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Older adults in a Modern World

Editorial Older adults in a Modern WorldBy L.F. Carver, Editor-in-Chief Stereotypes that suggest older adults are resistant to technology may have had some accuracy in the 1980s but are now outdated and inaccurate. Technology has been evolving quickly over the past century, and older adults have been adapting to these changes just as quickly. Telephones went from a single wall mounted phone in the home to cordless handsets and cellphones, changes driven by the buying habits of people who are now older adults. The consumers who enthusiastically embraced home computers, then laptops and finally tablets are now middle aged or older adults.(Geron)technologies are those technologies that support aging adults – but these do not need to be limited to health-related devices. Older adults generally report feeling much younger inside than their chronological age and buy technology that supports them to engage in hobbies and activities that they did in their twenties and thirties. These technologies often mirror those chosen by their younger counterparts.Governments are recognizing the importance of AgeTech with investments in the development of these industries. For example, in late 2022/early 2023 the Canadian government announced a $47 million dollar investment (via the Strategic Innovation Fund) and the American National Institute on Aging (a2 Pilot Awards) unveiled $40 million for AgeTech over five years. Given the inaccuracies of traditional ageist stereotypes it is important to avoid surveillance and communal residential settings (e.g., long term care homes) as the focus for AgeTech, especially given most older adults are uninterested in living these facilities and technology that violates their privacy.Modern older adults are interested in technologies that enable them maintain independence, aging gracefully in place, in their own homes. However, they tend to reject technologies that impinge on privacy – especially those that involve 24/7 surveillance. Ambient assisted living, which generally involves cameras and pressure plates that record, and report, movement and activity are a favourite among caregivers and concerned family but are generally repudiated by older adults.Finally, older adults who refuse certain technologies are not ‘resistant’ to tech, they just don’t want technology to try to fool them or replace reality. If they enjoy travel, they want technology that allows them to continue to travel as long as possible, not virtual reality goggles. Older animal lovers don’t want a robot pet, they want technology to support them to continue to care for their non-human companions as long as possible.The most important thing for policy makers, technology companies and younger adults to remember is that older adults share many of the same consumer interests when it comes to technology as younger adults. In fact, instead of considering older adults as something different or ‘other’ than their younger counterparts, we need to remember that they are the same people as they were when they were younger, they just have more mileage.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Access to and Interest in mHealth: National Web-based Cross-sectional Survey

Health programs delivered through digital devices such as mobile phones (mobile health [mHealth]) have become an increasingly important component of the health care tool kit. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women of reproductive age are likely to be caring for children and family members and needing health care, but little is known about their access to and interest in mHealth. The objectives of this study were to investigate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women's ownership of digital devices, access to the internet, current mHealth use, and interest and preferences for future mHealth. We examined the factors (age, remoteness, caring for a child younger than 5 years, and level of education) associated with the ownership of digital devices, use of internet, and interest in using a mobile phone to improve health. This study also examines if women are more likely to use mHealth for topics that they are less confident to talk about face-to-face with a health professional. A national web-based cross-sectional survey targeting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women of reproductive age (16-49 years) was performed. Descriptive statistics were reported, and logistic regressions were used to examine the associations. In total, 379 women completed the survey; 89.2% (338/379) owned a smartphone, 53.5% (203/379) a laptop or home computer, 35.6% (135/379) a tablet, and 93.1% (353/379) had access to the internet at home. Most women used social media (337/379, 88.9%) or the internet (285/379, 75.2%) everyday. The most common modality used on the mobile phone for health was Google (232/379, 61.2%), followed by social media (195/379, 51.5%). The most preferred modality for future programs was SMS text messaging (211/379, 55.7%) and social media (195/379, 51.4%). The most preferred topics for future mHealth programs were healthy eating (210/379, 55.4%) and cultural engagement (205/379, 54.1%). Women who were younger had greater odds of owning a smartphone, and women with tertiary education were more likely to own a tablet or laptop. Older age was associated with interest to use telehealth, and higher educational attainment was associated with interest for videoconferencing. Most women (269/379, 70.9%) used an Aboriginal medical service and overall reported high rates of confidence to discuss health topics with a health professional. Overall, women showed a similar likelihood of selecting a topic in mHealth whether they were or were not confident to talk to a health professional about that. Our study found that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women were avid users of the internet and had strong interest in mHealth. Future mHealth programs for these women should consider utilizing SMS text messaging and social media modalities and including content on nutrition and culture. A noteworthy limitation of this study was that participant recruitment was web-based (due to COVID-19 restrictions).

