Doctoral School

Reading date: 29/07/2024

• FLORES VÁZQUEZ, CARLOS ALBERTO: CeCi: Design, Development and Validation of an Affordable Consumer Service Robot as a Social Robot
  
  Author: FLORES VÁZQUEZ, CARLOS ALBERTO
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN AUTOMATIC CONTROL, ROBOTICS AND VISION
  Department: Department of Automatic Control (ESAII)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 02/07/2024
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: ANGULO BAHON, CECILIO
  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: VALLÈS PERIS, NÚRIA
       SECRETARI: REPISO POLO, ELY
       VOCAL: TREJO RAMÍREZ, KARLA ANDREA
  Thesis abstract: This research discusses elements to be considered for designing, developing, and validating a service robot that performs its task in different social environments. Due to the social focus of the provided services, technical considerations are demanded toaccomplish the task, and the acceptability of use for the people interacting with the robot.The first stage of the research considers previous cases on the implementation of service mobile robots, their analysis, and the motivation of how to solve their acceptability and use by people. The developmental part presents the technical and social considerations for implementing the CeCi (Computer Electronic Communication Interface) social robot. Two main problems of social robots and service robots in social environments currently on the market are addressed, which are the main focus of this research: First, their costs are not affordable for many companies, universities, or individuals in developing countries. The second is that their design is exclusively oriented to the functional part with a viewpoint inherent to the engineers who create them without considering the end users’ views, preferences, or requirements, especially for their social interaction. This last reason ends up causing a certain aversion to the use of this type of robot.In response to the issues raised, an affordable, low-cost prototype is proposed, starting from a commercial platform for research development and using open-source code. The robot design presented here is centered on the criteria and preferences of the end user, prioritizing acceptability for social interaction. This document details the selection process and hardware capabilities of the robot. Moreover, a programming section is provided to introduce the different software packages used and adapted for social interaction, the main functions implemented, as well as the new and original part of the proposal. A list of applications currently developed with the robot and possible applications for future research are discussed.As a final step, the complete implementation of the social robot is explained based on two design elements. The first element is the use of the design thinking methodology for the development and implementation of the robot. The second element, of a technical nature, is a previous taxonomy generated for defining socially-aware robot assistants. Therefore, in the construction process, special emphasis is placed on the realization of prototypes and their adjustment to the users’ preferences. Interviewswith users who were unaware of the robot’s capabilities were used to improve and validate the prototype. These prototypes and their evolution will be presented based on the adjustments performed. Beyond the users’ feedback, previous experiences exposed to the state of the art were considered for the evolution of this robot. The entire methodological process is validated with surveys, and results are presented as a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis for future improvements.
  

• GONZÁLEZ TORRADO, CRISTIAN: Aspectos ambientales en la Casa Aversú de Alejandro de la Sota: El proceso del proyecto
  
  Author: GONZÁLEZ TORRADO, CRISTIAN
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
  Department: Department of Architectural Design (PA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 01/07/2024
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: VALOR MONTERO, JAUME
  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: RAVETLLAT MIRA, PEDRO JUAN
       SECRETARI: BLANCO GRANADO, JAIME
       VOCAL: PASCUAL RUBIO, ANA
       VOCAL: DEVESA DEVESA, RICARDO
       VOCAL: PRIETO GONZALEZ, EDUARDO ANTONIO
  Thesis abstract: This research stems from two personal interests: climate awareness and Alejandro de la Sota. Based on this premise, the aim of the research is to find the connection between environmental aspects and architecture, particularly in the project process. Thus, the research will be used to answer the question:At what moments and in what ways do environmental aspects influence architectural form?To achieve this, the present investigation will analyze Sota's Casa Arvesú, structuring its study into four parts.The first part addresses the concept of environmental aspects, establishing the vocabulary to be used. The objective of this first part is to return to the origin of the concept and review current stances regarding the impact of environmental decisions on the project, aiming to move away from clichés and redefine architecture as a medium rather than a mere support for environmental solutions. At the end of this first section, the linkage of environmental aspects with Alejandro de la Sota will also be discussed.The second part pertains to the descriptive study of the house. It involves an exploration of the national and international context at the time of its conception and construction. Additionally, the work is recognized within Alejandro de la Sota’s professional trajectory. The house is then characterized in terms of use, location, and technique throughout the project process, analyzing its various versions—sketches—until reaching its final form.The third part pertains to the analytical study. For this, a “digital twin” of the work—demolished in 1987—has been created, allowing for the quantification of environmental impacts in terms of geometry, light, systems, or energy and fluid dynamics checks of the house. The objective of the digital model is the numerical verification of what Alejandro de la Sota applied empirically. From this starting point, the solutions are initially categorized as systems and then the house is examined through five characteristic actions that relate the work to environmental aspects. The five categories are as follows:- Elevate, densify, and distance [as implantation]- Permeate, settle, and plant [as appropriation of the environment]- Contrast, flow, and culminate [as program]- Shield, project, and extend [as definition of limits]- Shade, ventilate, and retain [as passive strategies]Finally, this third part concludes with the identification and incorporation of environmental objectives in the project, using a graph that transversally relates the design process.The fourth part corresponds to the conclusions of the research. That is, the answer to the question that initiated this research in four phases:- Characterization of the environment, the user, and the problem.- Formulation of objectives.- Establishment of the internal structure of the project.- The “effort to reduce effort.”
  

