Mechatronic Prototype of Parabolic Solar Tracker

New System to Determine the Evolution of the Dynamic Young’s Modulus from Early Ages in Masonry Mortars

This work presents a new method to determine the evolution of the dynamic Young’s modulus (MOE) from small mechanical disturbances caused by cement mortar samples and whose value is collected using a low-cost Arduino accelerometer. The results obtained are correlated with measurements made using traditional ultrasound techniques, in addition to the evolution of MOE being related to the variation in mechanical properties that cement mortars experience over time. In this way, in this work, a secure application method is presented that allows us to advance the knowledge of construction materials with the incorporation of construction and demolition waste (CDW) and—more specifically—of cement mortars made with aggregates recycled from ceramic or concrete waste.

Design and Development of a Nearable Wireless System to Control Indoor Air Quality and Indoor Lighting Quality

The article describes the results of the project “open source smart lamp” aimed at designing and developing a smart object able to manage and control the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of the built environment. A first version of this smart object, built following a do-it-yourself (DIY) approach using a microcontroller, an integrated temperature and relative humidity sensor, and techniques of additive manufacturing, allows the adjustment of the indoor thermal comfort quality (ICQ), by interacting directly with the air conditioner. As is well known, the IEQ is a holistic concept including indoor air quality (IAQ), indoor lighting quality (ILQ) and acoustic comfort, besides thermal comfort. The upgrade of the smart lamp bridges the gap of the first version of the device providing the possibility of interaction with the air exchange unit and lighting system in order to get an overview of the potential of a nearable device in the management of the IEQ. The upgraded version was tested in a real office equipped with mechanical ventilation and an air conditioning system. This office was occupied by four workers. The experiment is compared with a baseline scenario and the results show how the application of the nearable device effectively optimizes both IAQ and ILQ.