CARTIF was born, like many other technology centres, in the heart of a university department. In our case, our General Director José R.Perán created it almost 30 years ago in the department of systems and automatic engineering of the School of Industrial Engineering of the Univesity of Valladolid.
The center is growing and evolving in terms of the knowledge acquired, the number of researches that form part of it, as well as the facilities it has at its disposal.
It was in 2008 when I joined CARTIF, and I found that the centre was inmersed in the process of implementing a Marketing Plan drawn up by experts in the field with the objective of selling the technologies and knowledge that the centre had at that time to companies identified in that plan. At that time, the centre had a market-oriented installed capacity of almost 50% of its resources. In other words, half of the staff was clearly focused on transfer. With this installed capacity, returns were approximately 40%, i.e. almost half of the centre´s income came from turnover from companies.
With the “big” marketing plan, CARTIF launches itself into the market, devoting even more resources to try to make transfer, but obtaining practically the same results… The centre´s growth was stagnating and the national public funding crisis was threatening back in 2011. The centre began to dedicate resources to the European Framework Programme, in view of the predicted shortage of nacional funds, becoming the main programme from 2017-2018, when the era of kick-offs, work packages and the anxiety that the officer would admit us to the deliverable began…CARTIF researches at that time only had in their heads infodays, deadlines and reports… The level of stress was increasing due to the demands of the justifications.
A few years later, on 13 March 2020 every person at CARTIF walked out the door witht our computers and screens. A state of alarm was to be proclaimed, we were in a worldwide coronavirus pandemic… Hospitals were collapsed, nursing homes were armoured, it was a global emergency. The market was crying out for help… The market was knocking at the door.
CARTIF uses all the knowledge and technologies at its disposal. It starts to manufacture the famous PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) for healthcare workers, to provide sterilisation equipment,… The researchers are proud, they want more, for the first time in a long time they don’t have to convince the market, they just have to offer what it asks for.
The centre clicks again after a period of confusion and the transfer culture that has always existed reappears, this time reinforced with the new deputy general manager, reminding us of what we are: the agent that responds to the calls, and not calls, of the market.
Because the technology centres are the agent that acts as a hinge between science and the market, we have to stop the erroneous tendency to generate and then transfer, which is typical of a research organisation. Technology centres must internalise our role as agents of innovation, making researches become technologists, think about the market and feel proud and happy to help the business fabric and also as a natural extension to society.
Because only this way… We will be happy!
Innovate for you, innovate for me, innovate for all of us
The European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage (ECCCH), created in 2023 and aimed to create innovative tools for digitizing cultural heritage objects, is a trending topic in the UE applied research to ensure the sustainable and affordable conservation of our historical legacy.
For sure digitising cultural heritageinvolves a wide variety of technologies and techniques, some of which serve to analyse visible issues (those what we ‘detect’ with our eyes), and others serve to discover and analyse invisible issues (those what we are not able to see). Have you ever wondered what those techniques are? Keep reading as we begin in this episode with the visible ones. Don’t be impatient, next time we will explain those used for the invisible.
Digitising the visible characteristics of cultural heritage objects requires at least this range of innovative tools and methods:
High res-3D scanning: to capture the shape, texture and geometry. Techniques such as laser scanning, structured light scanning, Structure from motion (SfM – by means of image sequences) or Neural Radiance Fields (NERF – adding IA to image sequences) are employed to create detailed 3D.
Advanced imaging methods: this can include techniques such as multispectral images (normally between 3 and 20 spectral bands not necessarily contiguous to each other); hyperspectral images (formed by a greater number of bands but always contiguous); or reflectance transformation imaging (RTI), which easily reveal details, enhance colour accuracy, and provide material analysis.
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR): to enable immersive experiences and interactive visualisation of cultural heritage objects. They allow users to explore digitised objects in virtual environments, providing a more engaging and educational experience.
Metadata and semantic annotation: to ensure proper organisation and retrieval of digitised cultural heritage objects. These tools enable the description, classification, and linking of objects to related information, such as historical context, artist information, or cultural significance.
Robust data storage and management solutions: As the volume of digitised cultural heritage objects is hugely growing, cloud-based platforms and digital repositories are required to provide scalable and secure storage for the vast amount of data generated through digitisation efforts.
Collaborative Platforms: to ease collaboration among multiple institutions and experts, facilitate sharing, exchange, and collaboration among stakeholders, enabling seamless access to digitised cultural heritage data.
We know how to do all these things at CARTIF. Do you dare to ask us?
Imagine living in a building where the temperature is as constant as grandma´s secret recipe. How to achieve it? This is where Phase Change Materials (PCM) and heat pumps powered by renewable energy come in, the dynamic duo of energy efficiency.
PCM are like zen masters of temperature, maintaining calm and balance in the environment by constantly storing and releasing heat. When combined with heat pumps that operate on solar or geothermal energy, they provide a clear guarantee that your home will maintain a constant temperature.