• ORTEGA DONOSO, SARA ISABEL: Luz y aprendizaje dentro de los espacios educativos. Aproximaciones desde el color.
  
  Author: ORTEGA DONOSO, SARA ISABEL
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURAL, BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND URBANISM TECHNOLOGY
  Department: Department of Architectural Technology (TA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 01/07/2024
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: MUROS ALCOJOR, ADRIAN | BAUTISTA PEREZ, GUILLERMO
  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: ESCOFET ROIG, ANNA MARIA
       SECRETARI: DAUMAL DOMENECH, FRANCESC DE PAULA
       VOCAL: HIGUERA TRUJILLO, JUAN LUIS
  Thesis abstract: We live in a visually demanding environment. Most of our cognitive stimuli come from visual perception. In this context of widespread dependence on the sense of sight, studying the link between artificial light and cognitive tasks is key to interacting with our memory and attention, which are increasingly accustomed to dynamic environments.The objective of this research is to analyze the disciplines that can most influence learning: cognitive sciences, architecture, and education, to:First, analyze how some light parameters can affect learning, paying special attention to the impact of light on human perception and attention and how these affect memory.Next, analyze innovative teaching methodologies and how communication and learning technologies have been incorporated into the classroom.Finally, examine the evolution of educational spaces through case studies of schools worldwide over recent decades, delving into the ways lighting and control technologies have been integrated according to the needs of educational methods within the classroom.From the analysis of the implications of light on attention and memory, we will derive the possibilities that working with different light parameters in the classroom offers us; from the analysis of teaching methodologies, we will obtain the real needs of the current classroom; and from the case study analysis, we will gain the capacity for innovation in the classroom with new lighting strategies.The intersection of these three disciplines results in three alternative uses of lighting in educational spaces, which are subjected to an experimental analysis comparing performance on a task in the proposed scenes with performance under traditional lighting conditions to conclude new classroom solutions and future lines of research.A broad narrative review methodology has been used for the case studies, providing an overview of the problem of adapting lighting to usage and users within schools. To this end, sources published in architectural journals and significant examples with educational spaces that develop innovative teaching methodologies have been reviewed, and criteria for analyzing natural and artificial lighting considered throughout these cases have been established.An experimental methodology has been used to analyze the impact of three alternative lighting proposals based on situations not previously considered. In all three cases, a control group and a study group from two public schools in the province of Barcelona are considered. These proposals arise from the observation of a lack of consideration of an important light parameter in the transmission of information in a visual environment: color.Finally, the results reflect the need to adapt and make classrooms more flexible according to the different learning needs within the classroom and the possibility of doing so with proposals not previously considered regarding color and dynamism parameters.
  

Reading date: 30/07/2024

• LEDOUX, LOUIS EDUARDO YVES: Floating-point arithmetic paradigms for high-performance computing: software algorithms and hardware designs
  
