Buele, Jorge
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Buele, Jorge
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Ambato
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jorgebuele@uti.edu.ec
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57200380202

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User Experience in Virtual Reality (VR) Applications for Elderly People with Cognitive Impairment and Dementia: A Scoping Review

2024 , Buele, Jorge , Avilés-Castillo, Fátima , Guillermo Palacios-Navarro

Background: In recent years, Virtual Reality (VR) has emerged as a promising tool to improve the well-being and functional capabilities of older adults. Although VR applications have shown positive results, their impact on user experience and therapeutic outcomes still needs to be evaluated. Objective: This scoping review aims to analyze existing studies on VR use in older adults with neurodegenerative disorders, focusing on the factors that influence usability, satisfaction, and immersion, as well as the effects on emotional and cognitive well-being. Materials and Methods: Empirical studies in English were included on VR applications applied to older adults with cognitive impairment without study design restrictions. The search was conducted in IEEE Xplore, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, identifying a total of 650 initial results. After screening, 14 studies met the inclusion criteria. Results: Immersive VR tends to generate a greater sense of presence, which contributes to improving emotional well-being and reducing neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as apathy and depression. However, its impact on cognitive functions, including memory and executive skills, varied depending on the level of immersion and participant characteristics. Despite these positive findings, significant heterogeneity was evident in study designs, measurement instruments, and user experience indicators. Conclusion: Virtual environments have great potential as a therapeutic tool for older adults, but their success depends on the personalization of applications and the adaptation of technology to the specific needs of this population. Future research should focus on developing standardized protocols, incorporating adaptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, and evaluating the long-term effects of VR to maximize its benefits and minimize its risks. This review was registered in Open Science Framework (OSF). Registration Number: 10.17605/OSF.IO/PNU36

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Burnout syndrome in Ecuadorian health workers: Differences according to sociodemographic and labor factors

2026 , Taruchaín Pozo, Fernando , Buele, Jorge

Burnout Syndrome represents a growing occupational health concern among healthcare professionals worldwide, recognized by organizations such as the WHO and ILO due to its profound impact on worker well-being, organizational functioning, and service quality. In Ecuador, there is a lack of empirical studies that systematically address the pressing issue of burnout among health personnel, despite their daily experiences with increasing demands, emotional burdens, long working hours, and job instability. This research aims to investigate Burnout Syndrome as a significant psychosocial risk affecting Ecuadorian health professionals. It will focus on three core dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment. Additionally, the study seeks to identify prevalence patterns, associated factors, and the broader implications for occupational health.  A quantitative, cross-sectional, and non-experimental design with descriptive-correlational scope was adopted. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was administered to a sample of 100 health professionals carefully selected based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Findings indicate a high prevalence of Burnout Syndrome, with emotional exhaustion and depersonalization being the most severely affected dimensions. Significant associations were found between burnout levels and psychosocial variables such as job stability, work overload, interpersonal conflict, and organizational support. Specifically, professionals with unstable employment conditions, frequent interpersonal conflicts, or excessive workload reported considerably higher burnout scores. The results underscore the urgent need for comprehensive public health strategies in Ecuador that address the psychosocial risks inherent in healthcare work. Promoting job stability, managing workloads effectively, and improving organizational climate are critical to mitigating burnout, protecting mental health, and enhancing workforce well-being. This research provides important empirical evidence for creating preventive occupational health policies and intervention programs that aim to enhance mental health and maintain the long-term quality of healthcare services.

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Support vector machine as tool for classifying coffee beverages

2020 , Varela Aldas, José , Fuentes, E.M. , Buele, Jorge , Meló, R.G. , Barat, J.M. , Alcañiz, M.

Classifiers are tools widely used nowadays to process data and obtain prediction models that are trained through supervised learning techniques; there is a wide variety of sensors that acquire the data to be processed, such as the voltammetric electronic tongue, as a device employed to analyze food compounds. This paper presents a normal and decaffeinated coffee beverage classifier using a Support Vector Machine with a linear separation function, detailing the classification function and the model optimization method; to train the model, the data measured by 4 electrodes of a voltammetric tongue that is excited by a predetermined sequence of positive pulses is used. In addition, the results graphically show the measurements obtained, the support vectors and the evaluation data, the values of the classifier parameters are also presented. Finally, the conclusions establish an acceptable error in the classification of coffee drinks according to caffeine presence at the sample analyzed. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020.

