Mobility Issues Research Articles

Assessment of Pedestrian Mobility on Road Networks in the City of Kigali

Purpose: The aim of this study is to analyze and assess the pedestrians’ mobility issues that are affecting their free movement and safety in the City of Kigali by outlining the major challenges in the City and providing alternative solutions and measures for improving the mobility and safety of Pedestrians.
 Methodology: This study was designed based on qualitative method with application of structured and unobtrusive. Referring to the paper findings about the mobility challenges of pedestrians within the City of Kigali, it is noted that the mobility of the pedestrians and their safety is still low and typical problems including road crossing viewed as the second challenges about pedestrians mobility, walking along the road networks due to lack of footpaths, lacking of enough road signs, lacking of information about pedestrian behavior on road networks, and improper functioning of existing traffic signals as the first challenge.
 Findings: The study found that the majority of road networks in the City of Kigali did not provide walkways, traffics signals designs and availability is very poor and some of them not functioning, zebra crossing facilities were not provided adequately, pedestrians shelter on bus stop are almost absent and ignored, vehicles travelling speed is still high and does not allow pedestrians to move freely and the mobility of disables people has been forgotten and there is a need of introducing the pedestrian overpass bridges in clouded zones of Nyabugogo, Kicukiro Sonatube and Remera Giporoso areas of the City of Kigali.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: maintaining pedestrian’s safety by using the traffic lights to warn the drivers to be aware of the pedestrians’ safety and to think of how the implementation of the pedestrian overpass can be introduced in the City where more a great number of pedestrians crossing the road reduced to be killed in the accident.

A Scoping Review of the Factor Associated with Older Adults' Mobility Barriers.

The phenomenon of ageing may contribute to the rise of the dependent population. Due to the obstacles and difficulties they confront, the elderly's mobility decreases significantly. The aim of this article is to identify factors associated with mobility barriers in older adults. The method employed is an examination of articles published between 2011 and 2022 to identify common themes in previous studies. Four search engines were being used, and 32 articles have been included. This study demonstrated that health is a major factor associated with decreased mobility. This review identified four types of barriers which are health, built environment, socio-economic background and social relation change. This review could help policy makers and gerontologist in identifying solutions to resolve the mobility issues in older people.

Association Between Contrast Sensitivity and Physical Function in Cognitively Healthy Older Adults: The Brain Networks and Mobility Function Study.

To evaluate whether contrast sensitivity is associated with lower extremity physical function in cognitively intact older adults. Cross-sectional analysis of the relationship of binocular and worse eye log contrast sensitivity (LCS) to expanded Short Physical Performance Battery (eSPPB) and its components (gait speed, narrow walking speed, chair stand pace, and balance) in 192 cognitively healthy older adults. The association of LCS with postural sway and gait was also tested with tasks that further challenged functional reserve. Mean age was 76.4 years with 56% identifying as female and over 98.5% having good corrected visual acuity. Lower LCS was significantly associated with worse performance on the eSPPB, 4-M gait speed, narrow walking speed, and balance time in unadjusted and adjusted models. The relationship between worse eye LCS and larger postural sway was 3 times greater on a foam surface (beta 1.07, 95% CI [0.35, 1.80]) than a firm surface (beta 0.35, 95% CI [0.05, 0.65]), and both were robust to adjustment for confounders; similar findings were observed with binocular LCS. Lower binocular LCS had a greater decremental effect on gait velocity during the fast pace (beta -0.58, 95% CI [-0.90, -0.27]) than the usual pace (Beta -0.39 [-0.63, -0.15]) gait task. These findings suggest that cognitively unimpaired older adults without significant visual acuity impairment can have subtle preclinical deficits in contrast sensitivity and physical function that could place them at risk of mobility and balance issues. Future studies should determine whether this subset of older adults may benefit from targeted intervention to prevent disability.

