado a la mayoría de las universidades españolas a desarrollar programas de acreditación o de certificación de estos niveles. La primera parte de este trabajo trata sobre las razones que fundamentan la elección de un tipo concreto de examen para la acreditación del nivel B2 de lengua inglesa en la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. Se trata de un test de opción múltiple y en esta parte del trabajo se describe cómo fue diseñado y validado. En la segunda parte, se analizan los resultados de la aplicación del test a gran escala a un total de 924 estudiantes matriculados en varias escuelas y Facultades de la Universidad. Para terminar, se apuntan una serie de conclusiones teóricas y prácticas sobre la evaluación de la gramática y de qué modo influye en los procesos de enseñanza y aprendizaje.

Cities Futures: A critical assessment of how future studies are applied to cities

Análisis critic de la aplicación de los estudios de future al campo de la planificación urbana

Development of a method of assessment of the problem-solving competency at the Technical University of Madrid

The competence evaluation promoted by the European High Education Area entails a very important methodological change that requires guiding support to help lecturers carry out this new and complex task. In this regard, the Technical University of Madrid (UPM, by its Spanish acronym) has financed a series of coordinated projects with the objective of developing a model for teaching and evaluating core competences and providing support to lecturers. This paper deals with the problem solving competence. The first step has been to elaborate a guide for teachers to provide an homogeneous way to asses this competence. This guide considers several levels of acquisition of the competence and provided the rubrics to be applied for each one. The guide has been subsequently validated with several pilot experiences. In this paper we will explain the problem-solving assessment guide for teachers and will show the pilot experiences that has been carried out. We will finally justify the validity of the method to assess the problem solving competence.

Teamwork Competence Professor s Self-Assessment, a Study Case in the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid

Teamwork Competence Professors Self-Assessment, a Study Case in the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid

Code assessment and modelling for Design Basis Accident Analysis of the European sodium fast reactor design. Part I: System description, modelling and benchmarking

The new reactor concepts proposed in the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) are conceived to improve the use of natural resources, reduce the amount of high-level radioactive waste and excel in their reliability and safe operation. Among these novel designs sodium fast reactors (SFRs) stand out due to their technological feasibility as demonstrated in several countries during the last decades. As part of the contribution of EURATOM to GIF the CP-ESFR is a collaborative project with the objective, among others, to perform extensive analysis on safety issues involving renewed SFR demonstrator designs. The verification of computational tools able to simulate the plant behaviour under postulated accidental conditions by code-to-code comparison was identified as a key point to ensure reactor safety. In this line, several organizations employed coupled neutronic and thermal-hydraulic system codes able to simulate complex and specific phenomena involving multi-physics studies adapted to this particular fast reactor technology. In the “Introduction” of this paper the framework of this study is discussed, the second section describes the envisaged plant design and the commonly agreed upon modelling guidelines. The third section presents a comparative analysis of the calculations performed by each organisation applying their models and codes to a common agreed transient with the objective to harmonize the models as well as validating the implementation of all relevant physical phenomena in the different system codes.

Code assessment and modelling for Design Basis Accident analysis of the European Sodium Fast Reactor design. Part II: Optimised core and representative transients analysis

The new reactor concepts proposed in the Generation IV International Forum require the development and validation of computational tools able to assess their safety performance. In the first part of this paper the models of the ESFR design developed by several organisations in the framework of the CP-ESFR project were presented and their reliability validated via a benchmarking exercise. This second part of the paper includes the application of those tools for the analysis of design basis accident (DBC) scenarios of the reference design. Further, this paper also introduces the main features of the core optimisation process carried out within the project with the objective to enhance the core safety performance through the reduction of the positive coolant density reactivity effect. The influence of this optimised core design on the reactor safety performance during the previously analysed transients is also discussed. The conclusion provides an overview of the work performed by the partners involved in the project towards the development and enhancement of computational tools specifically tailored to the evaluation of the safety performance of the Generation IV innovative nuclear reactor designs.

Peer Assessment and Self-assessment: Effective Learning Tools in Higher Education.

When used appropriately, self- and peer-assessment are very effective learning tools. In the present work, instructor formative assessment and feedback, self-assessment (SA), and peer-assessment (PA) have been compared. During the first part of a semester, the students followed a continuous formative assessment. Subsequently, they were divided into two subgroups based on similar performances. One subgroup performed SAs, and the other followedPAduring the last part of the course. The performances of the two groups in solving problems were compared. Results suggest that PA is a more effective learning tool than SA, and both are more effective than instructor formative assessment. However, a survey that was conducted at the end of the experiment showed higher student confidence in instructor assessment than in PA. The students recognized the usefulness of acting as peer assessors, but believed that SA helped them more than PA.

