Integral calculus is a fundamental subject that enables the teaching of branches of physics like, mechanics, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism to engineering students. However, the incapacity of understanding either the concept of the area under a curve or to develop an efficient and simple way to calculate integrals continues to be a major cause of the high failure rate of students in these subjects. This work was developed parting from the proposal of using Information and communication technologies, in combination with flowcharts, for helping students to solve integrals trough Riemann sums. Even, a poll was used to recollect and do a qualitative evaluation on the degree of comprehension that students had on Riemann sums and their relation to integrals and to get feedback on their impression about the proposal of this work. The results are compared against traditional learning, based on memorizing the steps of the algorithm for each method and the representation of the convergence of successive roots by numerical tables.

This work aims to shorten the time of lager beer fermentation through a temperature profile determined by a model-based controller, as an exploratory proposal to reduce fermentation time while maintaining yeast viability and process performance, without compromising the fermentation dynamics or negatively affecting the yeast activity. This study was developed from an engineering perspective focused on the optimization of the beer fermentation process through model-based control, preserving the beer properties of the original process. This exploratory work was carried out in four stages: (1) performance of constant temperature fermentations of a lager-type beer where concentrations of yeast and ethanol were monitored along the process, (2) model parameters adjustment and validation of a beer fermentation mathematical model on the basis of data obtained from experiments, (3) outline of a temperature trajectory, in a simulation framework, from an ethanol controller of movable convergence rate constructed with a nonlinear technique and the mathematical model, (4) experimental implementation of the outlined temperature trajectory in the beer fermentation. Beer batches’ quality-control endpoints suggested by Mexican quality standards frameworks, such as fermentation time, alcoholic and caloric content, and fermentation efficiency, were analyzed. The lag stage was reduced when the temperature profile devised by the controller was employed, resulting in a reduction in the time required to reach the stationary stage. No significant final characteristic variations in bottled beers brewed at constant and variable temperatures were identified. The quality assessment of the analyzed variables was conducted in accordance with the measurement capabilities of the employed equipment and under the applicable Mexican quality standards framework. This proposal presents an alternative systematic strategy to reduce the fermentation time of lager beer, favoring the efficiency and profitability of craft beer production.

En las viviendas de interés social ubicadas en regiones de clima cálido-húmedo del occidente de México el diseño generalizado de los espacios con condiciones de ventilación inadecuadas, plantea importantes desafíos para el bienestar de los residentes. Las altas temperaturas, la humedad y la ventilación insuficiente contribuyen a la baja calidad del aire y al malestar térmico en estas viviendas. En consecuencia, se emplean mecanismos artificiales sin considerar alternativas pasivas. El estudio tiene como objetivo describir las aplicaciones más efectivas de los dispositivos de ventilación pasiva en este clima y el impacto que puede representar en la calidad de vida de los residentes. A través de un análisis bibliográfico y estudios de casos relacionados con la implementación de la ventilación pasiva, se destacan estrategias eficaces que demuestran su impacto positivo en la temperatura interior, la calidad del aire y el consumo de energía. Esta descripción proporciona alternativas sostenibles para implementarlas en viviendas de interés social en clima cálido-húmedo.

Astronomy is one of the sciences that attracts a large number of people, because of the celestial bodies and phenomena that can be observed, such as the moon, planets, constellations and the sun during the day. Telescopes, the main observation tool employed for astronomical observation, are often not very accessible for the majority of the population, due to their cost. This problem has been addressed through the design of low-cost three-dimensional printed telescopes or the use of digital cameras and cell phones with filters suitable for this purpose. This work describes the components and building of an automatized light tracker that can be coupled to a digital camera, protected by a white light filter, to emulate a low-cost solar telescope. The resulting device can also be operated manually, serving as a teaching tool for astronomy that illustrates how mechatronics and programming can be employed for scientific outreach. Aided by a digital camera, the robotic solar tracker was used by students to observe and record the 2019’s Mercury transit.