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Human-Robot Interaction Group - HRI

The HRI group focuses its research on the development of intelligent systems and algorithms for human-robot interaction in the fields of mobile, industrial and collaborative robotics.

The main objective is to learn the fundamental principles for carrying out tasks of different natures (driving vehicles, manipulating objects, surface treatment, etc.), predict human intentions in situations where there is shared control and provide personalised assistance capable of adapting to the changing conditions of the environment and of the human operator, regulating the level of autonomy of the intelligent assistance system.

It is worth highlighting the lines of research in assisted teleoperation using optical and audiovisual feedback (HAV feedback), advanced driver assistance systems (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, ADAS) in vehicles and intelligent transport systems (ITS), as well as active cooperation and shared control between a human operator and a robotic system in industrial applications.

Research Group on Development and Advising in Traffic Safety - DATS

DATS is a Research Group attached to the University Research Institute on Traffic and Road Safety (INTRAS). The research group was created in 1995 and is formed by professors and researchers of renowned prestige.

The aim of the DATS Group is focused on Consulting, Research, Development, Innovation, Training and Dissemination Projects in the fields of Transport, Traffic, Mobility and Road Safety.

It develops its projects both for administrations and institutions as well as for companies, whether public or private, national or international, in order to respond to the needs of its clients, as well as in general to solve the social problems represented by traffic accidents, poverty and environmental degradation across the world, with special attention to developing countries.

Therefore, one of the main activities is the accompaniment in the diagnosis of problems and detection of opportunities, as well as the definition of solutions and strategies to guide decision-making.

The work of the DATS Group has contributed to increase knowledge in the field. In this sense, the group has made an effort to disseminate findings through books, articles in scientific journals and/or scientific and outreaching conferences. Likewise, the group has actively participated in and with mass media with the aim of communicating and raising public awareness.

Consequently, the following services are included in its Service Charter:

  • Preparation/Drafting of Strategic Plans for Transport, Logistics, Sustainable Mobility, Local and Urban Planning, Road and Workplace Safety (in-itinere and in-mission accidents).
  • Definition, development and implementation of interventions, measures and counter-measures in the fields of Transport, Mobility and Road Safety.
  • Legislative, Regulatory and Normative development.
  • Deployment of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS).
  • Assessment and recruitment, especially of drivers, both positive and negative, including the development of instruments to achieve these goals.
  • Design and teaching of training and education programmes, as well as the necessary teaching tools and resources (including those based on technologies such as Virtual Reality, especially simulators, and Augmented Reality). It is aimed at scholars, professionals, technicians and users/citizens in general.
  • Creation of communication and advertising campaigns, including Corporate Social Marketing campaigns.
  • Evaluation of Plans, Programmes and interventions, including those related to legislative, regulatory and normative development (Legislative Assessment).
Research Group on Economic and social behavior - CES

The aim of the research group is to analyse the economic and social behaviour of economic and social agents, from an interdisciplinary perspective based on methodologies of economic analysis, game theory, quantitative, experimental and computational methods.

Research Group on Integrated Laboratory of Intelligent Systems and Traffic Information Technology - LISITT

The LISITT group was set up in 1989 with the aim of filling the existing gap in Spain in the area of telematics applications in the field of traffic and transport. Its initial activities were focused on the execution of international research and development projects within the European ESPRIT and DRIVE programmes of the 2nd Framework Programme of the European Union. 

Since its origins, LISITT has specialised in the study and development of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), covering technological, organisational and strategic aspects. LISITT has been carrying out projects for more than 20 years for national traffic and transport administrations, including the Directorate General of Traffic, the Ministry of Public Works and its regional counterparts in the Basque and Catalan Governments. LISITT is currently a multidisciplinary group (Physics, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Mathematics, Geography) that brings together more than 60 professionals, all of them university graduates, including civil servants, contracted teachers and its own research staff, and has established itself as a reference group in consultancy on telematics applied to transport, in the development of ITS systems, and strategic consultancy on management issues and the development of traffic systems. 

The work carried out since its origins has consolidated LISITT as a Spanish reference group in consultancy on telematics applied to transport, in the development of ITS systems, and strategic consultancy on management, development and maintenance of traffic systems for administrations, as reflected by the fact that LISITT has been participating for more than 10 years as expert advisors representing the Directorate-General for Traffic in different national and international standardisation committees and in European working groups on ITS systems, including the World Committee for Standardisation in ITS systems ISO/TC204, the European Committee for Standardisation of ITS systems CEN/TC278 and the Spanish Committee for Telematics applied to transport and road traffic AEN/CTN 159. The role played by LISITT in the creation, assistance and monitoring of the Euro-regional SERTI project (1995 - 2006), the Euro-regional ARTS project (1997 - 2006) and the European EasyWay project (2007-2013) should also be highlighted. 

Apart from these consultancy activities in the standardisation groups in the field of ITS systems, LISITT's most important projects are grouped around the following topics:

  • Consultancy to traffic administrations on coordination and organisation of international traffic control and management projects.
  • Technical assistance to public administrations in traffic management and information systems.
  • Study, development and maintenance of traffic information systems for public traffic administrations.
  • Coordination and execution of R&D&I projects, both from the European Union and national calls for proposals.
  • Analysis, design, construction and development of information systems for private companies.
  • Computer security, data protection and privacy.
Research Group on International, Constitutional and Comparative Tax Studies - ETICCs

Legal analysis of national and international tax regulations from a constitutional, EU law and comparative perspective. Verification of the legality of the procedures for applying the taxes that form part of the tax systems.

Research Group on Simulation and Modelling Laboratory - LSyM

The research group LSyM focuses its activity on simulation systems development, employing the latest Virtual Reality techniques. LSyM has always worked looking for close collaboration with the company and obtaining important results in the field of civil works. The group is a part of the Institute on Robotics and Information and Communications Technologies (IRTIC) of the Universitat de València. 
Lines of research: 

  • Integration of the real-time immersive simulators: design of all simulator’s elements, including both hardware and software (dynamic models of objects and 3-D scenarios). 
  • Development of e-learning platforms based on 3-D simulation: simulation technologies based on WebGL and Unity-3D in order to implement virtual 3-D environments, executable from the browser on different computing platforms. Use of Moodle and other e-learning standards 
  • Advanced computing in graphics processing units (GPUs): Development of performance league calculation programmes based on CUDA, OpenCL and shaders, that run on GPU network architectures. 
  • Real-time physical modelling: Development of simulation and of models of collaborative behaviour between avatars. 

Fields of application: 

  • Industrial: Virtual and augmented reality systems in several industrial areas (transport, railway sector, construction, maritime sector, etc.).
  • Education: Web-based simulation of learning environments, e-learning platforms for training and evaluation courses.

Services to companies and other entities: 

Technical assistance and consulting on: 

  • Development of real-time virtual environments to train operators of industrial machinery, cranes, civil engineering machinery and vehicles.
  • Counselling on the integration of low-medium-high cost simulators and on the choice of the appropriate hardware for the app. 
  • Design and implementation of training systems based on the use of simulators in different areas (transport, heavy machinery, air traffic controllers, etc.) and focused on learning risk prevention techniques.
  • Development of e-learning platforms