Diego Vergara

Verified

Diego verified their affiliation via an institutional email.

Learn more

Verified

Diego verified their affiliation via an institutional email.

Learn more

• PhD
• Professor at Catholic University of Ávila

This study introduces a comprehensive educational intervention designed to strengthen numerical thinking in third-grade mathematics education through problem-solving. Anchored in Pólya's problem-solving framework, this research employs a qualitative , descriptive methodology to design and assess a didactic unit. The intervention comprises six struc...

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) in high-risk training simulations represents a significant advance in preparing professionals for critical situations. This study presents an exhaustive bibliometric review of the scientific literature published between 2015 and 2025, analyzing the trends, impact, and evolutio...

Universal accessibility in cultural heritage is a key challenge to ensure the inclusion of all visitors in historical and tourist environments. The aim of this research is to analyze the current state of research on universal accessibility to cultural heritage in Spain, identifying the key institutions, themes, and trends within this field. Additio...

La utilización de entornos de aprendizaje de realidad virtual (EARV) presenta actualmente una tendencia al alza en la educación, con el propósito de mejorar el proceso y los resultados de aprendizaje de los estudiantes. En este artículo se aborda la forma de mejorar el diseño de un laboratorio virtual a partir de los resultados obtenidos en la inve...

El uso de las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC) en el mundo educativo ha ido evolucionando hacia las TAC, las TEP y las TRIC, por ello, el profesorado se ve en la necesidad de conocerlas para poderlas aplicar de forma efectiva en sus clases. En este estudio se pretende comprobar el conocimiento que tienen 489 profesores sobre lo...

Renewable energy technologies have become an increasingly important component of the global energy supply. In recent years, photovoltaic and wind energy have been the fastest-growing renewable sources. Although oceans present harsh environments, their estimated energy generation potential is among the highest. Ocean-based solutions are gaining sign...

Digital twin (DT) technology is transforming industrial automation by enabling the real-time simulation, predictive control, and optimization of complex systems. This study presents a DT-based kinematic control method designed for trajectory planning and execution in a 2RRR planar parallel manipulator. The framework utilizes ROS/Gazebo for virtual...

This study introduces a robust offline system for 2D indoor navigation, developed to address common challenges such as complex layouts and connectivity constraints in diverse environments. The system leverages advanced spatial modeling techniques to optimize pathfinding and resource efficiency. Utilizing a structured development process, the propos...

The pollution of the oceans by plastic waste is one of the major environmental problems of our time. It is estimated that there are millions of tons of polymers floating on the surface of the oceans, concentrated in several large plastic accumulations so-called plastic islands. The main consequence of marine plastic pollution is the negative impact...

The continuous evolution of aerospace technology has intensified the demand for innovative materials that enhance structural performance, fuel efficiency, and operational safety. This study conducts systematic bibliometric analysis using data from Scopus and the Web of Science, covering publications from the last decade. Smart composites have emerg...

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into project management (PM) transforms how projects are planned, executed, and monitored. The main objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive bibliometric analysis exploring trends, thematic areas, and future directions in AI applications in project management by examining publications fro...

This bibliometric study examines the evolution of compressed-hydrogen storage technologies over the last 20 years, revealing exponential growth in research and highlighting key advancements in compressed-hydrogen storage, materials-based solutions and integration with renewable energy systems. The analysis highlights the pivotal role of composite m...

The problem addressed is to analyze the acceptance of virtual reality (VR) technologies among faculty in a developing region (Latin America and the Caribbean), by identifying factors influencing this acceptance, to help provide keys to promote technological integration in higher education. For that, a quantitative, correlational research, based on...

Virtual reality (VR) is an effective technology when applied to higher education. A fruitful line of research is the study of the reception of VR by the agents involved, especially professors. This provides keys to help universities and countries, especially developing ones, in the process of digital integration. In this work, a quantitative analys...

Rural teachers have the potential to be important agents of local development. To achieve this goal, they need to acquire high digital competence in order to effectively integrate technology into their pedagogical practices, thus enriching the learning experience of students and fostering their participation. Digital competence contributes to reduc...

Multifunctional nanocomposites have become critical components in advancing sensing technologies, owing to their exceptional integration of mechanical, electrical, thermal, and optical properties. The research landscape of nanocomposites for sensing applications from 2002 to 2024 is examined in this bibliometric review. It identifies key trends, in...

This bibliometric review of global nuclear energy strategies reveals a renewed interest in this technology as a fundamental part of the energy transition and the fight against climate change. The findings highlight an emerging leadership of China and other Asian countries in scientific production, although the United States and European countries m...

Wastewater treatment is a critical process for ensuring water quality and public health, particularly in the context of increasing environmental challenges such as pollution and water scarcity. Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative technology capable of optimizing various wastewater treatment processes, such as contaminant re...

