Our research line deals with microsystems, especially those related with microfluidics, complemented by the development of sensors and biosensors for food monitoring and environmental control. In this line, researchers and students with different backgrounds and expertise work together. That is why, it is common to see engineers from the fields of electronics, mechanics, mechatronics, environmental, civil, computing and chemical working together with artists, designers, biologists and microbiologists, physics, chemists and even anthropologists in the development of any of our projects. Due to the diversity of the group, our strategy is yo train each member of our team in one of three paths: Research of the state of the art; Development of equipment; and Industrial and market application.
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Research of the state of the art
The first path is composed by those students and researchers that want to follow a complete scientific career, understanding that about 70% of their developments are not going to solve the problem that they are targeting. This path comprises a high risk and a long term development, but a high remuneration if the research is successfully translated.
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Development of equipment
The second path, development of equipment and technology, is followed by those interested in solving inner needs of the group, such as new and specialized equipment, or specific set ups that ease the work of the people involved in the first path. This means that people from the second path will build up tools and equipment that will help researchers to focus on their goals and not on secondary targets. This path comprises a medium risk and a middle term development, and in the same way a moderate remuneration in case of exploitation.
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Industrial and market application
This third path is planned for those eager to bring our new developments and technologies to the real world, the industry or a new start up idea. These people work taking every produced invention or technology and transforming it to an attractive product for the industry. In this process, the people in this path have to read and understand the needs of the industrial sector and transform our inventions into something solid, tangible and of course, saleable.
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 Watch the ilustrated video about the paths Watch the sketch video about the paths Download a presentation about the paths
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This three-path strategy has worked perfectly for our group, making it possible to do research at the same time that we can afford to have a brochure of products and developments to offer. But behing the scenes, there is a more powerful strategy, one involving know-how transfer. In our research line we have identified those thigns we know how to do. That know-how has been transcribed to a table in which every person in the team has a level of trainig in each known technique. Thus, if someone needs to use a certain technique, it will be trained by anybody that has a greater training, independently of their background, age, time in the team, or so. Your only commitment to the group is that if you were trained, you will train others. In that sense, even the "boss" may have to ask for permission and supervision to use certain techniques if he is not fully trained. This model helps us to train young students in a ashort time for them to be able to create a positive impact in our development.
Watch some of our team members talking about their training process
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