Zapata, Mireya

Preferred name

Zapata, Mireya

Main Affiliation

Centro de investigación en Mecatrónica y Sistemas Interactivos

Quito

mireyazapata@uti.edu.ec

ORCID

0000-0003-3382-2724

Scopus Author ID

56818703100

Now showing 1 - 10 of 31

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Learning Through Play: Implementing an Educational Escape Room for Teaching Traditions and Culture
(2025)
Valencia-Aragón, Kevin
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Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio
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Zapata, Mireya
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Luis Aguirre-Morales
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Sandra Sanchez-Gordon
This study explores the implementation of an educational Escape Room as a pedagogical strategy to teach tangible cultural heritage to students in Ecuador. This Escape Room was designed using the ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation) and integrated into the basic education curriculum for Ecuadorian schools. The primary objective was to enhance students’ engagement and understanding of Ecuador’s cultural heritage through an interactive and gamified learning experience. The Escape Room was structured around five missions, each focusing on different aspects of the cultural heritage of five parishes in Ecuador. Students were required to solve puzzles, answer questions, and complete challenges to progress through the game. The results of the implementation, evaluated through observation and student feedback, indicated a high level of student engagement, improved problem-solving skills, and a deeper appreciation for Ecuador’s cultural heritage. The study concludes that Escape Rooms can be an effective tool for teaching cultural heritage, fostering teamwork, creativity, and critical thinking among students. This innovative approach not only makes learning more dynamic and enjoyable but also aligns with modern educational trends that emphasize active and experiential learning.
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Advancements in Assistive Robotics: A Systematic Review of Inclusive Technologies for People With Disabilities
(2025)
Zapata, Mireya
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Diego Guevara
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Jennifer Obregón
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Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio
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Ramos Galarza, Carlos
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 16% of the global population lives with some form of disability, be it physical, sensory, intellectual, or psychosocial. Individuals with disabilities face numerous challenges related to mobility, communication, access to education, and other essential aspects of daily life. In this context, robotic technologies have emerged as innovative solutions aimed at improving autonomy, rehabilitation, and social inclusion. The aim of this systematic review was to identify and synthesize the scientific evidence on robotic technologies developed to support people with disabilities. More specifically, the review sought to analyze the temporal and geographical distribution of research, classify the types of robotic technologies and their applications, examine methodological characteristics and participant demographics, and highlight the key contributions and gaps reported in the included studies. Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, and IEEE Xplore. From an initial pool of 6,290 articles, 89 studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. The results were categorized into five main themes: publication trends, types of robotic technologies and applications, methodological characteristics, participant demographics, and key contributions. The findings reveal a strong concentration of research on articulated robots for physical disabilities, alongside limited exploration of intellectual, sensory, and psychosocial contexts. While robotic interventions demonstrate significant potential for rehabilitation and daily assistance, challenges remain regarding sample sizes, diversity of disabilities addressed, and long-term validation studies. This review contributes to a deeper understanding of the state of the art in assistive robotics and identifies future research directions to enhance inclusion, accessibility, and clinical integration
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Low-Cost Human–Machine Interface for Computer Control with Facial Landmark Detection and Voice Commands
(2022)
Ramos, P.
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Zapata, Mireya
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Valencia, K.
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Vargas, V.
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Ramos Galarza, Carlos
Nowadays, daily life involves the extensive use of computers, since human beings are immersed in a technological society. Therefore, it is mandatory to interact with computers, which represents a true disadvantage for people with upper limb disabilities. In this context, this work aims to develop an interface for emulating mouse and keyboard functions (EMKEY) by applying concepts of artificial vision and voice recognition to replace the use of hands. Pointer control is achieved by head movement, whereas voice recognition is used to perform interface functionalities, including speech-to-text transcription. To evaluate the interface’s usability and usefulness, two studies were carried out. The first study was performed with 30 participants without physical disabilities. Throughout this study, there were significant correlations found between the emulator’s usability and aspects such as adaptability, execution time, and the participant’s age. In the second study, the use of the emulator was analyzed by four participants with motor disabilities. It was found that the interface was best used by the participant with cerebral palsy, followed by the participants with upper limb paralysis, spina bifida, and muscular dystrophy. In general, the results show that the proposed interface is easy to use, practical, fairly accurate, and works on a wide range of computers. © 2022 by the authors.
