Mobile Mode Research Articles

Differential Modes of Mobilization: Building a National Chinese LGBTQ Movement with the Family

Combining the differential mode of association theory with social movement studies of families, I develop the concept, differential modes of mobilization, to understand how the state and family influence LGBTQ rights. Using in-depth qualitative research on two Chinese LGBTQ organizations, my empirical analysis shows that Common Language and PFLAG–China (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays in China) anchor their visions of social change for LGBTQ people to differential mobilizing processes. Common Language connects key social sectors to LGBTQ issues, integrating LGBTQ rights into the state-recognized, family-centered “gender equality” framework. Strategizing around filial piety norms, PFLAG–China anchors its strategy in sequenced changes from the personal level to the entire society, accompanying LGBTQ people and their families as they work on self-acceptance and becoming agents of social change.

Optimization and Application Analysis of the UAV "Last Mile" Mobile Terminal Distribution Station in Rural Area under the Background of E-Commerce

With the booming demands of global consumers, the grand total of international e-commercial procurement in 2024 will be expected to exceed 6.3 trillion USD. Under the pressure of huge orders and shipping lag, figuring out a cost-effective last mile delivery achieving real door-to-door service, especially in rural areas, has become one of the focuses in the international e-commercial market. To better solve this problem, this paper starts with the analysis of international e-commercial status and the feasibility of UAV mobile terminal station launch, taking good account of drone delivery route setting, time schedule, and costs spent to optimize the mobile station moving. Based on a series of experiments to iterate the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) mobile terminal station delivery mode, it will provide some insights to the market about how the last mile delivery will develop in the next decade. This paper will focus on applying the hybrid ant colony algorithm to improve truck-drone collaborative last mile delivery route settings and figure out the best delivery route combo for cost saving.

Exploring resource-efficient urban mobility for sustainable low emission solutions: A case study of Ile-de-France, France

Urban areas and their associated mobility stocks exert substantial environmental impacts, necessitating urgent mitigation efforts. However, prevailing research predominantly concentrates on operational requirements for urban mobility. Few stock studies have quantified the embodied environmental requirements of mobility stocks. This study quantified both the embodied and operational environmental requirements and examined the stock-flow-service indicators to offer a new perspective on options for low emissions on urban mobility. Focusing on the mobility dynamics of the Ile-de-France region and its three sub-regional zones from 2010 to 2018, our findings reveal a pronounced imbalance in the utilization of materials within different mobility modes (car, public transport, motorized two-wheelers, cycling, and pedestrian) across Paris, Petite Couronne, and Grande Couronne.Local disparities in the stock of mobility modes and their capacity to facilitate movement are evident, particularly when considering various service metrics (person-trip, person-travel time, and person-kilometer). Furthermore, the different patterns of service-flow-stock indicators among mobility modes are investigated to find their impacts on regional carbon emissions changes from 2010 to 2018. Stock turnover rate and service demand were the main drivers of embodied emissions of public transportation and cycling, while operational carbon intensity showed a major impact on car operational emissions. This study enriches our comprehension of the intricate interplay between resource utilization and the provision of people's mobility, thereby promoting sustainable mobility in the Ile-de-France region.

Modelling the complementarity and flexibility between different shared modes available in smart electric mobility hubs (eHUBS)

eHUBS are physical locations that integrate two or more electric shared mobility modes. As they provide transport users easier access to a wide range of transport modes, multimodal behaviour is expected to be more common. However, this issue has not been addressed in previous stated preference studies on mode choices involving innovative transport modes. In this study, multimodal behaviour is explicitly addressed both in measurement and in modelling by adopting the multiple discrete–continuous (MDC) modelling framework in contrast to discrete choice models. Instead of asking transport users to indicate the most preferred alternative, they were allowed to choose more than one alternative by allocating trips between several modes. This study aims to answer two questions: 1) whether there is complementarity between the multiple shared modes offered in eHUBS and 2) how would transport users adapt when one of the shared modes that they plan to use becomes unavailable. Using stated mode choice data of non-commuting trips from transport users whose current mode is driving a private car in Manchester, UK, several models under the MDC framework were estimated including Multiple Discrete-Continuous Extreme Value (MDCEV) model, mixed MDCEV model, and the extended Multiple Discrete Continuous (eMDC) model. The results show that there is complementarity between shared electric vehicle (EV) and electric bike (e-bike) offered in the eHUBS. In addition, the research show that the flexibility between those two shared modes is stronger than assumed in the MDCEV model, and common preference heterogeneity cannot fully account for this phenomenon.