Radio espacio estacion broadcast Fordlândia

On September 16th and 17th, 2017, the nomadic online radio station radioee broadcast from Fordlândia, today a district of the city of Aveiro, state of Pará, in the Brazilian Amazonia. Produced by artist Augustina Woodgate along with cultural producers Stephanie Sherman and Hernan Woodgate and several other partners in every new location, Radio Espacio Estacion/radioee was conceived as a multilingual, mobile, online radio station set up around 24-hour/36-hour long events broadcast from different parts of the world to discuss issues of migration, mobility, transportation, environment, and climate change. In Transmissão Fordlândia, radioee revisited the legendary history of the site’s foundation by the Ford Motor Company in 1927. The broadcast questions the official narrative of desertion after Ford’s enterprise failed, which implies ideas of underdevelopment associated with a colonial modern economy of representation of Latin America. Adopting live and online radio communication, based on immediacy, synchronicity, and accessibility, Transmissão Fordlândia combined research, interviews, and first-hand descriptions of the site in a continual multilingual conversation, producing a non-linear narrative enriched with a bustling soundscape of people, birds, water, motorcycles, boats, and everyday activities, transmitted to a global audience. This paper investigates how Transmissão Fordlândia articulates an ecocritical approach to space through site-oriented practices and sonic-spatial imagination, challenging colonial modern representations of tropical landscapes based on spatial rationalization and the duality of culture–nature. This paper also explores the sonic-spatial effects of live radio transmission as an aesthetic device for imagining place.

Design of an Autonomous, Sustainable Sharing Mobility Solution Aimed to Mobility-Disabled Individuals

Recent analysis has shown deteriorating traffic conditions in urban areas, caused by an increase in the motorization rate, which has risen to 66.6 vehicles per 100 inhabitants. As a result of the pandemic, individuality has grown, hence private vehicles are becoming more prevalent whilst public transport and sharing are negatively affected. Therefore, European policies have encouraged and innovated more sustainable mobility. Thus, the developed project aims to achieve more efficient mobility and more sustainable environments, towards social and economic well-being. The proposed means of transport aims to appeal to an audience with a reduced ability to drive a car as intended. The IDeS methodology was applied to develop a self-driving, urban micro mobility vehicle, aimed to give enough room and equipment for people with moving disabilities. The innovation of the IDeS method is state-of-the-art and ought to satisfy current product needs, which leads to an innovative micromobility vehicle and portrays a design for a car that will help to close the gaps in urban mobility. These design processes, which are distinguished by the fusion of several industrial techniques, enabled the development of a plan that addresses current mobility issues for disabled people and opens to new mobility prospects.

Distributed Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces for Energy-Efficient Indoor Terahertz Wireless Communications

With the fifth-generation (5G) networks widely commercialized and fast deployed, the sixth-generation (6G) wireless communication is envisioned to provide competitive quality of service (QoS) in multiple aspects to global users. The critical and underlying research of the 6G is, firstly, highly dependent on the precise modeling and characterization of the wireless propagation when the spectrum is believed to expand to the terahertz (THz) domain. Moreover, future networks' power consumption and energy efficiency are critical factors to consider. In this research, based on a review of the fundamental mechanisms of reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) assisted wireless communications, we utilize the 3D ray-tracing method to analyze a realistic indoor THz propagation environment with the existence of human blockers. Furthermore, we propose a distributed RISs framework (DRF) to assist the indoor THz wireless communication to achieve overall energy efficiency. The numerical analysis of simulation results based on more than 2,900 indoor THz wireless communication sub-scenarios has demonstrated the significant efficacy of applying distributed RISs to overcome the mobile human blockage issue, improve the THz signal coverage, increase signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs), and QoS. With practical hardware design constraints investigated, we eventually envision how to utilize the existing integrated sensing and communication techniques to deploy and operate such a system in reality. Such a distributed RISs framework can also lay the foundation of efficient THz communications for Internet-of-Things (IoT) networks.