An Analysis of the COVID-19 Consequences on the Uncertainty Socio-economic Indicators of Sub-Saharan Africa

This study aims to investigate the main sectors of economic development before and the current situation of COVID-19 for Sub-Saharan African countries by demonstrating country experiences, the role of vaccines, and the SSA economy forecast. The study has four main sections, including an introduction, an overview of socioeconomic indicators before the pandemic, methods, results findings, and discussion. The study used mixed methods, including an approach based on secondary data. The quantitative results were analysed using both empirical methods and the researcher’s prior expertise. The analysis of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on SSA countries was based on long-term data collected by several international financial institutions. The research findings demonstrated conclusively that COVID-19 is causing the collapse of the SSA economy, the first economic recession in 25 years, $37-79 billion in lost GDP by 2020, and an export decrease of 10.6%. In education, for example, 64% of primary and 50% of secondary students lack ICT training, 89% (216 million) do not have access to a home computer, and 82% (199 million) do not have an Internet connection missed classes during the COVID-19 period. The agricultural sector in SSA is also impacted by over 239 million hungry people. COVID-19 mass vaccinations and public debt amount to over $154 billion in obligations to get the SSA economy back on its feet with zero tolerance for embezzlement of public funds. These results can be used to make the economies of SSA countries resilient to the current crises and to address some thematic issues, such as the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in all SSA countries, which will save time and money by getting rid of border taxes. Therefore, policymakers can use the findings to begin formulating plans to address issues like economic development, education, and food insecurity.

Perception towards Online Education among the Secondary Level Students during COVID-19 Pandemic

Online education is a type of educational instruction that is delivered through internet to students using their home computers. Since 2019 the effect of information technology on human life is immense and its role in education too cannot be subsided. The spread of COVID-19 led the closure of all educational institutions and has initiated online learning.We all are in the battlefield of COVID-19 Pandemic and our schools have been closed, despite of this crisis situation, we are trying to continue our academic journey and are involved in online education.This study aims to find out the perception of students towards online education.

Taking Advantage of Health IT: Applying New Technology, Care Collaboration, and Telemedicine

Information technology has already transformed healthcare, as it has changed every other industry. To begin with, healthcare providers have become computerized. Most hospitals and physicians have moved from paper to electronic health records (EHRs)—a transition that took place primarily during the past decade. More and more consumers are using smartphone apps, coupled with add-on devices and wearables, to track their efforts to improve their health and manage chronic conditions. Home-based remote monitoring systems are making it increasingly possible for patients to be discharged from hospital to home. And a growing number of consumers are participating in video telehealth visits with healthcare providers using their mobile phones, tablets, and home computers.

Evaluation of Awareness about Electronic Waste and Concern for the Environment in Tayma Governorate, Tabuk Region, Saudi Arabia

