Pozo Espin, Israel
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Pozo Espin, Israel
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Quito

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Smart Agriculture: Designing a Cocoa Pulping Machine with IoT and Industry 4.0

2025 , Topon Visarrea, Blanca , Muñoz del Salto, Emilio , Pozo Espin, Israel , Ruano Cañar, Lenin

Agriculture is a key pillar in Ecuador's economy, one of the most recognized products worldwide is cocoa due to its quality. However, the lack of adoption of advanced technologies limits competitiveness in the face of growing global demand. Therefore, incorporating Industry 4.0 technologies will modernize the process, increase productivity and improve the conditions of small and medium-sized producers. This research addresses the design of a pulping machine that integrates Industry 4.0 technologies to optimize the cocoa pulping process on a farm in Ecuador. Currently, the process is manual and involves 12 workers for three days to obtain 20 quintals of cocoa pulp, with limited efficiency and high labor costs. The main objective is to design a technological solution that significantly reduces operating times, improves the quality of the final product and facilitates real-time monitoring. The methodology included an analysis of the current process using analytical flowcharts and the evaluation of mechanical, electrical and electronic components. The proposed design incorporates an ESP32 microcontroller that centralizes sensor data to monitor parameters such as temperature, humidity and processed volume, allowing remote visualization on the Arduino Cloud platform. This integration facilitates human-computer interaction by providing real-time data and reducing human intervention in significant tasks. Expected results indicate a decrease in pulping time by 49.2% and an increase in production capacity by 50.46%, also optimizing energy consumption and product quality. The implementation of the design will have a positive impact on the competitiveness and sustainability of the cocoa sector, promoting more efficient and accessible agroindustrial practices.

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Interface for Directional Perception Through Vibrotactile Illusion

2025 , Topon Visarrea, Blanca , Muñoz del Salto, Emilio , Pozo Espin, Israel

In the present research, directional perception is analyzed using vibrotactile illusions applied by means of a vibrotactile feedback interface incorporating two actuators placed on participants’ wrists. Three stimuli were tested: Cutaneous Rabbit (CR), Phantom Motion (PM) and Funneling (FUN), which were randomly delivered to the hands. We worked with 19 volunteers who underwent a familiarization session and then moved on to the main experiment. White noise was used to avoid auditory distractions, and participants rated the perceived direction and clarity of the stimuli on a Likert scale. Analysis of results was conducted using Friedman's test revealing significant overall differences between conditions (p = 0.02886), and Bonferroni adjusted Wilcoxon post-hoc tests were used as a method of testing and showed no significant differences between pairs of conditions. These results suggest that, although there are minor variations in the perception of the stimuli, they are not marked enough to conclude that one type of illusion is more effective than another. It is concluded that the vibrotactile illusions were perceived by the participants and can be applied in multiple domains using the designed vibrotactile interface, such as assisted navigation for people with visual or hearing impairments, and other areas where sensory feedback is critical, under similar conditions of use

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Optimization of the Solvent Based Paint Manufacturing Process Through Automation and Quality Control to Meet Industry Standards

2025 , David Naranjo-Pullupaxi , Topon Visarrea, Blanca , Iza Llumigusin, Christian , Sarmiento Ortiz, Fabián , Pozo Espin, Israel

The paint manufacturing process requires compliance with the processes of filler preparation, dispersion, grinding, homogenization, packaging, and storage. According to NTE INEN 2094 “Paints - Synthetic alkyd enamels for domestic use” the viscosity of the paint should be between (75–80 KU) during the dispersion process, but in the company of our study 67% of the products did not meet this specification. Therefore, the main objective of this project is to improve the efficiency of the dispersion process through automation and agitation time control. A human-machine interface (HMI) was developed and an S7–1200 PLC and a KTP900 HMI screen were programmed using TIA Portal software. This system allowed precise control of agitation times during paint dispersion. The method focused on ensuring that the viscosity remained within the required limits, avoiding rework and production delays. The implementation of automation in the dispersion process led to a significant reduction of 29.03% of nonconforming product, resulting in a substantial decrease in process time, from 6.502 min to 3.719 min in total for the 18 dispersions evaluated. This improvement is mainly attributed to the decrease in the time required for reprocessing. This contributed to improving the efficiency and quality of the final product, meeting the required standards.

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