The Research Center for Technologies, Energy and Industrial Processes at the University of Vigo, CINTECX, is expanding its open house event to two days this year. It will take place on October 16 and 17, with prior registration open until Friday the 10th, maintaining the initiative’s core goal: to bring science and innovation closer to society.
The event will feature around twenty researchers showcasing their work in cutting-edge fields such as renewable energy, natural resource utilization, advanced manufacturing, clean propulsion technologies, and artificial intelligence.
For the first time, the open house will begin on Thursday afternoon with a visit designed for the general public: students of all ages, adults and children, families, associations… On Friday, the activities will focus on secondary and high school students, with around two hundred participants from schools in Vigo, Redondela, and Santiago de Compostela. Through a treasure-hunt-style itinerary, attendees will explore the facilities and engage with interactive scientific experiences.
Dozens of activities to explore science and technology
Among the featured activities, visitors will be able to investigate the phenomenon of corrosion with researchers from the Encomat group – Corrosion and Materials Engineering – who have designed an experiment based on electrochemical reactions to visualize anodic and cathodic processes and classify metals by their potential.
Another activity will involve machinery assembly. Members of the DSN group – Design and Numerical Simulation in Mechanical Engineering – will explain how a manual jigsaw works using a 3D model. Visitors will be able to assemble a real machine themselves and test how its components fit together.
The GTE group – Energy Technology – will lead an activity titled Dracarys, introducing participants to the concept of combustion through a flame propagation experiment, which will help explain different flame types and activation energy. Infrared thermography will also be featured, with a GTE-led activity demonstrating its impact on energy efficiency and showcasing practical examples using a thermal camera. Another highlight from this team will be the high-speed camera, which slows down reality to reveal details invisible to the human eye.
Water remediation processes will also be addressed, with a guided experience led by researchers from the Biosuv group – Bioengineering and Sustainable Processes – focused on techniques like adsorption applied to dye-containing effluents. Meanwhile, members of the CIMA group will introduce students to reverse engineering using 3D scanners.
Additionally, researchers from the Gessmin group – Safe and Sustainable Management of Mineral Resources – will present applications of computer vision in mining, and the Geotech group – Applied Geotechnologies – will demonstrate how augmented reality can transform the way we visualize and understand territory.
Knowledge dissemination is one of CINTECX’s strategic priorities. Each year, the center promotes a program of activities to foster interest in science, technology, and innovation, helping improve scientific and technical education and culture among citizens. This year’s open house is supported by funding from the Xunta de Galicia and contributions from the European FEDER funds.
