Group description

The Applied Electronics Research Team (APERT) is constituted by researchers which their activities are carried out at the Electronics Technology Department of the Faculty of Engineering of Bilbao. Their research lines are:

1. Reconfigurable circuits and Systems-on-a-Chip

This line is based on the use of next-generation high capacity FPGAs to integrate digital systems on a single integrated circuit, as well as make use of the reconfiguration capability of these devices: synthesis oriented design, interconnection architectures and cores, fault tolerance techniques (SEU). Within this research line we specialize in the following branches:

Communication digital circuits: This line includes the research related to the electronics of a communication system. Among others subjects, we research on the safety, security and reliability of digital communications, particularly electronic architectures that implement new encryption and authentication algorithms; redundant architectures for high reliability applications; modules or cores for high speed processing using standard buses; reconfigurable digital systems integrated on a chip that offer solutions to specific applications requiring secure communications and high-level design techniques for network equipment based on new reconfigurable platforms.

Digital circuits for industry 4.0: Leveraging knowledge in digital circuits for communications, this line includes Cyber-phisycal Systems. These devices transfer the concept of the Internet of Things (IoT) to the industrial world. The objective is to interconnect the production plant and be able to extract large amount of data. The research in this area, among other things, includes the secure communications, interconnection of devices from different manufacturers, synchronization between devices, data capture and transmission of added value data.

2. Power and control circuits for Energy Converters

This research line is oriented to the design and study of power converters for electric power generation, conversion, storage and transmission. The group works in advanced power converters. In previous years, we have worked on matrix converters and various aspects of power converters for renewable energy generation such as microwind generators and in the control of microgrids. Actually the group is working in the following specific research lines:

Electronics for the traction and charging infrastructure of the Electric Vehicle: This research line studies and develops improvements on the efficiency, control and cooling systems of power inverters and converters used in both, the traction system and the charging infrastructures of the electric vehicle.

Power electronics converters: This research line studies the power converters and their control applied to particle accelerators used for scientific research and medical applications, as well as those applied to smart grids.