“LOOKING FOR ANSWERS”

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Innovation is a marathon, not a sprint

Innovation isn´t just about having a good idea. It´s about fighting for it when nobody does. It´s about shaping it when it´s still intangible, about falling a hundred times until, suddenly, something starts to shine. We tend to think when we talk about innovation, that thanks to the emergence of a...

When “green” doesn’t come from doing an LCA, but only from a Pantone® colour

If my grandma had heard about green marketing, she would have raised an eyebrow saying: “That sounds like they’re selling you the same thing... just with a pine-scented label.” And if I told her about the recent situation with Ursula von der Leyen, having to confirm her support for the Green...

How Did We Recover from the Blackout?

Hydropower as the Silent Heroine of April 28 By now, we’re probably all tired of hearing every kind of theory—some quite colorful—about the causes behind the April 28th blackout. But what has received far less media attention is the set of technical solutions that made it possible to restore power...

Preserving what we are: a new technical perspective on the maintenance of built heritage

Beneath the vaults of a Gothic church, within the thick walls of a Cistercian monastery, in the stucco of a Renaissance palace or the rammed earth and timber frames of a traditional house, a single truth emerges: built heritage is an essential part of our history and collective identity. It is a...

Chemical recycling of textile waste: a new life for fiber blends

A growing problem: mountains of textile waste Clothing and textile consumption has increase with the expansion of so-called "fast fashion", giving rise to enromous amounts of waste. In Europe, the European Environment Agency (EEA)1 reports that each EU citizen purchased an average of 19kg of...

A journey through production

Imagine if every product that reaches your hands could explain its story: where it comes from, what materials it was made with, what processes it went through, how its quality was guaranteed and under what conditions it was transported to its destination. We live in an era in where information is...

Skylines and roots: Dubai and its innovation strategy

Talking about Dubai means revisiting the Innovating R&D posts on the CARTIF blog. It means discussing the characteristics of ecosystems that foster resilience and help avoid “lotus flower” scenarios. It means reflecting on the essence and purpose that keep us in constant motion and make us...

Of the pig, even its walk

When we see a pig, we all tend to think that every part of it can be used: its delicious hams, pork cracklings, chorizo, loins.....including, as the saying goes "even its walk". However, at CARTIF we know there ir more beyond that: a great variety of by-products and waste generated during the...

Invisible allies against salinity: microbiota and sequencing for resilient agriculture

In a situation where soil salinity poses a significant threat to global agricultural productivity, scientific research is increasingly focusing on the vital role of soil microorganisms. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), soil salinity is a major challenge for agriculture...

The 28A blackout and the lessons to be learned about the energy transition

In March 2024 I was at a conference on information technologies during which a person from REE stated that in the future we will not be able to take the security of electricity supply for granted. This person did not explain the reason for such a statement, but I do not think he was thinking of a...

Content categories

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Agrofood

You can also consume locally

You can also consume locally

In a world that is increasingly globalized, the trend to consume local products and opt for short distribution chains has become increasingly relevant. This approach not only has economic implications but also environmental and social ones, positively impacting...

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Energy & Environment

Hydrogen. Green that I want you to design green

Hydrogen. Green that I want you to design green

The importance of the design tools and green hydrogen optimisation Green hydrogen is positioning itself as a viable alternative in the context of the transition towards clean and sustainable energy sources. Not only does this energy carrier transform energy without...

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Environment

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Industry

Beyond reality. Extended reality

Beyond reality. Extended reality

Imagine finding out that the pilot of your next flight will be using Apple Vision Pro while in command of the plane. Would you feel comfortable boarding that plane? If your answer is no, you might think the pilot is reckless and that your life is at risk. On the other...

CAPRI, pathway and results

CAPRI, pathway and results

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...

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Health & Quality of life

The passage of time

The passage of time

It is curious how, at the moment we find ourselves, our sense of time has been so disrupted due to the confinement to which the entire population is subjected. Humanity has developed all kinds of tools that allow us to feel we have everything under control. That is...

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Construction and Heritage

Talking about everything visible and invisible (II)

Talking about everything visible and invisible (II)

Refreshing your memory, in the previous blog “Talking about everything visible and invisible (I)” we briefly told you about the digital technologies and techniques used to inspect, document and analyze Cultural Heritage in the visible range (the one that our eyes...

Collaborative robots: new work employees on construction

Collaborative robots: new work employees on construction

The construction industry is undergoing a quiet revolution. While cranes and excavators continue to take centre stage on construction sites, a new type of worker is gaining ground: collaborative robots, or "cobots". These efficient helpers will transform the way we...

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Digitalization

Covid Trackers

Covid Trackers

For a month, almost since the end of the confinement, we have received daily news about the cases of regrowth, which have not stopped increasing in number and incidence. In Spain we are told, through the media, about how important the work of trackers is to keep...

Improving our cities with ICTs

Improving our cities with ICTs

In the European Union 40% of the total final energy is consumed in residential and tertiary buildings. That is reason behind several European Directives established with the aim that the Member States develop long-term strategies encouraging the renovation of...

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Innovating R&D

Every stick hold its own

Every stick hold its own

In my previous post I commented how innovation ecosystems, if they aren´t well coordinated, can become real hotbeds of "de-technology". This happens when the agents that make them up do not have clear roles or do not pursue a common objective. The lack of cohesion...

Lotus flower

Lotus flower

Lotus flower has the capacity of survive on difficult environments, such as pantanous areas, hence it is frecuently associated with the complex vital processes that human being should face. Most technology centres have been told phrases like "tell me about it and I´ll...