Applied Research Results in Vocational Education & Training

Microencapsulation of bioactive compounds

Lorena Arrastua — 2026-07-09

Microencapsulation is introduced as a key enabling technology to protect sensitive bioactive compounds, improve their stability and control their release in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food and related products (Picot et al., 2015). The main objective of this project is to research and apply microencapsulation techniques to protect bioactive substances such as polyphenols and promote the development of personalised and sustainable products. In it, polyphenols from by-products of the wine industry (grape peels) were selected as target bioactives due to their antioxidant and health-promoting properties. Different extraction techniques were applied, followed by microencapsulation using ionic gelation and coacervation methods with natural polymers such as alginate, pectin and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC). The resulting microcapsules were incorporated into pilot formulations of functional foods and cosmetic products. Experimental results demonstrate that the selection of encapsulation technique and material strongly influences capsule size, stability and suitability for final applications.

Open-source smart system for monitoring electricity consumption in machining environments

Miguel Angel Gomez Garcia — 2026-07-09

EnergID is a system based on open-source hardware and software (Arduino, ESP32) designed to monitor electricity consumption in machining environments. The device measures key electrical variables in real time and transmits them via Wi-Fi to a server for graphical display on interactive panels and web pages.

The main innovation lies in its ability to determine the “Electrical Identity” of each machine, achieving complete traceability of each work cycle. Beyond measuring overall consumption, the system directly links energy expenditure to technical variables (material type, speed, cutting depth) and operational variables (each operator’s work style).

Analysis of this data enables the detection of malfunctions, downtime, or abnormal consumption, in addition to generating automatic alerts. Finally, EnergID helps identify efficiency patterns and best practices to optimize industrial processes without compromising quality.

Success factors for integrating applied research in vocational education and training

Diane Burt — 2026-07-09

Vocational education and training institutions can enhance and enrich student learning while serving the socioeconomic needs of communities by integrating applied research as a form of experiential learning in program curriculum. Applied research provides students with opportunities to engage directly with community or industry partners on real-world problems as they apply both technical and employability skills. This paper explores the successful experiences and proven practices of ten Canadian colleges and recommendations on how they may be applied in other educational institutions. The findings resulted in a framework of success factors for effectively utilizing applied research and innovation to enrich the student learning experience, with a focus on applied research as a pedagogical approach. The factors are: (1) institutional commitment and leadership; (2) instructor development and support; (3) learning approaches; and (4) internal and external collaboration. Also, as an institution’s engagement in applied research evolves, there should be consideration of and investment in strategic factors beyond the pedagogical application. The framework guides the implementation of applied research in vocational education and training. Recommendations may be translated into practice, informing policy, programming and organizational decisions, and benefiting vocational education providers seeking to improve teaching and learning methods and outcomes while contributing to the socioeconomic needs of their region.

FP Robotik Interface

Yuri Unamuno Arriola — 2026-07-09

This article presents the development of FP Robotik Interface, an educational web interface for programming, simulating and verifying industrial robots in Vocational Education and Training. The project was created to help students understand the logic of a robotic task before working directly with each manufacturer's specific environment. The tool enables visual block-based programming, generates a neutral representation of the program, displays a simplified 3D simulation of the TCP path and produces industrial code, especially for Universal Robots, with possible extension to ABB and Fanuc. It also includes a telemetry-based verification workflow: a Siemens IOT2040 gateway running Node-RED receives robot data through RTDE, Modbus TCP and a STEP socket, normalises the information and publishes it to the web interface using MQTT. The interface can compare planned steps with points reached by the real robot, introducing concepts such as traceability, diagnosis and error analysis. The system has been developed as an educational prototype over one academic year and should not be considered a certified industrial product or a complete digital twin.

Keywords: industrial robotics; Vocational Education and Training; visual programming; telemetry; educational IoT.

FAGOAQUA

Jon Álvarez Rubio — 2026-07-09

Antimicrobial resistance is a critical global health threat, directly causing 1.27 million deaths in 2019 (Murray et al., 2022). Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) act as significant hotspots where multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria persist and spread into the environment (Godinho, Lage, & Quinteira, 2024). At the same time, these systems represent dynamic environments that promote high bacteriophage diversity and host–phage interactions. The FAGOAQUA project aims to isolate and characterize MDR bacterial strains and their associated lytic phages from wastewater. Experimental results confirmed the isolation of several MDR strains, specifically Raoultella ornithinolytica, Citrobacter freundii, and Proteus mirabilis, all of which exhibited different resistance levels to multiple antimicrobial classes. Concurrently, a lytic bacteriophage was isolated and characterized, demonstrating lytic activity against one of these strains. Together, these results highlight the value of wastewater environments as reservoirs for the identification of phages with potential applicability in the targeted control of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.