Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Humanas y de la Educación
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Construction of a Low-Cost Semi-automatic Machine for Tensile Testing

2021 , Varela Aldas, José , Buele, Jorge , Cruz J.

Tensile tests make it possible to determine the resistance and other relevant parameters of the materials. These procedures are usually performed with equipment that is expensive and inaccessible to higher education centers with limited budgets. In the case of acquiring this hardware, the disadvantage is that this are purely manual machines that make the use and learning process difficult. That is why this document shows the construction of a machine that allows this type of testing, but using low-cost materials. The mechanical and electronic design and programming that has been used to implement and semi-automate the machine is briefly but clearly described. To validate the functionality, the respective tests have been carried out, although it is a limited version that requires improvements, the results are satisfactory. The curve obtained when carrying out tests with A36 steel has shown a similarity with the theory. Thus, students obtain a technological tool that contributes to academic training, strengthening knowledge in the study of materials. © 2021, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

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Optimal position control of a mobile manipulator for minimum energy

2022 , Varela Aldas, José

This work presents the position control with energy optimization for a mobile manipulator and the proposal is based on the Pontryagin's Minimum Principle. The objective function is subject to the kinematic model of the robot with the non-holonomic motion constraint of the mobile platform and the boundary conditions as the desired parameters of the controller. The obtained differential equations are solved using the Shooting method to find the optimal co-states. The simulation performed shows that the position errors tend to zero and the control actions are optimized. Furthermore, these results are evaluated with respect to a control law based on the inverse kinematics of the robot. Finding that the minimum energy objective function is affected by the final time. © 2022 IEEE.

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Body Temperature Control Using a Robotic Arm

2021 , Varela Aldas, José , Moreira A. , Criollo P. , Ruales, María Belén

At the end of 2019, a highly contagious virus appears, changing the form of interaction between humans, this has implied the use of technology as a support tool to counteract the effects of the new disease (COVID-19). Although many technologies have been successfully adapted, applied robotics promises to reduce or even eliminate the need for person-to-person contact. This article presents the control of the body temperature of the clients of a commercial premises through the implementation of a system that includes a robotic arm, two sensors and a mobile device. The robotic arm is constructed using 3D printing and a low-cost electronic circuitry, body temperature is obtained using an infrared sensor, and a mobile device displays, alerts, and stores the information. The developed code allows remote control of the robot positions or a pre-programmed sequence is automatically activated that includes temperature measurement and hand disinfection. The results show the robot in operation and the data acquired by the system, observing adequate temperatures in most of the users and a single alert during the tests carried out. The conclusions establish the importance of the system in the real application and highlight the multiple benefits of this proposal. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

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Jurisprudence on sustainable development in Ecuador: an analysis of judicial rulings and environmental challenges

2024 , Saltos-Hidalgo, Tatiana , Albuja Urvina, María Gabriela , Alex Fabián Mejía-Sandoval , Anthony Gaon-Cajamarca

Sustainable development in Ecuador faces a significant challenge due to the lack of jurisprudence that integrates sustainability principles into judicial decisions, compounded by the prevalence of environmental conflicts and the absence of specific studies. This study aimed to analyze how Ecuadorian courts applied these principles in their rulings on protective actions resolved in the Northern Judicial Complex of Quito, to identify decision-making patterns and potential cognitive biases in the adjudication process. The analysis adopts both a quantitative and qualitative approach to 1,020 cases resolved in 2023. The systematic review considers the legal and environmental context, as well as a detailed examination of judicial rulings to assess the application of sustainable development principles. Cases were classified based on the dimensions of sustainable development to which the violated rights were linked. The results indicated that a total of 156 accepted cases directly declared the violation of economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights, with 1 case indirectly involving environmental protection. This represents 15.29% of the total reviewed cases and 56.32% of the accepted cases. Of the total, 98.72% were linked to the economic and social dimension, while only 1.28% corresponded to the environmental dimension of sustainable development. Ecuadorian courts demonstrate a low level of integration of sustainability dimensions in their rulings, hindering the progress of sustainable development in the country. The ambiguity in defining these principles increases judicial discretion and the likelihood of biases in decisions. Therefore, a more systematic approach and ongoing training are needed to help judges avoid biases in their rulings

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Governance and subjective well-being in the Countries of the Andean Community (CAN)

2024 , Núñez-Naranjo, Aracelly Fernanda , Ximena Morales-Urrutia , Ariel Martínez-Jumbo

This study presents an analysis of the relationship between governance and subjective well-being in the Andean Community of Nations. The analyzed data is sourced from the World Values Survey of Wave 7. A quantitative approach was employed to investigate perceptions and political attitudes in the region. It highlights a positive, albeit slight, connection between subjective well-being and governmental trust, along with the positive influence of perception on wealth redistribution in well-being. Despite receiving subsidies, the unemployed consistently exhibit lower satisfaction levels. Significant associations were identified between governmental trust and opinions on wealth redistribution and surveillance. Additionally, political interest is positively correlated with the preference for men to excel in politics, indicating disparities in attitudes toward gender equality. These findings underscore the complex interaction between governance, well-being, and political perceptions in the Andean region.