Este trabajo presenta los resultados más significativos obtenidos en un proyecto dirigido a ayudar a personas con discapacidad visual a través de la elaboración de materiales 3D adaptados. El objetivo de este proyecto era desarrollar una intervención multidisciplinar que integra tecnología digital y un modelo de aprendizaje-servicio destinada a ate...

La despoblación rural en España es un grave problema socioeconómico que conlleva el cierre de numerosas escuelas en pequeños núcleos de población. Ávila es una de las provincias de España que sufre esta despoblación, lo que supone un impacto negativo en su economía, disminución de servicios básicos y falta de inversión en infraestructuras. Los Cent...

Titanium additive manufacturing using powder bed fusion technologies has seen notable growth since 2015, particularly in high-performance sectors such as aerospace, biomedical, and automotive industries. This study focuses on key areas like metallic powder manipulation, laser optimization, and process control, with selective laser melting emerging...

Carbon fiber-based batteries, integrating energy storage with structural functionality, are emerging as a key innovation in the transition toward energy sustainability. Offering significant potential for lighter and more efficient designs, these advanced battery systems are increasingly gaining ground. Through a bibliometric analysis of scientific...

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic led to the need to move educational processes to virtual environments and increase the use of digital tools for different teaching uses. This led to a change in the habits of using information and communication technologies (ICT), especially in higher education. This work analyzes the impact of the COVID-19 pa...

This study aims to provide a review of the existing literature regarding the use of extended reality technologies and the metaverse focusing on virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) in safety training. Based on the outcomes, VR was predominantly used in the context of safety training with immersive VR yielding the bes...

La integración de elementos de gamificación en los entornos educativos se encuentra en constante crecimiento, siendo evidente la proliferación de aplicaciones informáticas diseñadas con este propósito. Es pertinente resaltar que, particularmente en el ámbito de las matemáticas, el panorama de opciones específicas es limitado. En este contexto, el p...

Addictions undermine the quality of life of individuals and their families. They generally lead to misadjustment that affects many areas (psychological, family, social, and occupational) and, in the most severe cases, can end in helplessness, loneliness, or early death. The self-esteem of the person with addictions tends to be reduced and this limi...

In the context of mathematics education, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in teaching calculus is revolutionizing instructional methodologies and enhancing learning experiences both inside and outside the classroom. This study explores the use of specific AI tools, including ChatGPT, MathGPT, Gemini, and Wolfram Alpha, to deepen stud...

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing many professions and research fields. Thus, the present study focuses on the implications that AI is having on research in materials science and engineering (MSE). To this end, a bibliometric review has been conducted to analyze the advances that AI is generating in MSE. Although expectatio...

The field of artificial intelligence is drastically advancing. This study aims to provide an overview of the integration of artificial intelligence into learning management systems. This study followed a bibliometric review approach. Specifically, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, 2...

The physical properties of perovskite-type materials are sensitive to their chemical composition and crystallographic structure, which makes them highly versatile for various advanced technological applications. In this theoretical study, density functional theory (DFT) is employed to investigate the electronic properties of the perovskite-like mat...

The term STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) is associated with a promising pedagogical approach to improve the development of students at different educational stages. Degrees linked to a STEAM approach encourage real-world problem solving through the application of multidisciplinary knowledge. The objective of this rese...

Industrial applications of hydrogen are key to the transition towards a sustainable, low-carbon economy. Hydrogen has the potential to decarbonize industrial sectors that currently rely heavily on fossil fuels. Hydrogen, with its unique and versatile properties, has several in-industrial applications that are fundamental for sustainability and ener...

Digital pandemic stress among university faculty has become a key issue in the contemporary era, marked by the rapid transition to online teaching. This study conducts a quantitative investigation into the teaching experience as a key explanatory variable in explaining the levels of such stress. For this purpose, a validated instrument has been use...

As students’ affective states can differ between learning that occurs in traditional classrooms when compared with learning that takes place in extended reality and immersive learning environments, it is important to examine the role of affective computing. Therefore, this study aims to provide an overview regarding the use of affective computing i...

🔒SCI: Call for Papers-New Trends in Immersive Virtual Environments Journal: CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua (SCI IF=2.0) 🔗SI URL: https://www.techscience.com/cmc/special_detail/immersive_virtual_environments 📅 Submission Deadline: 31 May 2025 🌟 Guest Editors: Prof. Diego Vergara, Universidad Católica de Ávila, Spain Prof. Álvaro Antón-Sancho, U...

In recent years, virtual reality (VR) technologies have become one of the teaching tools with the greatest training potential in higher education. Thus, the study of factors that influence the adoption and valuation of VR by the educational agents involved is a fruitful line of research, because it can provide keys to promote its incorporation. Thi...

