Practical experiments are essential for engineering studies. Regarding the acquisition of practical and professional competences in a completely online scenario, the use of technology that allows students to carry out practical experiments is important. This paper presents a remote laboratory designed and developed by the Open University of Catalonia (RLAB-UOC), which allows engineering students studying online to carry out practical experiments anywhere and anytime with real electronic and communications equipment. The features of the remote laboratory and students’ satisfaction with its use are analyzed in real subjects across six semesters using a self-administered questionnaire in an FPGA-based case study. The results for the FPGA-based case study present the perception and satisfaction of students using the proposed remote laboratory in the acquisition of subject competences and content.

Global warming has increased uncertainty regarding managing traditional water supply systems. Unfortunately, there is a need for the smart management of water supply systems. This work aims to design a solution for renewing and securing critical infrastructure that supplies water and provides water purification inside the range of applications of Industry 4.0 for Smart Cities. Therefore, we analyze the renewal requirements and the applicable use cases and propose a solution based on IoT networks for critical infrastructure in the urban environment. We describe the architecture of the IoT network and the specific hardware for securing a water supply and wastewater treatment chain. In addition, the water level control process for the supply chain and the system that ensures the optimal level of chemicals for wastewater treatment are detailed. Finally, we present the guidelines for infrastructure operators to carry out this operation within Industry 4.0, constituting a development framework for future research on the design of Smart Cities.

Optimizing urban water distribution systems is essential for reducing economic losses, minimizing water wastage, and addressing resource access gaps, particularly in drought-prone regions impacted by climate change. We apply advanced artificial intelligence (AI) techniques and the Internet of Things (IoT) to optimize water networks in Spain using simulation. By employing EPANET for hydraulic modeling and a linear regression-based algorithm for optimization, we achieved up to 96.62% system efficiency with a mean absolute error of 0.049. Our approach demonstrates the potential to conserve up to 648,000 L of water daily at high-demand nodes, contributing to substantial resource savings across urban water networks. We propose a global architecture utilizing Low Power Wide Area Network and Low Earth Orbit solutions for widespread deployment. This study underscores the potential of AI in water network optimization and suggests future research avenues for implementing the proposed architecture in real urban water systems.

Practical experimentation is essential for electronics learning. As the acquisition of practical and professional competences in full online scenario is concerned, it is very relevant the use of technology that allows students to carry out hands-on experiments. This paper presents Lab@Home, the Open University of Catalonia (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, UOC, Barcelona, Spain) hands-on electronics laboratory, which allows online students to carry out practical experiments anywhere and anytime at a reduced cost and with good portability characteristics. Lab@Home features and students satisfaction are analyzed during six consecutive semesters in two different subjects by means of a self-administered questionnaire, showing the benefits of using Lab@Home in the acquisition of the subjects contents and gathering how could be improved students learning experience by using this kind of electronics laboratory.

There are multiple methods of communication for the transmission of every type of alarm. In the case of emergency systems, they are usually controlled by private companies that work as bridges between the source and the receiver of an emergency. Furthermore, it is necessary to use an independent communication system for each building, requiring human vigilance, leading to an increase in infrastructure and service costs as well as response time. This paper proposes a hybrid network by combining both wireless personal access network (WPAN) and low power wide access network (LPWAN) communication for the complete development of a communication architecture oriented to an emergency system. The main aim of this work is to provide a global emergency system that is focused on fire detection but is also suitable for other critical events, with low energy consumption, a wide communication range covering up to 50 km, and a low cost of service and infrastructure. This proposal reduces the total energy consumption of the system with respect to typical fire detection systems.

Nowadays, integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) in military communication systems is reshaping current defense strategies by enhancing secure data exchange, situational awareness, and autonomous decision-making. This survey examines advancements of AI in tactical communication networks, including UAV networks, radar-based transmission, and electronic warfare resilience, thereby addressing a key gap in the existing literature. This is the first comprehensive review of AI applied exclusively to current tactical communication systems, synthesizing fragmented literature into a unified defense-oriented framework. A key contribution of this survey is its cross-sectoral perspective, exploring how civilian AI techniques are applied in military contexts to enhance resilient and secure communication networks. We analyze state-of-the-art research, industry initiatives, and real-world implementations. Additionally, we introduce a three-criteria evaluation methodology to systematically assess AI applications based on system objectives, military communication constraints, and tactical environmental factors, enabling a study of AI strategies for multidomain interoperability. Finally, we draft future research directions, emphasizing the need for AI standardization, enhanced adversarial resilience, and AI-powered self-healing networks. This survey provides key insights into the evolving role of AI in modern military communications for researchers, policymakers, and defense professionals.