A copula-based approach for multi-modal demand dependence modeling: Temporal correlation between demand of subway and bike-sharing

As a representative mode of shared mobility, bike-sharing serves not only as a convenient way to conduct short-distance trips in urban areas, but also as a feeder mode to public transit, forming the Bike and Ride (BnR) system. Conducting management for such a hybrid multi-modal system faces various challenges, including the complex interactions between bike-sharing and other modes, highly dynamic passenger demand, and the difficulty of accessing direct transfer data. To overcome such difficulties, our study proposes a framework for assessing the dependency between the two usage modes. Firstly, a Dynamic-Time-Warping-based (DTW) method is utilized to determine the catchment area (CA) between the two modes, allowing the BnR-related tendency similarity under a given time scale to be considered. Then, the patterns of probabilistic dependence between travel demand of the two modes are obtained by a copula-based approach, which separates correlations under specific usage levels from single modal demands. A case study on the multi-modal system formed by docked bike-sharing and subway in New York is conducted to validate the proposed framework. The tendency similarity is found to be most pronounced within 500 m on average under a 4-hour interval. For each formed station group (SG), the best-fitted copula type is selected, capturing the strong tail correlations present only at specific usage levels. The results show a variety of different correlation patterns within SGs, despite the close geographic locations they may share. Areas of potential transfer resistance between the two modes are identified, which is more evident in first-mile-related (FMR) activities. In contrast, the two modes display more weak connections in last-mile-related (LMR) activities. The obtained results can be utilized by bike-sharing service providers to analyze demand distributions and conduct efficient station-level rebalancing. Compared to previous methods, our proposed framework is computationally inexpensive since no direct transfer of data or complex inference network is required. It incorporates statistically significant spatial–temporal information, allowing for a more accurate determination of the bi-modal assessment range. Moreover, considering that single-mode influences are mathematically removed, the resulting correlation in principle links to the strength of the connections between the two modes. Therefore, it can be assessed as an indicator of the reliability of the multi-modal system.

Flâneuserie of "In Treatment"’s Laila Green:

The Parisian flâneur is a figure whose indulgent urban loitering is shaped by straight white male privilege. In contrast, this essay introduces the concept of the Blackqueer flâneuse, highlighting the radical imagination’s role in maneuvering through heavily surveilled and controlled spaces. By weaving together intersecting theories of waywardness (Hartman) and willfulness (Ahmed), it examines Black flâneuserie —both as an imaginative and tangible mode of mobility— that ingeniously subverts or sidesteps the violence of capture. Focusing on Laila Green, from the series In Treatment (2021), the essay unveils her outlaw imagination, her yearning for liberation, and her everyday practices of wandering as alternative expressions of flâneuserie. Employing the concept of queer failure (Halberstam), the analysis frames Laila’s persistent attempts at escape alongside her history of facing setbacks as a practice of flâneuserie. With the help of critical geography (de Certeau, Tuan, Cosgrove, Cosgrove and Dora) and Jungian theory, it conceptualizes Laila’s passion for high places and mountains and ultimately the realization of her passion as evidence of her individuation. Akin to the paradoxes of white male flânerie, Black flâneuserie in Laila’s case unfolds as a paradoxical journey of self-discovery, complicated by her privilege and the entanglements of her wanderings within the logic of racial capitalism.