Here are some practical reasons to fall in love with this combination:
Thermal stability: thanks to PCMs, forget about sudden temperature changes. It´s like having a magic thermostat that always finds the perfect setting.
Energy savings: heat pumps, powered by renewable energy, are like wizards who convert sunlight or eart´s heat into real savings on your energy bill. More efficiency, less expense.
Ecofriendly: by joining forces, PCMs and heat pumps are like planet-friendly travelling companions. They contribute to reducing your carbon footprint, making your home greener than a meadow in spring.
Now, speaking of innovation, the European ThumbsUp project enters the scene. This project seeks to overcome the limitations of conventional technologies by developing innovative materials ,and in this sense, the CARTIF III building will be the test laboratory, showing how this technology can transform a building into an oasis of energy efficiency.
In short, the combination of PCM and heat pumps is an effective solution for simple thermal management. Get ready to say goodbye to extremes and welcome a home that is always cosy.
When a Project finalises, it is the time to recapitulate, time to collect all the information and the experience gained along. Along the three years and a half working in CAPRI project there has been a lot of time to do things, to obtain very good results or to feel bad because many times nothing seems to works well the first time.
CAPRI project, has finalised in September 2023 and has achieved its main objectives defined during the beginning which were driven by the need of help in the digital transformation of the European process industry by investigating, developing and testing a cognitive automation platform. CAP, that integrates 19 different cognitive solutions defined in each one of the three project’s pilot plants. This platform has been designed to achieve the ultimate goal to obtain reductions of use of raw materials, energy consumption and CO2 footprint. With the finalization of the project, it can be shown that the reductions have been achieved thanks to the very close collaboration of the twelve partners involved, from seven different countries. The cognitive platform and solutions were deployed in three important sectors of the process industry: Asphalt manufacturing, billets and bars of Steel production and the production of tablets in the pharma industry.
For example, the asphalt pilot plant from EIFFAGEInfraestructuras, the cognitive solutions were related with the four automation levels, from sensors to planning, covering all of them.
The final prototype demonstrated under actual operation of the asphalt plant included very different technologies such as computer vision, vibration analysis, neural networks or mathematical models for parametrization of the existing data to predict the key performance indicators (specific energy consumption per tonne of asphalt mix or the final amount of raw materials used).
The cognitive solutions developed, like the cognitive control of the dryer drum or the new sensors, assures the quality of products and production in real time, reducing the used energy and raw materials. Before the project, the control of the materials used was based on estimations and now, with the mathematical model for mass balance and new sensors, the plant operators can receive an information in real time they didn’t have before.
The expected results of each Cognitive Solutions were defined during the first stages of the project to verify the improvements of each one during the validation period of the project.
CAPRI Project offers innovative solutions that have the potential to transform industries and drive progress. It highlights the project’s focus on unlocking new possibilities and empowering various sectors with cutting-edge advancements thanks to the generated key exploitable results.
Respect these results, inside the Asphalt use case, it has been included as exploitable results 3 solutions: a sensor to measure the dust aspirated online inside a pipe, the amount of bitumen present in recycled asphalt, and a predictive maintenance system of plant’s baghouse based on cognitive sensors and expert knowledge. The steel use case generated 2 exploitable results: a cognitive steel solidification sensor for continuous casting processes and a steel Product tracking. The pharma use case has 2 exploitable results: a cognitive sensor for granule quality and a quality attributes sensor.
The project generated also some transversal key exploitable results useful for any kind of industry: the technical architecture of the cognitive automation platform or CAP, and another one related to the open data generated, showing CAPRI project’s commitment with the open science the FAIR principles through the generation of more than 50 assets shared in open platforms, like Zenodo.
The main objectives of the proposal were the reduction of use of raw materials, energy and CO2 footprint. We can say with pride that we achieved those objectives as you can see in the summary table.
KPI
After CAPRI
5% – 20% Savings in Raw Material
10-20%
5% overall reduction in energy consumption
3-16.75%
5% reduction of CO2 foot print
3-16.75%
As an engineer, when a project finalises on time, and with these very good results, when your project has contributed to improve the industry, without damaging our environment, you feel better and all the sacrifices, extra hours and bad reviews was worth it.
In the vibrant landscape of innovation and research and development (R&D), where ideas flourish and creativity meets technology, business development emerges as the essential bridge between theoretical potential and practical realisation. At CARTIF Technology Centre, we recognise that this bridge is not merely an additional step in the R&D&I process, but an integral component that determines the success and sustainability of our innovations in the marketplace.
Business development in the context of R&D&I is not limited to the search for commercial opportunities for existing products or services; it is an strategic integration that starts from the very conception of the research. It means aligning research and development objectives with market needs from the outset, identifying niches where innovation can not only enter but also expand and dominate.