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Big Data as a Tool for Analyzing Academic Performance in Education

2024 , Ayala-Chauvin, Manuel Ignacio , Chucuri-Real B. , ESCUDERO VILLA, PEDRO FERNANDO , Buele, Jorge

Educational processes are constantly evolving and need upgrading according to the needs of the students. Every day an immense amount of data is generated that could be used to understand children’s behavior. This research proposes using three machine learning algorithms to evaluate academic performance. After debugging and organizing the information, the respective analysis is carried out. Data from eight academic cycles (2014–2021) of an elementary school are used to train the models. The algorithms used were Random Trees, Logistic Regression, and Support Vector Machines, with an accuracy of 93.48%, 96.86%, and 97.1%, respectively. This last algorithm was used to predict the grades of a new group of students, highlighting that most students will have acceptable grades and none with a grade lower than 7/10. Thus, it can be corroborated that the daily stored data of an elementary school is sufficient to predict the academic performance of its students using computational algorithms. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.

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Thermal Dynamics in Agricultural Soils under Different Vegetative Covers in Coastal Ecuador

2025 , Buele, Jorge , Ángel Ramón Sabando-García , Rosario Esther Huerta-Vera , Liliana Carolina Argüello-Cedeño

Global shifts in climate patterns are exerting growing pressure on agricultural systems, particularly in equatorial regions where crop productivity is directly tied to microclimatic conditions. This study investigated the relationship between ambient temperature and soil temperature under three surface conditions - bare soil, dry organic mulch, and live grass cover - using six years of continuous data (2015-2020) from tropical agricultural lands in coastal Ecuador. Soil temperature was measured at 20 cm depth, and the analysis integrated descriptive statistics, linear regression models, and Pearson correlation coefficients to quantify the interaction between air and soil thermal behavior. Additionally, the Mann-Kendall test and Sen's slope estimator were applied to detect temporal trends. The findings revealed statistically significant correlations between ambient and soil temperatures across all conditions. However, soils with vegetative cover demonstrated greater thermal stability and lower variability, highlighting their moderating role. Notably, a consistent downward trend was detected in both ambient air (-23.22%) and in soils with grass (-32.63%) and mulch (-28.54%) cover. These patterns suggest that vegetative layer's function as passive thermal regulators, buffering soils against climatic fluctuations. These insights have practical implications for agricultural and agro-industrial management. By promoting soil protection strategies, such as mulching or live cover maintenance, it is possible to mitigate thermal stress, optimize resource use, and enhance system resilience. Continuous soil-climate monitoring is recommended to guide adaptation efforts and ensure sustainability under future climate variability. © 2025 IEEE.

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Virtual Reality applications based on activities of daily living (ADL) for cognitive diagnosis and rehabilitation

2022 , Buele, Jorge , Varela Aldas, José , Palacios-Navarro G.

Traditionally, screening tools are available to help diagnose a person's cognitive problem. Therefore, rehabilitation techniques are lab exercises that lack adequate ecological validity. In this paper, we propose to establish the projection of a methodology for the development of serious games based on activities of daily living (ADL). Both for real and immersive environments, to assess what provides better results when applied in healthy patients at first, but with a focus on those suffering from Alzheimer's disease. It is expected that when this research is completed, precedents will be established for the development of new proposals based on virtual environments. © 2022 IEEE.

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Analyzing barriers to the effective implementation of technological tools in inclusive education: a scoping review

2025 , Humberto Murillo-Jiménez , Marco Centeno-Alarcón , Buele, Jorge , Francisco Yumbla