This study introduces a novel methodology integrating computer vision, visual servo control, and the Kalman Filter to precisely estimate object locations for a 3-RRR planar type parallel manipulator. Through kinematic analysis and the development of a vision system using color indicators, the research enhances the ability of the manipulator to trac...

Pink hydrogen is the name given to the technological variant of hydrogen generation from nuclear energy. This technology aims to address the environmental challenges associated with conventional hydrogen production, positioning itself as a more sustainable and eco-efficient alternative, while offering a viable alternative to nuclear power as a sour...

Virtual Reality (VR) is a computer-generated environment with noteworthy didactic applications in different educational levels and areas of knowledge. The study of the perceptions of the agents involved about the use of VR in lectures is a fruitful line of research because it has implications in terms of the measures to be taken to improve the trai...

Green hydrogen, produced by water electrolysis with renewable energy, plays a crucial role in the revolution towards energy sustainability, and it is considered a key source of clean energy and efficient storage. Its ability to address the intermittency of renewable sources and its potential to decarbonize sectors that are difficult to electrify ma...

In recent times, the significance of advancing road transportation technologies has notably increased. This is mainly driven by the escalating need for road transportation systems that are not only safe but also environmentally sustainable. Moreover, enhancing fuel efficiency in road vehicles (i.e., automobiles) holds the potential to contribute si...

Background. Because of the pandemic, it has been suggested that motivation and job performance may have declined in various professional groups, a phenomenon known as quiet quitting. This study focuses on understanding this issue and its broader effect within the educational sector. Objective. This study analyses work motivation, work behavior, and...

El uso de las nuevas tecnologías puede favorecer el proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje. En este sentido, este trabajo analiza si pueden reducir los problemas de visión espacial que presentan algunos conceptos teóricos y que son difíciles de adquirir para algunos estudiantes en la etapa preuniversitaria. Para lograr este objetivo, se han desarrollado...

Gamification in education applied to digital learning environments is undergoing an intense development in recent years at all educational levels, including higher education. The success of this type of didactic actions is linked to a good match between the player profile designed by the professor and the student’s own player profile. In this paper...

The COVID‐19 pandemic has led to a process of digitalisation of higher education that has forced a change in the habits of use of information and communication technologies (ICT) among professors. The literature analyses this impact from different perspectives, but the gender gaps that may have occurred in this regard have not been studied so far....

Featured Application Moist air wind tunnels are an unknown tool to test, validate theoretical studies, and improve the design of wind turbines under different weather conditions. Abstract The present research work shows how a functional subsonic moist-air wind tunnel has been designed. Although this type of wind tunnel has never been developed to...

Objectives: Analysis of the player profiles of professors is a fruitful line of research because player profiles may influence the design of gamified situations. We studied a sample of 243 university professors in Mexico to analyze the player profiles with which they identify and those they consider most effective didactically in gamified situation...

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a global health crisis that led to a sudden migration of many educational activities to digital environments. This migration affected the digitization process of higher education. This paper conducts a quantitative statistical analysis of the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the habits of use of information and...

This study explores how gamification in DOTA 2 cultivates 21st-century skills (problem-solving, teamwork, communication, and critical thinking). It supports DOTA 2 as an immersive platform for skill development. The study investigated various sources, including player surveys, meticulous gameplay analysis, academic research reviews, and expert opin...

The use of virtual reality (VR) technologies applied to higher education is experiencing a vertiginous increase, mainly in scientific-technical areas. In this work, quantitative descriptive research is carried out on the perceptions of the didactic use of VR technologies by Latin American professors of engineering and health sciences. Specifically,...

In the current situation of global energy transition, nuclear energy maintains its reputation as a stable power generation technology, without dependence on other resources and without CO2 emissions. However, one of the main problems with its use is the management of the radioactive waste it generates, which has given rise to different internationa...

In this paper, a quantitative, descriptive, and correlational research is carried out on the perceptions of the digital competence of Latin American engineering professors, their assessment of the didactic use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in different didactic areas (interaction, communication, distribution, and administratio...

Given the real problem of climate change and the consequent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, nuclear energy can be considered a real technological option in the absence of a technology that can supply the population with sufficient electrical energy in a sustainable way. The research and development advances of new nuclear reactor designs a...

This paper conducts quantitative research on the levels of stress generated in Latin American professors due to the abrupt digitalization of higher education resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the differences in this digital stress between professors from private and public universities are analyzed. For this purpose, a validated q...

Un almacén temporal centralizado (ATC) es una instalación industrial diseñada para guardar en un único lugar el combustible gastado y los residuos radiactivos de alta actividad generados en las centrales nucleares españolas. Puesto en marcha en 2011, el plan de instalar el ATC en la localidad conquense de Villar de Cañas fue el desenlace a un largo...