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Real-Time Adaptive Physical Sensor Processing with SNN Hardware
(2023)
Madrenas J.
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Vallejo-Mancero B.
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Oltra-Oltra J.À.
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Zapata, Mireya
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Cosp-Vilella J.
Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) offer bioinspired computation based on local adaptation and plasticity as well as close biological compatibility. In this work, after reviewing the Hardware Emulator of Evolving Neural Systems (HEENS) architecture and its Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) design flow, a spiking implementation of an adaptive physical sensor input scheme based on time-rate Band-Pass Filter (BPF) is proposed for real-time execution of large dynamic range sensory edge processing nodes. Simulation and experimental results of the SNN operating in real-time with an adaptive-range accelerometer input example are shown. This work opens the path to compute with SNNs multiple physical sensor information for perception applications. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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Optimizing Agriculture with LoRaWAN and HCI: A Smart Approach to Sustainable Farming
(2025)
Valencia-Aragón, Kevin
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Zapata, Mireya
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Cristopher Toapanta
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Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio
Modern agriculture faces challenges including water scarcity, excessive fertilizer use, and limited connectivity in rural areas, all exacerbated by climate change. This paper presents a smart agriculture system leveraging LoRaWAN technology and human-computer interfaces (HCI) to address these issues. The proposed system integrates low-cost sensors, a LoRaWAN-based network, and a user-friendly dashboard for real-time monitoring of critical variables such as soil moisture, ambient humidity and temperature. A proof-of-concept implementation demonstrates the system’s effectiveness in optimizing water and fertilizer use while maintaining scalability for large agricultural operations. The system operates reliably within rural environments without relying on traditional internet infrastructure, offering an affordable and sustainable solution. Field tests validate the system’s performance, highlighting its potential to enhance decision-making and resource efficiency in floriculture and beyond. Future work aims to expand the system’s capabilities with additional sensors, artificial intelligence for predictive analytics, and automated control mechanisms, further supporting sustainable farming practices.
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Design of a Human Machine Interface for Programming and Testing Adjustable Frequency Drives for Constant Pressure Pumping Applications
(2021)
Remache-Vinueza B.
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Castro-Ramírez J.
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Zapata, Mireya
In this project, a human machine interface (HMI) was developed for programming adjustable frequency drives (AFDs). Frequency drives have a wide range of industrial applications such as pumping systems, conveyor belts, ventilation and air conditioning systems, and, in general, applications that require motors with high torque. Constant pressure pumping systems with AFDs, for instance, allow working with a proportional integral derivative (PID) control, providing the system with precise response between the desired value and the process feedback. In this project, an HMI has been designed to effectively configure, test and calibrate AFDs for constant pressure pumping applications. Various alternatives of HMI screens were analyzed using the prioritization matrix method to determine the most suitable screen. The HMI interface was developed in the DOPsoft 4 software of DELTA Electronics, following the guidelines set forth by ANSI/ISA-101.01-2015, to generate a clear and easy to understand HMI. © 2021, The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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Optimizing Agriculture with LoRaWAN and HCI: A Smart Approach to Sustainable Farming
(2025)
Valencia-Aragón, Kevin
;
Zapata, Mireya
;
Cristopher Toapanta
;
Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio
Modern agriculture faces challenges including water scarcity, excessive fertilizer use, and limited connectivity in rural areas, all exacerbated by climate change. This paper presents a smart agriculture system leveraging LoRaWAN technology and human-computer interfaces (HCI) to address these issues. The proposed system integrates low-cost sensors, a LoRaWAN-based network, and a user-friendly dashboard for real-time monitoring of critical variables such as soil moisture, ambient humidity and temperature. A proof-of-concept implementation demonstrates the system’s effectiveness in optimizing water and fertilizer use while maintaining scalability for large agricultural operations. The system operates reliably within rural environments without relying on traditional internet infrastructure, offering an affordable and sustainable solution. Field tests validate the system’s performance, highlighting its potential to enhance decision-making and resource efficiency in floriculture and beyond. Future work aims to expand the system’s capabilities with additional sensors, artificial intelligence for predictive analytics, and automated control mechanisms, further supporting sustainable farming practices