Assessment of diastolic chamber properties of the right ventricle by global fitting of pressure-volume data and conformational analysis of 3D + T echocardiographic sequences

Assessment of diastolic chamber properties of the right ventricle by global fitting of pressure-volume data and conformational analysis of 3D + T echocardiographic sequences

Assessment methodology applied to demand measures to change urban mobility behavior

In order to minimize car-based trips, transport planners have been particularly interested in understanding the factors that explain modal choices. Transport modelling literature has been increasingly aware that socioeconomic attributes and quantitative variables are not sufficient to characterize travelers and forecast their travel behavior. Recent studies have also recognized that users’ social interactions and land use patterns influence travel behavior, especially when changes to transport systems are introduced; but links between international and Spanish perspectives are rarely dealt with. The overall objective of the thesis is to develop a stepped methodology that integrate diverse perspectives to evaluate the willingness to change patterns of urban mobility in Madrid, based on four steps: (1st) analysis of causal relationships between both objective and subjective personal variables, and travel behavior to capture pro-car and pro-public transport intentions; (2nd) exploring the potential influence of individual trip characteristics and social influence variables on transport mode choice; (3rd) identifying built environment dimensions on travel behavior; and (4th) exploring the potential influence on transport mode choice of extrinsic characteristics of individual trip using panel data, land use variables using spatial characteristics and social influence variables. The data used for this thesis have been collected from a two panel smartphone-based survey (n=255 and 190 respondents, respectively) carried out in Madrid. Although the steps above are mainly methodological, the application to the area of Madrid allows deriving important results that can be directly used to forecast travel demand and to evaluate the benefits of specific policies that might be implemented in the area. The results demonstrated, respectively: (1st) transport policy actions are more likely to be effective when pro-car intention has been disrupted first; (2nd) the consideration of “helped” and “voluntary” users as tested here could have a positive and negative impact, respectively, on the use of public transport; (3rd) the importance of density, design, diversity and accessibility underlying dimensions responsible for land use variables; and (4th) there are clearly different types of combinations of social interactions, land use and time frame on travel behavior studies. Finally, with the objective to study the impact of demand measures to change urban mobility behavior, those previous results have been considered in a unique way, a hybrid discrete choice model has been used on a 5th step. Then it can be concluded that urban mobility behavior is not only ruled by the maximum utility criterion, but also by a strong psychological-environment concept, developed without the mediation of cognitive processes during choice, i.e., many people using public transport on their way to work do not do it for utilitarian reasons, but because no other choice is available. Regarding built environment dimensions, the more diversity place of residence, the more difficult the use of public transport or walking.

A tool assisting teachers in automating the assessment of programming assignments

Automating the assessment of programming assignments brings benefits for both students and teachers, since it helps the formers to gain a timely feedback and releases the latter from tedious tasks. The related literature in the domain has usually focused on the assessment process and the tools required for it, proposing libraries and systems that teachers can use in this process. However, few of them have work rowards reducing the effort and time teacher require to properly set up new assessente processes. This paper describes our experience with the analysis and design of a new tool to support teachers in visually developing automatic grades of programming assignments, introducing the underlying concepts and technologies and presenting the system architecture.

Insertion of impairments in test video sequences for quality assessment based on psychovisual characteristics

Assessing video quality is a complex task. While most pixel-based metrics do not present enough correlation between objective and subjective results, algorithms need to correspond to human perception when analyzing quality in a video sequence. For analyzing the perceived quality derived from concrete video artifacts in determined region of interest we present a novel methodology for generating test sequences which allow the analysis of impact of each individual distortion. Through results obtained after subjective assessment it is possible to create psychovisual models based on weighting pixels belonging to different regions of interest distributed by color, position, motion or content. Interesting results are obtained in subjective assessment which demonstrates the necessity of new metrics adapted to human visual system.

Is building renovation truly sustainable? The need for applying a multi-criteria assessment through life cycle approach

The aim of the present research is to characterise the international scene in the field of building refurbishment, by thoroughly reviewing the literature relating to building renovation and systematising the results according to the different aspects considered by the authors. Even though there is certain consensus with respect to the criteria for the selection of energy efficiency measures, the assessment criteria differ broadly and widely. The present work highlights the lack of consensus on the assessment criteria and the need of harmonization. A holistic view is required in order to identify the most sustainable strategies in each particular case, considering social, environmental and economic impacts from a life cycle perspective.