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Virtual Inclusion in Distance Education: Challenges and Opportunities for Embracing Student Diversity

2025 , Segundo Manuel Realpe-Torres , Quezada-Sarmiento, Pablo Alejandro , Núñez-Naranjo, Aracelly Fernanda

In the educational context, virtual inclusion faces significant technological, pedagogical, and sociocultural barriers. These include limited digital connectivity, lack of access to technological devices, insufficient inclusive pedagogical strategies among educators, and disparities rooted in ethnicity, gender, language, social class, culture, and disability—factors especially prevalent in marginalized areas. As a result, access to virtual distance education remains limited for many students. This study aims to identify the primary barriers affecting accessibility and usability in digital inclusion. The study employed a qualitative methodology based on a literature review of academic research published between 2020 and 2025. Selection criteria included relevance, coherence, and quality of information, drawing from academic databases such as IEEE Xplore, ACM Library, Springer, SciELO, and ERIC. The findings reveal several recurring barriers: technological inequality, low digital literacy and usability, limited integration of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in virtual pedagogy, and insufficient teacher training in inclusive strategies for online learning. However, the literature also highlights key opportunities, such as the expansion of virtual education, the use of assistive technologies, personalized learning, improved access in geographically isolated regions, and the implementation of inclusive educational policies. This analysis underscores that achieving full virtual inclusion requires an integrated approach—one that combines digital innovation, continuous teacher training, and public policies that ensure equitable access and equal opportunities for all students, regardless of their diverse backgrounds

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Development of Behavior Profile of Users with Visual Impairment

2020 , Guevara Maldonado, César Byron , Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio , Varela Aldas, José , Castillo Salazar, David Ricardo , Borja M. , Fierro-Saltos W. , Rivera R. , Hidalgo-Guijarro J. , Yandún-Velasteguí M.

The interaction of the user with visual impairment with assistive technologies, and in particular with screen readers, generates a group of actions and events during their navigation. These interactions are defined as behavioral patterns, which have a sequence that occurs at specific time slot. Understanding user behavior by analyzing their interaction with applications, in addition, details the characteristics, relationships, structures and functions of the sequence of actions in a specific application domain. The objective of this document is to find activity patterns from a set of commands used by the user, combining data mining and a Bayesian model. This model calculates the probability of the functions used with the screen reader and generates a behavior profile to improve the user experience. For this study, the screen reader JAWS version 2018, the Open Journal Systems platform version 3.0.1 and a computer with Windows 10 operating system were used. During the first phase, command history used by the user by interacting with the Open Journal Systems platform were collected. The result is that the accessibility of users with visual impairment to interact with the computer and its applications has been improved by applying this model. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020.

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Criminal characteristics and psychopathy in women in prison [Características delictivas y psicopatía en mujeres en prisión]

2023 , Molina-Coloma V. , Lara-Machado R. , Lara-Barros B. , Valdez-Miño C.

Objectives: To compare the factors and facets of psychopathy based on criminal characteristics in a sample of women in prison. Material and method: Descriptive, comparative, cross-sectional study composed of a sample of 41 women incarcerated in the Ambato prison in Ecuador. In an individual session, the Hare Psychopathy Scale Revised was applied. Results: Recidivist women, with a juvenile criminal history and who are admitted to the maximum-security ward, have a higher score in the affective facet of the PCL-R. In addition, those women who are in the maximum-security pavilion have scored high in factor 2 (social deviance), mainly in the antisocial aspect. Discussion: This subgroup of women in prison is characterized by lack of remorse, emotional insensitivity, manipulation, inability to accept responsibility for their own actions, and superficial affection. Further expansion of the study of psychopathy in women is required. © 2023, Sociedad Espanola de Sanidad Penitenciaria. All rights reserved.

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Tuning the energy gap of graphene quantum dots functionalized by [sbnd]OH and [sbnd]COOH radicals: First principle study

2024 , Ojeda-Martínez M. , Pérez Martínez A.N. , El Hamdaoui J. , Courel Piedrahita M. , Feddi E.M. , Thirumuruganandham, Saravana Prakash , Ojeda Martínez M.L. , Cuevas Figueroa J.L. , Velásquez Ordoñez C. , Mowbray D.J.

In this work, we performed theoretical calculations based on density functional theory for graphene quantum dots considering three different sizes. We consider graphene quantum dots formed by 7, 19, and 37 rings of C atoms in a hexagonal arrangement. The electronic band structure of graphite and graphene were calculated to evaluate the methodology and parameters used during calculations. The modeled graphene quantum dots structures were initially passivated by H atoms, then the H atoms were gradually replaced by [sbnd]OH or [sbnd]COOH radicals to investigate the influence of oxygen on the chemical stability and the energy gap. Based on the electric dipole moment, the replacement positions were selected. The results demonstrate that all the structures are chemically stable and that the energy gap depends on the number of [sbnd]OH or [sbnd]COOH radicals at the edge of the GQDs. H passivation results in energy gaps of 2.83 eV, 1.87 eV and 1.33 eV, decreasing with increasing [sbnd]OH or [sbnd]COOH radical amount. It was found that the energy gap varies non-monotonically as the [sbnd]OH or [sbnd]COOH radicals increase. To better understand the origin of the energy gap and its changes by [sbnd]OH or [sbnd]COOH radicals, we calculated the DOS and evaluated the HOMO and LUMO by Fermi surfaces. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.

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IoT-Based Alternating Current Electrical Parameters Monitoring System

2022 , Varela Aldas, José , Silva, S , Palacios-Navarro, G.

Energy monitors are indispensable for achieving efficient electrical grids and even more so in the age of the Internet of Things (IoT), where electrical system data are monitored from anywhere in the world. This paper presents the development of a two-channel electrical parameter-monitoring system based on the M5 Stack Core2 kit. The acquisition of variables is done through PZEM 004T V3.0 sensors, and the data are sent to the ThingSpeak cloud database. Local readings are done through the LCD, and data re stored on a micro SD card. Remote monitoring is done through two applications, namely a web application and a mobile application, each designed for different purposes. To validate this proposal, a commercial device with IoT features (Gen 2 Vue Energy Monitor) is used, comparing the active power and active energy readings recorded continuously for 7 days. The results indicate an accuracy of up to 1.95% in power and 0.81% in energy, obtaining a low-cost compact product with multiple features. © 2022 by the authors.

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