Introduction: Digital accessibility and inclusive pedagogy are central to achieving equitable education systems worldwide. Yet, the integration of technological tools for students with disabilities remains inconsistent, often limited to fragmented initiatives without long-term institutional or policy support. Understanding the structural barriers that constrain digital inclusion is crucial for transforming technology into an enabler of educational equity rather than a source of further exclusion. Methods: This study conducted a scoping review following PRISMA-ScR guidelines to identify and analyze barriers affecting the implementation of educational technologies in inclusive education. A systematic search across six databases (ERIC, Scopus, ACM Digital Library, EBSCOhost, Wiley Online Library, and Web of Science) yielded nine primary studies published between 2015 and 2025. Data were thematically synthesized through inductive–deductive coding to identify recurring structural, pedagogical, and policy patterns. Results: The findings reveal persistent deficits in teacher training and digital competence, technological and infrastructural limitations, economic constraints, and weak enforcement of inclusion policies. Additionally, attitudinal barriers, including low expectations toward students with disabilities and limited institutional accountability, hinder sustainable progress. Positive factors, such as teacher initiative, institutional commitment, and universal design-based practices, partially mitigate these challenges, demonstrating the potential of inclusive technologies when supported by coherent policy and training structures. Conclusion: Ensuring genuine digital inclusion requires embedding accessibility and universal design as structural components of education systems. Sustainable progress depends on coordinated governance, investment, and professional development that bridge the gap between policy and classroom practice. Registration: This review was registered in Open Science Framework: 10.17605/OSF.IO/T5K7Y. Copyright © 2025 Murillo-Jiménez, Centeno-Alarcón, Buele and Yumbla.

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Static reactive power compensator design, based on three-phase voltage converter

2021 , Ayala-Chauvin, Manuel Ignacio , Kavrakov B.S. , Buele, Jorge , Varela Aldas, José

At present, electrical network stability is of the utmost importance because of the increase in electric demand and the integration of distributed generation deriving from renewable energy. In this paper, we proposed a static reactive power compensator model with common direct current voltage sources. Converter parameters were calculated and designed to fulfill specifications. In order to ascertain the device response for different operating modes as reactive power consumer and generator, we developed the model’s power and control circuits in Matlab Simulink. Simulations were performed for different conditions, and as a result, the current and voltage waveforms and the circular power chart were obtained. This paper has theoretically proven it is possible to achieve the consumption or generation of purely active or reactive power by implementing a static reactive power compensator with common DC voltage sources. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

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Non-formal Virtual Training Strategies to Promote Entrepreneurship

2025 , Mónica Naranjo-Costales , Núñez Hernández, Corina , Buele, Jorge

In the current context, entrepreneurship requires extensive knowledge for proper development. In Latin America, the lack of expertise in areas such as marketing and financial management leads to a high rate of business failure. This study addresses this issue by implementing a virtual learning environment called Emprende Virtual, designed to promote sustainable entrepreneurship through masterclasses and practical activities. The methodology used was a quantitative approach with an experimental design. A total of 59 participants were divided into two groups: an experimental group that received training through the digital resource of the virtual environment and a control group that received no intervention. Pre- and post-test surveys were conducted to measure the impact of the virtual learning environment on the participants’ entrepreneurial attitude, knowledge and skills. The results showed a significant improvement in the experimental group compared to the control group, especially in areas such as educational technology, innovation and entrepreneurship, and business management. This demonstrates that the strategy not only facilitates access to education but also contributes to the development of essential skills for business success, promoting sustainability and economic growth. Despite limitations such as the lack of geographical representativeness and variability in prior experience, the VLE proves to be an effective tool for developing entrepreneurs in the region.

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Electric Monitoring System for Residential Customers Using Wireless Technology

2022 , Buele, Jorge , Morales-Sánchez J.C. , Varela Aldas, José , Palacios-Navarro G. , Ayala-Chauvin, Manuel Ignacio

Power grids continue to develop and it is increasingly difficult to guarantee the quality of service offered to the user. In several developing countries, consumption is calculated on the basis of visual inspection, which is prone to errors. Consequently, this document outlines the construction of electrical consumption telemetering equipment. This is designed to reduce human error through manual measures and have a web backup that can be accessed from anywhere. To develop the prototype voltage and current sensors are used, and the signal is conditioned for the control stage. The processing unit is the Arduino Mega embedded board, which incorporates a GPRS Shield (General Packet Radio Services) that handles communication with a LAMP server (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) connected to the Internet. It also incorporates a block of connection and disconnection of the electrical service that would leave the whole house without service. Two functionalities are used to present the data, one is local on the LCD display of the equipment installed in the home (user) and the second is remote access to a website (server). The results show that in comparison with a standard voltage device it presents an error of 0.28% and 4.12% in current. In this way, the use of this prototype for real-time monitoring of electricity consumption is validated, since it works similarly to a conventional one. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

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