After the storm: Environmental tragedy and sustainable mobility

Due to mounting environmental challenges, communities are increasingly prioritising resilience and sustainability. Environmental disasters can be seen as windows of opportunity for collective action, influencing pro-environmental attitudes and engagement. While personal experiences of catastrophe can increase environmental awareness, they can also affect social capital, impacting relationships with peers and institutions. Within this context, a post-disaster community might be encouraged to put more efforts in the local urban sustainable transformation to reduce the impact of climate-change related event. To this end, individuals' daily micro-mobility choices may offer insight into community engagement with sustainability initiatives, given the link between modes of transportation and long-term urban pollution. Through a survey of Italian citizens, we explored how disaster experiences shaped attitudes towards sustainable modes of mobility, as well as changes in individual and social factors. The analysis employed a structural equation model based on an extended version of the theory of planned behaviour. The results revealed that disaster experiences tended to heighten awareness of climate change risk while also reducing social interaction, thereby affecting pro-environmental behaviour. Trust in local government was not permanently affected, highlighting the difficulty in identifying the direct impacts of environmental disaster experiences on pro-environmental actions. Sustainable consumption choices and pro-environmental attitudes may be influenced by social and psychological factors, including personal experiences, personal well-being and civic engagement.

Thermostable Nucleoid Protein Cren7 Slides Along DNA and Rapidly Dissociates From DNA While Not Inhibiting the Sliding of Other DNA-binding Protein

A nucleoid protein Cren7 compacts DNA, contributing to the living of Crenarchaeum in high temperature environment. In this study, we investigated the dynamic behavior of Cren7 on DNA and its functional relation using single-molecule fluorescence microscopy. We found two mobility modes of Cren7, sliding along DNA and pausing on it, and the rapid dissociation kinetics from DNA. The salt dependence analysis suggests a sliding with continuous contact to DNA, rather than hopping/jumping. The mutational analysis demonstrates that Cren7 slides along DNA while Trp (W26) residue interacts with the DNA. Furthermore, Cren7 does not impede the target search by a model transcription factor p53, implying no significant interference to other DNA-binding proteins on DNA. At high concentration of Cren7, the molecules form large clusters on DNA via bridging, which compacts DNA. We discuss how the dynamic behavior of Cren7 on DNA enables DNA-compaction and protein-bypass functions.

Optimization and Innovation of the Operation Model of Mobile Social E-commerce under AI Empowerment: Taking the Female Community Platform “Little Red Book” as an Example

This article takes the female community platform “Little Red Book” as an example to explore the optimization and innovation of mobile community e-commerce operation mode under Artificial Intelligence (AI) empowerment. Firstly, the relevant concepts were defined, and then the unique attributes of mobile community e-commerce were analyzed. As a typical representative of mobile community e-commerce, Little Red Book introduces the background and characteristics of its platform, analyzes its mobile community operation mode, and focuses on exploring how to establish a mobile community e-commerce platform and effective operation mode under the empowerment of AI technology, to provide some reference and inspiration for the development and operation of Little Red Book and other e-commerce platform enterprises.

Interfacial characteristics dependence on interruption times in InGaAs/InAlAs superlattice grown by molecular beam epitaxy

This study delves into the impact of interruption times on the interfacial characteristics of strain-balanced InGaAs/InAlAs superlattice structures. The structures were grown epitaxially using molecular beam epitaxy technique and subsequently analyzed through atomic probe tomography. Based on our findings, interruption times significantly influence the characteristics of layers and interfaces, as well as the composition of layers. Notably, interruption times significantly influence the interface length in the InAlAs layers, with changes of up to 10 % of its thickness. In contrast, the interface length in the InGaAs layers remains unaffected by variations in interruption time. These insights into the evolution of interface lengths, which are influenced by the growth modes of layers, adatom mobility, and interruption times, present a promising opportunity for enhancing epitaxial growth methods for quantum devices.