In this work, quantitative research is carried out on the perceptions of early childhood education teachers and child psychologists about the incidence of bullying behaviors in early childhood education (3 to 6 years old) and their knowledge and experience in this regard. For this purpose, two questionnaires were used, each of them oriented to one...

In this paper, we conducted descriptive quantitative research on the assessment of virtual reality (VR) technologies in higher education in the countries of the Pacific Alliance (PA). Specifically, differences between PA countries in terms of the above perceptions were identified and the behavior of the gender and knowledge area gaps in each of the...

Virtual reality (VR) has proven to be an efficient didactic resource in higher education after the pandemic caused by COVID-19, mainly in the Engineering and Health Sciences degrees. In this work, quantitative research is carried out on the assessments made by Latin American professors of Health Sciences and Engineering of the didactic use of VR. S...

The chemical industry includes a wide range of factories focused on obtaining final products as: (i) plastics; (ii) chemical fibers; (iii) rubber; (iv) perfumery and cosmetic products; and (v) cleaning products. Although the level of safety in the activities and installations of this sector is very high, the use of dangerous substances implies an i...

This paper develops descriptive quantitative research of the assessments of virtual reality (VR) technology, used as a didactic tool, by a sample of 712 university professors in Mexico. For this purpose, a validated Likert-type questionnaire was used as an instrument, the responses to which were statistically analyzed. The results obtained show tha...

In this work, quantitative research on the incidence of bullying attitudes present among primary and secondary school students in a Spanish area with a very low population density (the one formed by the provinces of Avila and Zamora) was carried out. The data were obtained from a standardized test designed to diagnose bullying (AVE test: Acoso y Vi...

This article analyzes the self-concept about digital competence in university professors of Sciences, Health Sciences and Engineering and the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) use habits of professors in these areas. For this purpose, a survey designed by the authors was completed by 3...

Spain has a serious depopulation problem in large part of its territory and mainly in rural areas, where the population density is even lower than ten inhabitants per km2. An example of this depopulation phenomenon, known as “depopulated Spain”, is the region of Castilla y León. STEAM knowledge areas (Sciences, Technologies, Engineering, Art, and M...

In the automotive industry, the flow of air generates high resistance in the advance of vehicles. In light of this situation, the objective of the present invention is to take advantage of the force of the air itself to help propel vehicles and thus reduce fuel consumption. A channeling system has been designed based on a deflector that collects th...

In Egypt’s higher education system, there are differences among universities about the compulsory nature of class attendance. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw a transition of higher education activities to online environments, has led, after the return to face-to-face learning, to an update on the usefulness of face-to-face learning fo...

This paper conducts quantitative research on the assessment made by university professors of the didactic use of virtual reality technologies according to the level of technological development and digitization of their country. For this purpose, a survey was used, the responses to which were statistically analyzed, and the level of digitalization...

This paper conducts descriptive quantitative research of the player profile of a set of 808 university professors, and the player profiles that participants consider most suitable for learning when educational gamification is employed in higher education. It also studied the existence of influential variables in the chosen player profiles, includin...

In this work, exploratory quantitative research on the opinion of the students of a course on Geometry of Welded Joints, in an introductory welding course of secondary technical education curriculum, on the didactic use of PDF-3D in the development of the course is carried out. For this purpose, a survey designed by the authors was used, which the...

Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience in a three-dimensional (3D) computer-simulated world. Recent advances in technology position VR as a multipurpose technology in the healthcare sector and as a critical component in achieving Health 4.0. In this article, descriptive and correlationally quantitative research is carried out on the assessm...

The COVID-19 pandemic had a great impact on the process of integrating digital technologies in higher education and caused digital stress among professors, mainly in countries with a lower level of digitalization. In this work, quantitative research was carried out on the stress of professors in Venezuela due to the digitalization of their teaching...

The importance of soft skills in the professional work of an engineer is becoming increasingly important, even more so since the emergence of Covid-19 boosted the digitization of all professional sectors. In order for future engineers to acquire this type of skills, it is necessary for engineering professors to have an optimal level of technical an...

The use of reality-virtuality technologies (RVTs) in the field of engineering education has shown a growing trend for more than a decade. The teaching of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) is no stranger to this phenomenon, and there are numerous examples of it. In order to better understand how RVTs are implemented in MSE teaching, this revie...

The use of digital learning environments in higher education has led to design methodological strategies, like gamification, adapted to computer‐based learning. The effectiveness of gamification depends on the adaptation of the methodology to the player's profile. Four types of player profiles (Explorer, Killer, Socialized, and Achiever) are establ...

The need to generate new communication and social interaction tools during the confinement suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the starting point for the development of the metaverse in various sectors of economic activity. However, it is in the training sector where the metaverse is positioned as a necessary and essential techno...