Preventive check-up programme for strengthening people-centred primary health care services in Albania: Case study and lessons learnt

Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Albania are increasing, yet the country has a low number of outpatient visits per inhabitant per year. A primary health care (PHC) based programme of medical check-ups, with a focus on prevention, was set up in the country in 2015 aiming to address this issue, among others. This manuscript describes the development and status of the programme at key time points after its implementation, and considers some of its outcomes.The current analysis was based on data gathered from the check-up programme information system and the registry of diseases at PHC centres, and guided by the European Framework for Action on Integrated Health Services Delivery.Based on PHC registered cases, a 13% and 34% increase in the prevalence of elevated blood pres-sure and diabetes were observed in 2015 respectively, following the introduction of the check-up programme compared to the previous year. Three years after implementation, about 60% of the population aged 35–70 years old had used the programme at least once, with 61% of the total 954 667 visits provided to women.Overall, the check-up programme in Albania has identified a substantial number of new cases of NCD as well as their associated risk factors in its population. The early detection of NCDs is expected to contribute to the prevention of complications, premature mortality and their associated costs. Albanian politicians and decision-makers should regularly revise and introduce appropriate changes to the check-up programme in the future. In particular, the issue of sustainability and long-term resource mobilization is of particular concern and warrants careful consideration. Conflict of interests: None declared.

Using telemedicine interventions during COVID-19 to expand care post COVID-19.

Despite available technology and supportive evidence in the literature, the integration of telemedicine interventions in the US health care system has remained sluggish for decades. The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed widespread utilization of virtual visits and remote monitoring in urgent, primary, and specialist care settings out of sheer necessity. Specifically, in the rheumatology subspecialty, a lack of available providers and a patient community hindered by mobility and access issues have underscored the value of telemedicine. For these reasons, a solutions-focused, multistakeholder virtual roundtable meeting convened by the Frances Hamburger Institute for Community Rheumatology (FHI) identified telemedicine as a critical area for intervention to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of patient-centered care. Building upon stakeholder experience and published findings, the Patient-Centered Rheumatology Collaborative identified the continued deregulation of policy barriers and the facilitation of sustainable coverage and reimbursement as critical steps toward establishing a robust infrastructure for telemedicine post pandemic. FHI roundtable attendees acknowledged several remaining telemedicine access barriers concerning traditionally underserved patient populations that will need to be addressed to realize the full potential of telemedicine. These recommendations are in concordance with those of other recent consensus groups, and they legitimize the formation of collaborative frameworks among payers, providers, and other key stakeholders to advance care in rheumatology.

Identification of older adults' needs as future users of autonomous shuttles: A serious game co-creation approach for inclusiveness

Automated vehicles are potential disrupters of the mobility system and are expected to address inclusive mobility issues. Yet, the transition to their full implementation in cities is expected to face numerous challenges. While companies and governments interested in their future implementation have conducted pilots to understand better their implementation in cities, there is still a limited understanding of potential users' needs. This understanding becomes even more limited when considering vulnerable groups. To address this gap, we have developed a novel Serious Game named "A shuttle for everyone". We use it as a co-creation method to engage potential users, in this case, older adults in the Noordrand-Brussels region, Belgium. This study case contributes to the co-creation and transport literature as there is scarce research focused on developing new inclusive mobility public services. Three game sessions with older adults took place. The key identified needs are related to comfort, safety, ease of use, and accessibility. Our results confirm and complete previous automated vehicle studies. We can confirm that our Serious Game as a co-creation method has facilitated anticipatory needs identification. Understanding users' needs contribute to improving design and can help to create policy recommendations that aim for an inclusive implementation of automated vehicle mobility services.

A systematic study on the challenges, characteristics and security issues in vehicular networks