Development of an Active Transportation Framework Model for Sustainable Urban Development

Active transportation, with simple mobility modes such as walking and cycling, could be pivotal in addressing multiple sustainability challenges related to socio-economic, environmental, and public health issues. This paper investigates the facilitators for active transportation and assesses its impact on health, well-being, and urban sustainability. As a result, a multidimensional conceptual framework is developed to analyze the determinants influencing individuals’ propensity to engage in active transportation and thereby lead to a sustainable, high-quality way of life. Through an extensive review of the relevant literature, key elements for active transportation, accessibility, and social inclusion are identified, and their potential impact on urban health and sustainability is investigated. Findings suggest that interrelationships between factors such as enhanced infrastructure, safety measures, and improved urban accessibility would significantly encourage active transportation usage. The proposed framework argues for a positive association between active transportation and improved health outcomes, contributing to sustainable urban environments. Furthermore, it is advocated that changing attitudes and mindsets could be achieved by urban planning and policy reforms supporting active transportation, as well as by effectively communicating the multiple benefits for individuals, the economy, and society at large. Comprehensive policy strategies, which include improvements in urban design and increased public awareness of the benefits of active transportation, could establish a paradigm shift for promoting a higher quality of life through a healthy, active, and sustainable urban lifestyle.

Mobile Learning and Resource Sharing Mode of College English Translation Based on 5G Mobile Communication Technology

The application of 5G and other mobile communication technologies to education and teaching, and the construction of College English Translation mobile learning and resource sharing model and related models have important scientific value and significance for the effective organization and management of learning resources and the improvement of the speed and efficiency of college english translation resource retrieval. This research mainly combines the characteristics of complementarity and expansion of mobile learning technology for traditional online learning technology. Based on Moodle online teaching platform, this research develops a mobile learning and resource sharing mode for college english translation based on 5G mobile communication technology, designs and implements a mobile learning model based on Moodle platform, and designs the system architecture, functional modules, learning mode and learning process, Finally, the main functional modules of the system model are implemented and tested. To promote mobile learning in the teaching field to play a helping role in a wide range. The experimental results show that the AKAZE algorithm is used to optimize the model, and the overall accuracy rate reaches 74.7%, and the test probability value P (siq)=0.00, which is significantly less than the significant level of 0.05. Therefore, we believe that the application of mobile learning instructional design mode will help students improve their academic performance.

Understanding the determinants of bike-sharing demand in the context of a medium-sized car-oriented city: The case study of Milton Keynes, UK

Emerging modes of shared mobility like bike-sharing may significantly contribute to increasing the share of sustainable travel in medium- and small-sized cities. However, research exploring the bike-sharing usage determinants specifically for them has been severely underrepresented in the literature. To address this gap, we conducted an analysis of bike-sharing rentals for over a one-year period in Milton Keynes, a medium-sized city of 288,000 residents. Being the largest of the planned settlements built under the UK government “New Towns” programme, Milton Keynes despite having the infrastructure to offer opportunities for modal shift has been repeatedly characterised as a car-centric city. The paper examines temporal variation by comparing the average number of bike rentals in different seasons and months. Analysis of peak rentals and travel directions suggests that throughout the year bikes are mainly used to travel to work. By contrast, recreational travel appears to happen mostly during the summer months. Regression analysis shows that the number of public transport stops, offices and schools are associated with a higher number of bike rentals, supporting the view that utilitarian travel is the main usage pattern. Our research also highlights the bike-sharing's potential to be adopted as a first/last-mile option that will complement and support public transit.