  Author: LEDOUX, LOUIS EDUARDO YVES
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
  Department: Department of Computer Architecture (DAC)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 03/07/2024
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: CASAS GUIX, MARC
  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: PETIT, ERIC
       SECRETARI: MARTORELL BOFILL, XAVIER
       VOCAL: GARCIA, RÉMI
  Thesis abstract: This dissertation explores the challenges and advancements in arithmetic representations and computations within computer architectures, focusing on the limitations of the IEEE 754 standard.Modern computing demands, driven by advancements in AI, HPC, and scientific simulations, make efficient and precise numerical representations crucial. This work investigates these challenges and proposes innovative solutions, evaluating their impact on computational efficiency and accuracy.The core problem is the inefficiencies of the IEEE 754 standard for floating-point arithmetic, which do not meet the needs of modern workloads. These inefficiencies result in higher energy consumption, inadequate precision, and suboptimal performance, especially in energy-constrained environments and high-precision applications.To address these challenges, this thesis explores various facets of arithmetic computation, from algorithmic concepts to metal and silicon structures. It introduces mechanisms to improve the adaptability of numerical representations, allowing precision adjustments according to computational tasks, resulting in more efficient circuits. Focusing on improving arithmetic performance, the thesis addresses energy consumption and highlights the importance of efficient arithmetic logic units. It also shows how these solutions can be integrated into various software frameworks, revealing a correlation between numerical requirements and internal precision, highlighting an underexploited aspect of general-purpose floating-point formats.Firstly, it develops a framework for generating Posit operators in hardware, improving accuracy and performance in tasks like image classification. The Posit Operator Framework, described in SystemVerilog, enables the construction of Multi-Layer Perceptrons for inference engines, applicable in POWER9/CAPI2 environments with FPGA acceleration.Secondly, it presents a generator for Systolic Arrays optimized for Matrix-Matrix Multiplication (MMM), showing the impact of custom hardware configurations on accuracy and energy efficiency. The MMM units are fully parametrizable and adapted to the numerical specifications of the workload, facilitated by a core generator with automated pipelining. These units allow evaluations with CAPI2 on FPGA and POWER9 systems, achieving up to two Tera floating-point operations per second. They have also demonstrated success in ASIC generation.Additionally, it establishes an open-source framework to integrate MMM units into high-level software, offering energy savings and enhanced precision for applications like AI and scientific computations. The methodology involves mapping General Matrix-Matrix Multiplication calls in BLAS libraries to our accelerators via the OpenCAPI coherent link, saturating the 22 GBps bandwidth by tuning computer formats to accommodate more Processing Elements while preserving accuracy.Finally, the resurgence of vector processing leads to a reevaluation of division algorithms, revealing opportunities to use smaller and slower computing units, allowing more units within varied energy and power budgets. This approach shows a broad Design Space Exploration. We developed an open-source EDA ASIC flow, facilitating parallel generation of multiple chip designs, enabling systematic exploration of power, performance, and area across various process design kits to identify optimal configurations.These contributions form an interdisciplinary thesis that advances solutions to computing challenges from an arithmetic perspective, overcoming the "arithmetic wall."
  

• WANG, CHUANSHENG: Research on signal and image denoising techniques
  
  Author: WANG, CHUANSHENG
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN AUTOMATIC CONTROL, ROBOTICS AND VISION
  Department: Department of Automatic Control (ESAII)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 03/07/2024
  Reading date: 30/07/2024
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: Sala de Juntes de la Facultat de Matemàtiques i Estadística (FME), Carrer de Pau Gargallo, 14, 08028 Barcelona
  Thesis director: GRAU SALDES, ANTONI | GUERRA PARADAS, EDMUNDO
  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: PALACÍN ROCA, JORGE
       SECRETARI: SANFELIU CORTES, ALBERTO
       VOCAL: RIBAS XIRGO, LLUÍS
  Thesis abstract: This dissertation aims to investigate two crucial tasks in the field of signal and image processing: signal denoising and image enhancement. Firstly, for signal processing, we propose three innovative denoising algorithms tailored specifically for one-dimensional EEG signals. These algorithms combine the strengths of deep learning and traditional signal processing techniques to effectively adapt to various noise types associated with different cognitive tasks, thereby enhancing the quality and accuracy of the signals. Secondly, in the domain of image processing, we introduce three novel image enhancement algorithms designed to tackle multiple noise types in natural scenes. By integrating deep learning methodologies with prior knowledge, these algorithms enhance image sharpness, contrast, and detail reproduction, demonstrating adaptability and reliability across different lighting, weather conditions, and photographic equipment. Lastly, we conduct a comprehensive analysis of the similarities and differences between image enhancement and signal denoising tasks. Through comparing the methodologies employed by each in handling diverse noise types, we derive meaningful conclusions to guide future research. These contributions are poised to significantly advance technological capabilities and theoretical understanding in both domains.