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to extensively explore the vehicular network paradigm, challenges faced by them and provide a reasonable solution for securing these vulnerable networks. Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication has brought the long-anticipated goal of safe, convenient and sustainable transportation closer to reality. The connected vehicle (CV) paradigm is critical to the intelligent transportation systems vision. It imagines a society free of a troublesome transportation system burdened by gridlock, fatal accidents and a polluted environment. The authors cannot overstate the importance of CVs in solving long-standing mobility issues and making travel safer and more convenient. It is high time to explore vehicular networks in detail to suggest solutions to the challenges encountered by these highly dynamic networks.Design/methodology/approachThis paper compiles research on various V2X topics, from a comprehensive overview of V2X networks to their unique characteristics and challenges. In doing so, the authors identify multiple issues encountered by V2X communication networks due to their open communication nature and high mobility, especially from a security perspective. Thus, this paper proposes a trust-based model to secure vehicular networks. The proposed approach uses the communicating nodes’ behavior to establish trustworthy relationships. The proposed model only allows trusted nodes to communicate among themselves while isolating malicious nodes to achieve secure communication.FindingsDespite the benefits offered by V2X networks, they have associated challenges. As the number of CVs on the roads increase, so does the attack surface. Connected cars provide numerous safety-critical applications that, if compromised, can result in fatal consequences. While cryptographic mechanisms effectively prevent external attacks, various studies propose trust-based models to complement cryptographic solutions for dealing with internal attacks. While numerous trust-based models have been proposed, there is room for improvement in malicious node detection and complexity. Optimizing the number of nodes considered in trust calculation can reduce the complexity of state-of-the-art solutions. The theoretical analysis of the proposed model exhibits an improvement in trust calculation, better malicious node detection and fewer computations.Originality/valueThe proposed model is the first to add another dimension to trust calculation by incorporating opinions about recommender nodes. The added dimension improves the trust calculation resulting in better performance in thwarting attacks and enhancing security while also reducing the trust calculation complexity.

Highly efficient electrochemical oxidation of hexafluoropropylene oxide homologues at a boron-doped diamond anode

As substitutes for perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), hexafluoropropylene oxide (HFPO) homologues are still environmentally problematic for their issues in toxicity, bioaccumulation, and long-distance mobility, which urges efficient removal technologies and in-depth mechanistic studies. Herein, we present the systematic optimizations on the electrochemical oxidation of 100 mg L−1 HFPO dimer acid (HFPO-DA) at a boron-doped diamond anode (3.6 V, 100 mM Na2SO4, pH 7.0), which exhibits a powerful mineralization capacity over 97% within 210 min of operation and is highly tolerant to various environmental factors. Under the optimized conditions, the structure-reactivity relationship has been analyzed by comparing six kinds of PFASs, proving that the increasing numbers of ether bonds in the HFPO homologues favor their removal and defluorination processes. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further indicate that the facile, water-assisted cleavage of the ether bonds in the HFPO homologues can significantly reduce the energy barriers and shorten the "-CF2" unzipping degradation cycles, which is different from the conventionally proposed mechanism for degrading PFASs. Our findings demonstrate the promising application of electrochemical oxidation in the efficient removal of PFAS substitutes and offer new mechanistic insights for designing environment-friendly F-based chemicals.

Water Level Monitoring System Simulation Using Flutter Framework in Pekalongan City

Pekalongan City is a region on the northern coast of Java with a sloping topography and is susceptible to the increasing sea level, which can result in tidal floods. As previous research revealed, ten villages in three districts, including coastal areas, are vulnerable to tidal floods. Moreover, the vulnerability analysis based on BNPB Head Regulation (Perka) No. 2 of 2012 unveiled that seven out of ten villages in three districts have a high risk of tidal floods. Pekalongan City experienced a tidal flood that swamped 16 villages in three districts at the beginning of 2021. It was the result of heavy rains and strong tides along the northern shore. The tidal flood caused damage to a variety of sectors, including agriculture, communities, infrastructure, and clean water sanitation. Information technology development was employed in disaster management, making it simpler to acquire data for predicting future disasters, obtaining data in disaster-affected areas, and implementing mitigation in disaster-prone areas. This study collected data through interviews and a literature review. This research created Android applications simulating a water level monitoring system using the flutter framework. Firebase was utilized as a database for authentication, while Google Maps Platform was deployed to display maps during the application simulation. It is anticipated that the simulation of the water level monitoring system will be the first step in building the water level monitoring system in Pekalongan City. Hence, residents of Pekalongan City can utilize it to assist with mobility issues during floods.