This study was carried out to evaluate the people’s awareness level about electronic waste (e-waste) disposal and management practices as well as their impact on environment, also provides recommendations for moving forward on this problem in Tayma governorate, KSA. The data for this work were collected during the distribution of 96 questionnaires on householders and governmental organizations (municipality and health sector). Likert Scale was used for the analysis of the participants. The results of householders exhibited that awareness are low or medium various degrees for e-waste disposal and management practices as well as their impact on environment and there is no formal or informal e-waste sector in Tayma governorate. The participants reported that they use all electronic home appliances, computers, laptops and Mobile phone and more than double the equipment was disposed of as e-waste during the past 10 years, which increases e-waste. The responses from the Tayma governorate's municipality and health sector revealed that a large number of people (from 68% to 88%) did not know a person or company that could collect their used electronics for reuse, resale, recycling, or dismantling; they were also unaware of any electronic waste management policies currently in place in Tayma; and there was a very low perception of public awareness of the laws in place for e-waste and for the control of exposure. Also, there are hazards to the growing amount of e-waste in Tayma and they must be support the unorganized sector’s role in waste management (while providing for safer practices). They added, no companies and the general population complied with electronic waste management policies and not found priority of government and individual levels for e-waste problem now. Finally, they said the vision 2030 for Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is gives full attention to the e-waste problem. The participants needs to more information on government rules and regulation for e-waste management. Government entities in Tayma Governorate must therefore make invest more in raising public awareness at all levels of society as well as at the legislative and institutional levels.

Development of the Video Game Industry in China at the End of the 20th Century

The segment of video games in China emerged later than in the West, where the development of a new industry had been ongoing since the early 1970s, transforming from a leisure activity for a select few into one of the leading and successful sectors of the entertainment industry. The reforms initiated by Deng Xiaoping in 1978 led to significant shifts in the socio-economic system of the Chinese state. However, the gaming industry in China began to develop despite opposition of the authorities' policies and the conservative part of Chinese society. Despite serious ideological and economic barriers, the gaming market in China gradually began to be filled with locally produced technology, which at first may not have been of high quality, but was mass-produced and accessible to a large audience. Illegal copying of goods from foreign companies and firms played an important role, allowing consumers to timely familiarize themselves with the novelties of the global industry, not just with projects from local producers. The widespread distribution of pirated products and China's connection to the global network in the 1990s led to a large growth in the local virtual entertainment industry, both through the purchase of consoles and home computers and the establishment of internet cafes. The wide popularity of this new industry and its gradual integration with the global gaming industry required government intervention and laid the foundations for regulating this type of entertainment and strengthening ideological control over it by the government.

Industrial Techno and SID Sound Design in the Commodore 64 GameSlipstream

Slipstream is a rail shooter developed by the group Bauknecht. The soundtrack, composed by Ronny Engmann, accentuates the game’s futuristic space setting and emphasis on speed by invoking the electronic dance music style of industrial techno, which combines the taut grooves of minimal techno with the abrasive sonics of early industrial music to make for an intensification of the sound that made the club scenes of Detroit and Berlin famous. Despite the Commodore 64 being a supposedly obsolete 8-bit platform that had its manufacture stopped decades ago, contemporary composers like Engmann are compelled to use the machine for its SID (Sound Interface Device) chip, which stands apart from the sound chips of other 8-bit home computers and consoles due to its variety of waveform types, filtering capabilities, ring modulation, and oscillator sync effects. The skills that Engmann developed while exploring the affordances of this versatile chip enabled him to compose a video game soundtrack that is informed by his engagement with the Berlin techno scene from the early 1990s onward. Drawing from ethnographic interviews with Engmann and Slipstream’s programmer Stefan Mader, this article demonstrates how techno’s pivotal theme of synergistic existence of humanity with technology resonates with an ecstatic feeling of forward propulsion that characterizes Slipstream. Focusing on the musical dimension of timbre and addressing the practical issues of modern cross-platform development through an analysis of Engmann’s project files for the Commodore 64 music tool GoatTracker, this article shows that Slipstream’s soundtrack is exemplary in effectively harnessing electronic dance music as video game music.

Teaching Philosophy during a Pandemic "in the Most Unequal Society in the World" in advance

According to the World Bank, South Africa is the most unequal society in the world. It follows that teaching philosophy takes on a unique character in this country. During the initial COVID-19 outbreak, all universities were compelled to move online, entailing that the teaching of philosophy also moved online. However, because of their socio-economic realities, students faced many barriers, and this served to further marginalise already marginalised students. The university campus provides structural support to many of these students that they do not have at home—computer labs, internet access, and residences. With campuses shutting down and learning to move online, many (if not most) of our students faced significant challenges. This paper explores the challenges encountered during this time through empirical research. Five interviews were conducted with philosophy lecturers, and the data was analysed using Atlas.ti. This article therefore provides empirical insight into the challenges faced by philosophy lecturers as they taught philosophy during a pandemic in the “most unequal society in the world.”

