GranaSAT group is proud to announce that the Best TFG Award in “Engineering of Electronic Systems” has been awarded to Juan Del Pino Mena(UGR) and his TFG: “Development of an acoustic system for measuring the modulus of elasticity in trees, logs, and boards.” . The CODIGAT and COITT/AEGITT permanent commission has once again announced the award-winning projects in the XVI COITT-Future of Telecommunications Awards.
[Fig 1: Photo of Juan being awarded]
The awards ceremony took place on March 24th at the Higher Technical School of Engineering and Telecommunication Systems of the Polytechnic University of Madrid (South Campus). Twelve awards were distributed across four different categories with 106 participants.
“During his speech, Juan praised his family, colleagues, and friends who helped him achieve this success, saying, ‘I would like to send a greeting and gratitude to all the people who, in one way or another, have been part of this achievement. Thank you very much to my family, whose support and affection made this accomplishment possible, as well as to all the colleagues of GranaSAT, colleagues of materials and structures from ADIME, colleagues and friends of the University of Granada, and the Polytechnic University of Valencia for welcoming me in this stage of my life.‘“
[Fig 2: Juan on his speech]
The Bachelor’s Thesis aims to develop a portable electronic device called “Tree Inspection Kit (TIK)” that can measure the stiffness of wood in standing trees, logs, and boards using non-destructive testing. The project is part of LIFE Wood For Future, a project of the University of Granada funded by the European Union’s LIFE Program. The TIK uses the Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) as an indicator of stiffness and is equipped with electronics to measure the time of flight of an acoustic wave inside a piece of wood, which can help derive the MOE. The project follows the Engineering Design Process (EDP) and requires advanced knowledge of signal analysis, electronics, PCB design, and firmware development.
[Fig 3:Photo of the Bachelor’s Thesis poster]
This work is related to the social development that is taking place in Granada, around the boom of poplar crops that were in decline. Juan has created a tool based on an acoustic analysis system, which indicates the value of the quality of the wood based on its elasticity, enabling producers to sell it at a fair price. The project has been carried out within the GranaSAT Group where he has collaborated in the LIFE Program which values The Poplar of the Vega of Granada.
All things considered, the recognition awarded to Juan Del Pino Mena for his Bachelor’s Thesis highlights the importance of academic training in the field of engineering and its role in technological development. This project, which uses the Engineering Design Process and requires advanced knowledge of various disciplines, demonstrates how education can contribute to solving real-world problems. Juan’s success is not only a testament to his hard work and dedication, but also to the importance of continuing to invest in education and training to drive innovation and progress in engineering and technology.