Mobility issues and multidimensional inequalities: exploring the limits of the National Strategy for Immigration and Asylum during the COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco

<abstract> <p>In December 2019, the severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 was discovered in China. The virus spread rapidly and, by March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 to be a global pandemic. Scientists expected the African continent to be among the worst affected by the sanitary emergency in terms of prevalence, incidence and mortality. This prediction was refuted by evidence, considering that Africa reported the least number of cases and deaths compared to Europe, Asia and America. The first case in Africa was registered in Egypt on February 14, 2020. By the end of 2021, the continent recorded a cumulative of 7,110,817 cases and 155,505 deaths. Nonetheless, estimates are likely to be distorted due to the lack of available data about the impact of COVID-19 and the limited documentary capacity of most African countries. There are several theories to explain why, contrary to the expected trend, Africa had the fewest COVID-19 incidences compared to other continents. Africa is characterized by a young population, which is notoriously less susceptible to COVID-19, with an average age of 19.7 years. In addition, most of the Africans (59%) live in rural areas, with few opportunities to travel or get in contact with outsiders. Moreover, governments enforced outstanding measures to contain the spread of the virus and safeguard the national economy, such as strengthening their documentary capacity and enforcing effective social safety nets. However, most of these policies have aggravated entrenched patterns of discrimination, making certain populations uniquely vulnerable. Indeed, mobility restrictions and border closures severely affected people with mobile livelihoods. In Morocco, the emergency measures compromised the resilience capacity of sub-Saharan migrants, particularly women and girls. To study the phenomenon of African migration to Morocco, we conducted fieldwork research from October to December 2021, interrupted by the closure of the kingdom's borders, and continued remotely thanks to key informants.</p> </abstract>

Neurocybernetic Assistive Technologies to Enhance Robotic Wheelchair Navigation

Millions of individuals worldwide face mobility impairments and rely on wheelchairs for assistance. Yet a significant portion of individuals with severe motor disabilities or insufficient familiarity with conventional interfaces cannot consider powered wheelchairs as a viable solution. Neurocybernetics present a promising solution to this challenge. Neurocybernetics involves exploring how the nervous system interacts with systems, like computers and robots. Through the use of interfaces users can control wheelchairs using neural signals from their brains making navigation more intuitive and effective. Assistive technologies, especially robotic wheelchairs powered by sensors and control systems, are essential for those disabled people, with mobility issues, to live more independently and better lives in their daily life even without the assistance of others. The primary objective of this study is to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities who depend on such assistance for their mobility requirements. This article examines some of the cutting-edge neurocybernetic devices that assist people with disabilities, such as brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), algorithms to understand brain signals, and adaptive control methods for wheelchairs. This study proposes a robotic wheelchair which utilizes the human brain signal and undergoes machine learning based classification model with neuromorphic adaptive control. It discusses the key considerations, difficulties, and potential uses of neurocybernetic robotic wheelchairs in real life situations. Additionally, it addresses the ethical, legal, and societal implications of using these technologies and suggests future research areas to advance their creation and use.

SYSTEMIC REVIEW ON VOICE ACTUATED SMART HOPITAL BED

During the 20th century, medical beds underwent technological advancements, especially making them smarter in patient care. The past fifteen years have brought various changes in the concept of smart bed technology, but no definitive evidence of the project's existence has been presented. These and previous systems typically use at least one push button or pressure-sensitive type switch to implement various control and articulation capabilities. Smart beds are designed to assist patients with mobility issue as it will allow them to control bed movement by themself and help them return to normal movement more quickly, with the presence of a monitoring system that alerts nursing staff when patients move and leave the bed with side rails. This type of high-end bed contributes greatly to the recovery of the patient's physical condition, health and activity because it is the main factor in achieving this goal, according to studies that have confirmed that the patient's movement during hospital stay as contributed to his quick recovery and early discharge from the hospital.