31
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Design and Implementation of Wind-Powered Charging System to Improve Electric Motorcycle Autonomy
(2023)
Changoluisa L.F.
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Zapata, Mireya
The careless use of fossil fuels for decades has had a negative effect on the environment, which has led to addressing climate change as one of the greatest challenges of our time. Electric mobility is an option to reduce CO2 emissions, but its main disadvantage is its limited range. As well, one alternative for reducing global warming is to use clean energy. In this sense, wind energy is one alternative to clean energy sources, because it does not produce greenhouse gas emissions or air pollutants that contribute to climate change and air pollution. It is also abundant and increasingly cost-effective, making it an attractive option for electricity generation. In this paper, we propose a charging system that harnesses gusts of wind hitting the front of an electric motorcycle and converts their kinetic energy into mechanical energy to produce alternating current through a three-phase generator connected to a propeller system. This research seeks to develop a wind generator that is installed on the front of an electric motorcycle to generate electricity, which is stored in an auxiliary lead acid battery. A Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) simulation was performed to visualize the behaviour of the propeller system when exposed to a wind flow. The optimised prototype was implemented using 3D printing, along with the fabrication of metal parts to support the structure. As a result, it was feasible to create alternating current using the suggested prototype, achieving an increase of motorcycle autonomy by 5 to 10%. The blade system managed to generate an acceptable amount of current, operating in wind regimes higher than 5 m/s, which implies good efficiency in power generation. Finally, the prototype has a better performance in straight tracks where high speeds can be reached and consequently a better efficiency in power generation. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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Design and Implementation of a Wastewater Heat Recovery System Prototype for Electric Showers in Quito-Ecuador
(2020)
Remache Vinueza, Byron
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Calderón G.E.
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Zapata, Mireya
A wastewater heat recovery system was designed and implemented in the city of Quito - Ecuador. The prototype consists of adapting a heat exchanger to recover energy from wastewater and preheat the water that enters an electric shower. A temperature control system was designed and adapted to work based on a preset comfort temperature. A procedure for the manufacture of copper U-pipe fittings was developed for the construction of the heat exchanger coil, which consists of freezing water inside the pipe so that when rolled it avoids crushing and excessive loss of the inner diameter. Results show that for an average family of 4 members a reduction of energy consumption by 57% is possible. For the case of Ecuador, a reduction of 56.69 Mt of equivalent CO2 emissions was estimated if the system was implemented across the country. A payback period of 8.35 years was calculated for the initial investment. © 2020, The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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Social Robots for Service Environments in Academia
(2024)
Zapata, Mireya
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Jorge Álvarez-Tello
The increase of social robots in services has generated academic interest in their design and development to enhance human-robot interaction across various contexts, from home assistance to educational and medical environments. Design criteria increasingly explore the software development aspect, but interdisciplinary focus on sustainability also pursues hardware improvement for human-robot interaction in contexts ranging from home assistance to medical environments. With this background, the research question arises: What key features should be considered for the development of a social robot in academia? A systematic metadata review according to PRISMA of 698 studies from the SCOPUS database was conducted, selecting 10 relevant ones to explore functions and applications that allow characterizing hardware and software in the design of social robots for development in academia. Preliminary results indicate a focus on creating smarter, safer, and more adaptable robots, utilizing advances in hardware and software such as flexible electronics and artificial intelligence. It is concluded that the balance between hardware and software proposes the prototyping of a robotic platform with LiDAR/ROS technology, flexible electronics, and ultralightweight material structure, for sustainable, low-power consumption, and low-cost developments. Collaboration among researchers, educators, and developers is crucial to create educational social robots that are both useful and accepted.
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Zapata, Mireya

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