USE OF THE 1-WIRE PROTOCOL IN SMART HOME COMPUTER SYSTEMS

The article examines the computer systems used in the “Smart House”. A comparative analysis of these computer systems was carried out. It was emphasized that such systems have a number of advantages that have a positive impact on human life and safety. The use of temperature measuring devices is widely used in computer systems to monitor Smart Home conditions. The need to install a large number of sensors leads to an increase in the complexity of such computer systems. Protocols for connecting sensors to a microcontroller play an important role in system development. The analysis of the latest publications and studies provides information on the widespread use of the 1-Wire protocol in various fields to solve practical problems and the need for further improvement of systems using this protocol. Two simulation models of “Smart House” computer systems for determining indoor temperature based on the classic connection protocol and using the 1-Wire protocol are presented. The simulation model based on the standard protocol uses: an Arduino Uno board based on an Atmega328p microcontroller, LM35 temperature sensors and a 74HC4051D multiplexer. In the simulation model using the 1-Wire protocol, the following are used: Arduino Uno board and DS18B20 digital temperature sensors. Information is given on the operation of the 1-Wire protocol, which is widely used to connect a large number of sensors with such an interface, namely, there is a theoretical possibility of addressing an unlimited number of similar devices on a single-wire line. In the simulation model of the system with the used 1-Wire protocol, the number of sensors connected to one output is increased to 12 in order to analyze and demonstrate the capabilities of the system. According to the simulation results, the following parameters are presented: the number of possible connections, the complexity of the design, the use of compact software code, the frequency of the clock signal, and the cost of the Smart Home computer systems. The results of the analysis of the considered simulation models of computer systems are presented in the conclusions. Advantages and disadvantages of systems with 1-Wire protocol are given.

Development of Computer Network Security Management at North Tabukan 1 State Vocational School

The development of the internet at this time makes all companies, especially SMKN 1 Tabukan Utara, able to utilize internet technology in supporting computer-based information systems. For this place to run its business properly, it must be supported by an information system and supported by a good computer network infrastructure. Computer network infrastructure in the SMKN 1 Tabukan Utara still has several disadvantages such as the absence of website blocking, login authentication, and regular bandwidth distribution. To overcome these problems, it is necessary to design the network properly, as for the methods used in designing this network using the Network Development Life Cycle (NDLC). This method can develop existing competition through several stages of the process, namely analysis, design, prototype simulation, implementation, monitoring, and management. The results of this study are in the form of a home computer network SMKN 1 Tabukan Utara that implements Captive Portal, Virtual Lan, Firewall Filtering, L7 protocol, and Bandwidth Management.

A Vision and GPS Based System for Autonomous Precision Vertical Landing of UAV Quadcopter

This research aims to develop an algorithm for the precision vertical landing process on a quadcopter using GPS sensors and computer vision. This research consists of 2 main parts: GPS-based control used by the quadcopter to return to the home area and computer vision-based control in the form of ArUco marker detection, which is used by the quadcopter in order to land precisely. Detection of the ArUco marker that is used goes through 2 stages: the application of threshold and ratio and the process of calculating the black and white area, which can then be searched for four corners of the marker. The algorithm designed works well on the Webots simulation program with mid-computer specifications. The ArUco marker detection process is fast and reliable, so it does not overload the processor unit so that the simulation process can run well. From 30 tests with different initial positions, the average error of the landing position of the quadcopter at coordinate X is 0.02 meters, and coordinates Y is 0.03 meters. All test results show that the quadcopter can land inside the landing pad area without any parts coming out.