Operationalising the 15-minute city with New Mobility services

The 15-minute city concept has gained significant traction in recent years but faces implementation challenges across diverse geographical, spatial, and political contexts. This 15-minute concept proposes that primary functions should be accessible within 15 minutes by walking, cycling, or public transport. However, it provides little guidance on the placement of these functions or the modalities of access. Additionally, it does not consider various new mobility modes and services, nor emerging technologies such as telecommuting and e-commerce. The main challenge is that the 15-minute city presents an alternative planning paradigm to the existing automobility paradigm, which has dominated global city planning over the past century. While cars can facilitate all types of trips, no other transport mode can claim the same versatility. To transition to a new mobility paradigm, we must consider unbundling these trips to allow for the rightsizing of vehicles according to trip purposes, better aligning with factors such as cost, environmental impact, and spatial constraints. This article will showcase how the New Mobility Assessment Framework has been applied to the new development of Hinna Park, outside of Stavanger, Norway. The project provides insights for the public transport authority, Kolumbus, on optimising the deployment of shared mobility services such as bikes, e-bikes, e-scooters, shared cars, and car-pooling. It also provided insights to allow key discussions between Kolumbus and the property developer to plan the new districts to support sustainable modes of transport. The framework aims to operationalise the mobility principles of the 15-minute city through public-private collaboration, assessing market potential, setting ambition levels for behaviour change, and developing pricing and investment strategies.

Dual Enclavity and Nomadicity. Life Trajectories of Kyrgyz Horse Racing Riders Working in Poland

In recent years (since 2019), a professional niche formed by Kyrgyz men has rapidly risen to dominate the horse racing ranking in Poland. This article explores their life trajectories and proposes a theoretical framework describing their mode of mobility. It is based on interviews with Kyrgyz riders, complemented by interviews with horse racing trainers. The study reveals details of their life trajectories and identifies some common features and sequences in their experiences. These are: the usage of unique cultural capital acquired in childhood and physical capital to transition from traditional horse racing to English-style racing, the gradual shift from transregional occupational networks to transnational ones in which Poland serves as a waiting zone, and unspecified (but related to the global horse racing industry) plans for the future. This case study is analysed from the perspective of translocality and transnational migration. I argue that the socio-economic circumstances in the migrants’ country of origin and the vocational pathway they undertook as teenagers within the horse racing, result in the permanent temporality of their mobility between enclaves of horse racing centres. The article proposes the concept of dual enclavity and nomadicity to capture the particular nature of this form of mobility.

Invisible fish: The selective (dis)connection of elite Chinese gated community residents from urban public space

Gated communities remain identified with strong forms of socio-physical segregation, yet there has been relatively light engagement with the question of how their residents engage with the city more broadly. This relationship, of protected privacy to open public space, is important because segregation is found in modes of mobility as well as in fixed residential spaces. This article contributes to the understanding of mobile forms of segregation by examining the use of public space, and sites of work, leisure and city services, by the (upper) middle-class residents of two high-end gated communities in Zhanjiang, a middle-tier Chinese city. In these relatively new elite residential spaces, newly status-conscious inhabitants reveal how their use of private modes of travel, avoidance of public transportation systems and efforts at seamless traversal of urban spaces connect to ideas of social achievement. Through extensive qualitative fieldwork in these two sites, we are granted a privileged insight into the ways in which China’s nascent middle classes utilise shielded addresses from which to access what they see as status-conferring lifestyle and taste destinations through private modes of mobility.

Optimization of machine schedules and vehicle routes in the mobile additive manufacturing mode

Online shopping giant Amazon proposes to use 3D printers mounted on vehicles to print customer purchases on the fly and deliver them immediately. Because of the overlap between production and transportation processes, such a mobile manufacturing mode offers potential savings in lead times and inventory costs. However, the decisions associated with the two processes are intertwined, making it challenging to achieve satisfactory machine schedules and vehicle routes. To address the situation and fully understand the benefits of the mode, we study a related optimisation problem of finding routes for vehicles and production schedules for 3D printers mounted on them with minimum travel costs. First, we construct a mixed-integer programming model to formulate the problem. Then, we develop an exact algorithm to solve it. Specifically, we propose two propositions about the optimal production schedule of machines in the route and develop a labelling algorithm for the pricing problem. And we devise a problem-specific heuristic labelling algorithm to speed up column generation. We use two sizes of instances with five problem parameter settings (including 290 instances) to validate the effectiveness of the algorithm. In addition, we provide some managerial insights for decision-makers by comparing the novel mode with the traditional manufacturing mode.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on characteristic of bike-sharing systems near metro and bus stations