Urban Development of Bayn Al-Haramayn Zone Based on 25-Year Estimation of Al-Arbaeen Crowd Density

Karbala city is known to host one of the largest annual human gatherings in the world, where a diverse group of visitors congregates in the Karbala old city to participate in the Al-Arbaeen rites. This significant event peaked on Safar 19th, resulting in mobility issues, particularly in the Bayn Al-Haramayn zone. To address this concern, this study proposes a plan that estimates the number of visitors over the next 25 years and presents a solution for the vertical expansion of the zone while maintaining its urban fabric. The proposal includes estimating the areas required to accommodate the visitors based on an average crowd density of 3.5 individuals per square meter. The authors predict that the number of pilgrims will continue to increase over the next 25 years, and by 2046, an area of 148 square kilometers will be necessary to accommodate them. Expanding the Bayn Al-Haramayn zone is crucial as it is a vital destination for many visitors, and its spiritual significance adds value to the experience of performing the Ziyarat-Alarbaeen rituals. The proposed solution focuses on vertical expansion, providing a total area of 10, 116 m2 and can accommodate up to 35, 500 capita. Moreover, the proposed solution also integrates mobility paths that align with the urban scene of the area.

The Frail Elderly Patient and the Need for a Video Store on Regional Anaesthesia Blocks

The Frail Elderly Patient and the Need for a Video Store on Regional Anaesthesia Blocks

Pelvic osteotomy techniques in the management of canine hip dysplasia – evolution of the treatment paradigm

Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) is considered to be one of the most common orthopaedic diseases and it consists of coxofemoral joint incongruence leading to femoral head subluxation and osteoarthritic changes. The affected dogs tend to present progressive pain and mobility issues. The widely used CHD managing strategies, among others, include pelvic osteotomy techniques. In recent years, great efforts have been made to improve the surgical procedure and reduce the rate of complications, which seems to be a possibility due to the introduction of constructional changes in modern TPO/DPO plates.

A comprehensive review of visible light communication (VLC)

Visible Light Communication (VLC) represents a revolutionary approach in the realm of wireless communication, capitalizing on the dual functionality of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) for both illumination and high-speed data transmission. The advent of LEDs has not only transformed lighting systems but has also paved the way for innovative communication technologies. The seamless integration of illumination and data transmission in VLC offers a unique solution to the growing demand for efficient and high-speed wireless communication. In recent years, the field of visible light communication has witnessed remarkable progress, fueled by the exploration and refinement of its constituent elements. Researchers have been actively addressing challenges associated with VLC, such as signal interference, mobility issues, and the need for standardized protocols. This ongoing pursuit of solutions has led to the development of increasingly robust VLC systems, positioning them as promising contenders for future communication technologies. This paper endeavors to provide a comprehensive overview of VLC, delving into the intricacies of its underlying challenges and the innovative solutions that researchers have proposed to overcome them. By examining recent research trends, the paper aims to highlight the evolving landscape of VLC technology, showcasing its potential for revolutionizing optical wireless communication. As VLC continues to mature, it is essential to explore the current state of the technology, anticipate future advancements, and contribute to the collective knowledge shaping the trajectory of visible light communication.

Trajectories of psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic among community-dwelling older adults in Quebec: A longitudinal study.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated public health measures may increase the risk for psychological distress among vulnerable older adults. This longitudinal study aimed to identify predictors of psychological distress trajectories among community-dwelling older adults in Quebec, Canada. The study spanned four time points across 13months and three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample included 645 community-dwelling older adults ages 60years and older in Quebec. Participants completed telephone-based interviews that included the Kessler 6-item Psychological Distress Scale (K6) to assess psychological distress at each time point as well as information on socioeconomic, medical, psychological and COVID-19 related factors. Group-based trajectory modelling was used to identify distinct trajectories of psychological distress across time. Three group-based trajectories of psychological distress were identified: the resilient (50.5%), reactive (34.9%), and elevated distress groups (14.6%). Individuals with mobility issues, insomnia symptoms, COVID-19 related acute stress, general health anxiety, increased loneliness symptoms, and those unable to use technology to see others were more likely to be in the reactive and elevated groups than the resilient group. Those with past mental health problems had uniquely increased odds of being in the reactive group compared to the resilient group. Individuals living in poverty and those who reported taking psychotropic medication had increased odds of being in the elevated distress group compared to the resilient group. These findings characterized distinct trajectories of psychological distress in older adults and identified risk factors for elevated distress levels.