"You Just Assume It Is In There, I Guess": Understanding UK Families' Application and Knowledge of Smart Home Cyber Security

The Internet of Things (IoT) is increasingly present in many family homes, yet it is unclear precisely how well families understand the cyber security threats and risks of using such devices, and how possible it is for them to educate themselves on these topics. Using a survey of 553 parents and interviews with 25 families in the UK, we find that families do not consider home IoT devices to be significantly different in terms of threats than more traditional home computers, and believe the major risks to be largely mitigated through consumer protection regulation. As a result, parents focus on teaching being careful with devices to prolong device life use, exposing their families to additional security risks and modeling incorrect security behaviors to their children. This is a risk for the present and also one for the future, as children are not taught about the IoT, and appropriate cyber security management of such devices, at school. We go on to suggest that steps must be taken by manufacturers and governments or appropriate trusted institutions to improve the cyber security knowledge and behaviors of both adults and children in relation to the use of home IoT devices.

Framework for Classroom Student Grading with Open-Ended Questions: A Text-Mining Approach

The purpose of this paper is to present a framework based on text-mining techniques to support teachers in their tasks of grading texts, compositions, or essays, which form the answers to open-ended questions (OEQ). The approach assumes that OEQ must be used as a learning and evaluation instrument with increasing frequency. Given the time-consuming grading process for those questions, their large-scale use is only possible when computational tools can help the teacher. This work assumes that the grading decision is entirely a teacher’s task responsibility, not the result of an automatic grading process. In this context, the teacher is the author of questions to be included in the tests, administration and results assessment, the entire cycle for this process being noticeably short: a few days at most. An attempt is made to address this problem. The method is entirely exploratory, descriptive and data-driven, the only data assumed as inputs being the texts of essays and compositions created by the students when answering OEQ for a single test on a specific occasion. Typically, the process involves exceedingly small data volumes measured by the power of current home computers, but big data when compared with human capabilities. The general idea is to use software to extract useful features from texts, perform lengthy and complex statistical analyses and present the results to the teacher, who, it is believed, will combine this information with his or her knowledge and experience to make decisions on mark allocation. A generic path model is formulated to represent that specific context and the kind of decisions and tasks a teacher should perform, the estimated results being synthesised using graphic displays. The method is illustrated by analysing three corpora of 126 texts originating in three different real learning contexts, time periods, educational levels and disciplines.

Factors That Influence Information Security Behaviour of Home User

Pandemic Covid-19 situation has enforced most companies imposes their staff to work from home basis as mode of operational. Due to that the number of home computer users is increasing faster than ever. This scenario indirectly highlighted home users' information security as an important field to be investigated. This is not only a matter of securing home users' personal and work information, but also because internet users who access from home provide an ideal breeding ground for security hackers targeting organisations and individuals. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the factors that influence the information security behaviour of home user. As for this study, 201 respondents among employees in an ICT agency are being analyzed using quantitative approach through the online survey questionnaires. From the findings, it has been concluded that the perceived severity, perceived susceptibility, response efficacy, cues to action and perceived benefit has been identified as the factors that influenced the information security behaviour of home users. Perceived severity was found to be the factor that influenced how users react to implement or not the security safety measures while accessing information. Although respondents do not feel they are possible targets for security threats, they recognize that the result of a security breach would have a significant impact on them. It might be irrational to suppose that any security experience, knowledge or history background by individuals is the way they act at home. It is therefore hoped to see policy makers or authorised bodies design and implement security awareness campaigns and programs so that users are effectively informed about threats and the skills they can use to mitigate security threats and thereby improve the security climate of users. Where the majority of IS research based on behavioral IS within an organizational framework, "security of home users" demands greater attention from researchers in order to provide an improve analysis and proper practice on home user’s security behavior.

Arnold Verruijt (1940-2022).

Arnold Verruijt (1940-2022).

Headache Education Adaptation During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Impact on Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Education.