Valorising innovation, the process in which technological knowledge is transformed into viable market applications, requires a deep understanding of the business ecosystem. At CARTIF, we strive to understand market dynamics, industry trends and consumer needs. This approach allow us to not only anticipate change but also to be part of the driving force behind it, ensuring that our innovations are both relevant and revolutionary.
Business development also involves building and maintaining a strong network of contacts, including industrial, academic and financial partners. These collaborations are crucial to the success of R&D&I, as they provide the resources, knowledge and capital needed to bring innovations from the lab to the market. At CARTIF, we value these collaborations as the core of our business development strategy, fostering an ecosystem where innovation can thrive.
By aiming to create business models for companies based on the results we transfer to them, we not only add value to our work but also maximise business opportunities for our clients. This dual approach ensures that we are not only transfering technology, but that we are actively participating in the creation of sustainable economic opportunities for the companies that collaborate with us.
“The creation of these business models is, in essence, a key function of business development”
Borja Fernández Villar. Head of Business Development at CARTIF
One of the main advantages of this integrated approach is the minimisation of risk for companies investing in our technology. By being able to generate business models directly, we offer our customers a clear path to return on their investment. This clarity and security of investment is essential to fostering a culture of bold innovation, where companies feels empowered to adopt new technologies knowing that they have a solid business model behind them to support their success.
Business development is undoubtedly the catalyst that allows innovation ideas to become successful commercial realities. At CARTIF Technology Centre, we understand that integrating business development strategies into the R&D&I process is not just an option, but a necessity to ensure that our innovations are not only pioneering, but also impactful and sustainable in the marketplace. By putting business development at the heaet of our R&D strategy, we ensure that the bridge between theory and practice is not only solid but also well-trodden, taking innovation from concept to successful commercialisation.
Did you know that we spend approximately 90% of our time inside buildings, and that they are responsible for more than 40% of energy consumption in the European Union? These places where we carry out our main activity are the core of our economy and society, but, how prepared are they for the challenges and opportunities of today and tomorrow?
The building sotck plays a key role in transforming the places where we work, live and socialise. The actions promoted by the European Union with the Green Deal or the Renovation Wave have sought to drive this change, Moreover, since the 2018 revision of the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD)1– which, by the way, has just been updated again- the potential of smart technologies takes on a fundamental role. Digitalisation therefore seems to be key to reach the transformation of the places where we live, to enhance and contribute to the energy transition.
This is why in the 2018 revision of the EPBD directive the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI)2 was also introduced as an optional shceme to measure the level of smart preparedness of buildings. This scheme is born in a first technical study for the European Commision in 2017/18 and is revised in a subsequent iteration on 2019/20, associating a calculation methodology3. It is in 2020 that its implementation is regulated for the first time4, and since 2021 a support team has been in place to assist with its adoption. Given its non-mandatory nature, the decision on its implementation lies with the member countries of the European Union, and for this reason it is currently in the voluntary testing phase in some countries, including Spain.
And what does this indicator allow us to know? The SRI assesses the building in terms of three key functionalities fully aligned with the concept of intelligence: (1) how the building responds to the needs of the occupants, (2) the use of strategies to improve energy efficiency and performance, (3) its ability to interact with the exterior and react to the environment. To this end, a catalogue of servicies classified into nine technical domains, assessed on the basis of seven impacts, is proposed.
Let´s see how it works with an example: you want to improve the performance of the building´s heating system. It may not be possible to realise automatic control, either central or even more advanced, allowing room-by-room control. Based on the level of functionality chosen, the higher the capability offered, the more intelligent the implementation will be assessed as being able to provide more beneficial impacts to users in terms of energy efficiency, comfort, convenience or health. These impacts will in turn score higher than services with lower functionality. The calculation method can be found in the final EC technical report cited above, and there are also supporting materials, examples and digital tools to make the process easier5.
Figure 1. Domains and SRI impact categories
The implementation of smart technologies can help us to achieve buildings that are better in terms of energy, healthier, more comfortable and more environmentally friendly. However, aspects such as the lack of knowledge and awareness, the need for accurate information to contextualise these recommendations, or the lack of user confidence in the benefits that smart solutions can bring, make their adoption less straightforward. There are numerous projects that aim to support the uptake activities of such an initiative, such asSMARTeeSTORYor BuildON, in which CARTIF is involved, where we will try to go a step further and offer support to end users on what measures to adopt for the smart transformation of the building and its improvement inthe desire domain/impact. We hope that in this way we can help to ensure that, in a not so distant future, the buildings in which our time moves forward will become the place where we would like to live.
3 European Commission, Directorate-General for Energy, Verbeke, S., Aerts, D., Reynders, G. et al., Final report on the technical support to the development of a smart readiness indicator for buildings – Final report, Publications Office, 2020, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2833/41100