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on various modes of mobility as it spread rapidly worldwide, leading to changes in the landscape of transportation. This research focuses on comparing the usage of bike-sharing and the shifts in cycling behaviour before (2019) and after (2020) the pandemic outbreak in Daejeon, South Korea. Additionally, it examines the role of bike-sharing as a supplementary mode of transport for public transportation systems such as buses and metros during these periods. Our analysis revealed that bike-sharing has become a more prominent mode of transport after the pandemic. We developed a model to calculate the demand ratio of bike-sharing within the catchment areas of bus and metro stations to assess its impact as a supplementary mode. The results indicate an increase in the usage of some dockless bike stations in the catchment areas of buses and metros by 0.22% and 7.29%, respectively. We also conducted a correlation analysis using Point of Interest (POI) data to understand the factors influencing bike-sharing usage. The findings suggest that travel behaviours have shifted towards commercial and recreational destinations. Given its cost-effectiveness and flexibility, bike-sharing could be a sustainable option for urban mobility. Therefore, city planners in Daejeon can use the results of this study to promote bike-sharing and cycling as viable transportation alternatives.

Multiple shared mobility services under competition: Empirical evidence for public acceptance and policy insights to sustainable transport

Traffic congestion and roadside emissions are severe and common problems in metropolitans. As a promising and sustainable solution to mitigating these vehicle externalities, shared mobility reduces the required vehicle fleet size for serving a given level of demand by sharing a vehicle among travelers with similar schedules and itineraries. Public acceptance is the key to the success of shared mobility development. This study investigates the acceptance of drivers and passengers of two typical competing shared mobility modes, car-pooling and taxi ride sharing, taking Hong Kong as a case study. For an empirical evaluation, an on-street stated preference survey was conducted, and 829 respondents, including 257 private car owners and 572 non-private car owners were interviewed about their travel preferences in three given hypothetical scenarios. In total, 2,487 observations were collected for calibrating two proposed logit-based discrete choice models for drivers and passengers. The model results show that the out-of-pocket cost, in-vehicle travel time, and out-of-vehicle time are key factors influencing travelers’ decisions toward car-pooling and taxi ride-sharing. An equilibrium model was proposed and an iteration solution procedure was applied to obtain a convergent solution to balance the demand and supply of drivers and passengers for car-pooling services. Furthermore, sensitivity analyses were carried out to examine the effects of variations in proportions of travel cost and taxi fare shared by passengers for car-pooling and taxi ride-sharing, and to assist in the formulation of relevant transport policies.

Cycling into the workshop: e-bike and m-bike mobility patterns for predictive maintenance in Barcelona’s bike-sharing system

Bike-sharing systems have emerged as a significant element of urban mobility, providing an environmentally friendly transportation alternative. With the increasing integration of electric bikes alongside mechanical bikes, it is crucial to illuminate distinct usage patterns and their impact on maintenance. Accordingly, this research aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of mobility dynamics, distinguishing between different mobility modes, and introducing a novel predictive maintenance system tailored for bikes. By utilising a combination of trip information and maintenance data from Barcelona’s bike-sharing system, Bicing, this study conducts an extensive analysis of mobility patterns and their relationship to failures of bike components. To accurately predict maintenance needs for essential bike parts, this research delves into various mobility metrics and applies statistical and machine learning survival models, including deep learning models. Due to their complexity, and with the objective of bolstering confidence in the system’s predictions, interpretability techniques explain the main predictors of maintenance needs. The analysis reveals marked differences in the usage patterns of mechanical bikes and electric bikes, with a growing user preference for the latter despite their extra costs. These differences in mobility were found to have a considerable impact on the maintenance needs within the bike-sharing system. Moreover, the predictive maintenance models proved effective in forecasting these maintenance needs, capable of operating across an entire bike fleet. Despite challenges such as approximated bike usage metrics and data imbalances, the study successfully showcases the feasibility of an accurate predictive maintenance system capable of improving operational costs, bike availability, and security.