Purpose of ReviewOur goal was to describe the changes to headache and neurological education that occurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact this had on medical learners. We also discuss subsequent implications for the future of education in the field of headache medicine.Recent FindingsBoth educators and learners faced many challenges during the pandemic. These include the following: cancellation of in-person educational meetings, limited in-person networking and wellness events, disengagement from virtual didactic curricula, limitations in procedure-based learning, redeployment to inpatient settings with a decrease in outpatient exposures, and blurred boundaries between home and work life due to more virtual collaboration and home computer use. The development of telehealth programs and trainee wellness initiatives, improved collaboration opportunities among geographically distant institutions, and greater access to conferences for learners are among the many improvements forged by these challenging times in medical education.SummaryGiven the high prevalence of headache disorders and the paucity of headache specialists, training new clinicians with competency in headache medicine is essential. There were many educational challenges and opportunities identified in the literature that resulted from the pressures of the pandemic. Educators need to develop assessments that capture any gaps in learning that may have occurred during this tumultuous time and be vigilant of remediation needs in our learners over the coming years. It is imperative to intentionally design curricula for the future by harnessing new pedagogical tools, innovations, and perspectives gleaned from our experience with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Efficacy of a video-assisted teaching program on the effects of selfie-taking behaviour and its impact on health on nursing students at Hillside College of Nursing in Bangalore

Background: Smart phones are no longer only a communication device but serve as a substitute for the home computer and have internet related access as well as a camera that with its high resolution now substitutes the camera, we call it as “selfie camera”. Selfie have now become a major trend and smart phone manufacturers are ensuring that they provide good front cameras in phone and technology is adapting this social trend of self-portraits to rule the world.Methods: For this study, an evaluative technique was applied. The data is collected using a one-group pre-test and post-test design. The video assisted teaching programme regarding impact of selfie taking behavior and its impact on health was the study's independent variable, while the attitude of nursing students regarding selfie taking behavior and its impact on health was the dependent variable. The study was conducted from April 2022 to June 2022 among 60 subjects; the collected data was analyzed and interpreted using descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: The present study reveals that the overall behavioral scores of respondents were found to be 51.33% with standard deviation 4.59 in pre-test. The overall behavioral scores of respondents were found to be 40.1% with standard deviation 3.142 in post-test. The obtained "t" value 17.385 is greater than the table value at 0.01 level of significance. Therefore, "t" value is found to be significant. It means there is reduction in behavioral level of nursing student.Conclusions: Study demonstrated that the video teaching programme on selfies taking behavior and its impact on health is effective in decreasing the behavioral level of nursing students.

A crisis that changed the banking scenario in India: exploring the role of ethics in business

Digital business has marked an era of transformation, but also an unprecedented growth of cyber threats. While digital explosion witnessed by the banking sector since the COVID-19 pandemic has been significant, the level and frequency of cybercrimes have gone up as well. Cybercrime officials attribute it to remote working—people using home computers or laptops with vulnerable online security than office systems; malicious actors relentlessly developing their tactics to find new ways to break into enterprise networks and grasping defence evasion; persons unemployed during the pandemic getting into hacking; cloud and data corruption; digital fatigue causing negligence; etc. This study adopts a case-based approach to explore the importance of business ethics, information sharing and transparency to build an information-driven society by scouting the case of Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank, India. PMC defaulted on payments to its depositors and was placed under Reserve Bank of India’s directions due to financial irregularities and a massive fraud perpetrated by bank officials by orchestrating the bank’s IT systems. The crisis worsened when panic-stricken investors advanced their narrative through fake news peddled via social media channels, resulting in alarm that caused deaths of numerous depositors. It exposed several loopholes in information management in India’s deposit insurance system and steered the policy makers to restructure the same, thus driving the country consistent with its emerging market peers. The study further identifies best practices for aligning employees towards ethical behaviour in a virtual workplace and the pedagogical approaches for information management in the new normal.

Will artificial intelligence help us in predicting outcomes in cardiac surgery?

Will artificial intelligence help us in predicting outcomes in cardiac surgery?