Personal Mobility Devices Research Articles

Анализ состояния дорожно-транспортного травматизма, связанный со средствами индивидуальной мобильности в Хабаровском крае

This scientific article analyzes the situation related to road accidents occurring with personal vehicles in the Khabarovsk Territory. The analysis found that the main factors influencing the level of road accidents are speeding, violation of traffic rules and improper behavior of drivers. Most accidents occur with the participation of motorcycles, scooters and bicycles, which indicates insufficient road culture of the owners of such vehicles Purpose: to analyze the state of road traffic injuries associated with personal mobility devices in the Khabarovsk Territory. Methods: statistical analysis of data on road accidents in the Khabarovsk Territory for 2022. Results: dased on the results obtained, specific measures were proposed aimed at reducing the number of road accidents in the Khabarovsk Territory. One of the main directions of work is conducting educational work among the population about the need to comply with traffic rules and responsible behavior on the roads. Also important is the improvement of road infrastructure and the creation of safe conditions for the movement of pedestrians and cyclists. Practical importance: in general, the results of this study can be recommended to government agencies and road safety specialists when developing programs to reduce road accidents in the Khabarovsk Territory.

자전거 교통안전표지 시인성 개선을 위한 연구

In South Korea, personal mobility devices such as bicycles have recently gained attention due to air pollution concerns and eco-friendly policies.. However, as of 2023, bicycle paths in Seoul only account for 15% of all roads, and more than 10% of bicycle accidents in 2022 occurred while cyclists were walking or crossing the sidewalk. Since bicycles are legally prohibited from riding on sidewalks, there is an increasing need to improve bicycle traffic safety signs to ensure safe riding. This study assessed the condition of various bicycle traffic safety signs on road and surveyed bicycle users to evaluation their visibility when riding. The evaluation criteria included visibility, information usefulness, and color contrast. The findings showed that the effectiveness of signs is influenced by the use of colors and reflective materials that stand out from the surrounding environment. Based on these results, new design direactions were proposed to enhance bicycle safety. The outcomes of this study are expected to serve as foundational direaction of improvements for reducing bicycle-related accidents and promoting the use of bicycles.

Big Data Analysis of Facial Fracture Epidemiology in South Korea From 2015 to 2020: Impacts of Aging and Personal Mobility.

The epidemiology of facial fractures is continuously evolving due to various influencing factors, including social, economic, and technological advancements. Thus, an updated analysis of facial bone fractures is necessary. This study aimed to provide an updated epidemiological analysis of facial bone fractures and assess severity using multiple factors. We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent facial bone fracture surgery at 3 teaching hospitals in South Korea between January 2015 and December 2020. Data collected included patient demographics (sex and age), trauma mechanism, alcohol intoxication status, and fracture types. Trauma mechanisms were categorized into 7 groups: assault, fall, sports, occupational injury, motor vehicle crash, bicycle, and personal mobility. Severity was assessed using the modified facial injury severity scale. A total of 5953 patients (4437 males and 1516 females) were included, with ages ranging from 1 to 92 years (mean age: 36.37±18.61y). A steady decline in the number of patients was observed from 2015 to 2020. Falls were the most common cause of facial fractures (2300 cases, 39%), and nasal bone fractures were the most frequent type (3683 cases, 46%). The number of elderly patients (> 60y) and injuries caused by personal mobility devices increased steadily. Male sex and alcohol intoxication were associated with higher severity scores. Motor vehicle crashes had the highest severity scores (2.246). While the incidence of facial bone fractures has decreased in recent years, the proportion of elderly patients and injuries caused by personal mobility devices is increasing, posing a significant burden on the health care system.

Traffic collisions and micromobility: A comparison between personal mobility devices and bicycles based on police reports

Introduction: The recent increase in the use of bicycles and personal mobility devices (PMDs), including mostly E-scooters, is associated with a rapid rise in injuries. Understanding the main crash scenarios leading to these injuries is essential to evaluate and improve preventive and protective measures, especially for PMDs, which are often equated with bicycles. The objective of this study is to identify and compare the most common two-party collision scenarios for bicycles and PMDs, and to identify factors affecting injury severity. Method: Crashes involving at least one PMD or one bicycle and another road user were analyzed from the 2019–2022 French police-reported road crashes database. We investigated the rider, the other vehicle, the road, and the crash scenarios characteristics (pre-crash maneuvers, impact zone on vehicles) and their joint effect on injury severity (hospitalization or fatality: yes/no). Results: We included 16,302 bicycle crashes and 4,118 PMD crashes in the analysis. Most of these collisions (75%) were against a car. The most frequent and the most severe collision scenario was the side-on-head for both bicycles (51%) and PMDs (58%); 67% of both bicycles and PMDs were going straight before the collision. Main factors associated with increased injury severity included colliding with a greater size vehicle, age above 50, and riding on roads with a higher speed limit. Bicycles remained at a higher risk of severe injury than PMDs after accounting for adjustment factors. Conclusions: Although collision scenarios appear similar for bicycles and PMDs, differences in other crash characteristics and injury severity suggest that these two modes of transportation should not be equated in crash investigations. Practical implications: These findings emphasize the need to primarily investigate side-on-head collisions with a moving car for both PMDs and bicycles in order to develop, evaluate, and improve protective devices to reduce the risk of injuries.

Work-related road traffic accidents: emergence of new modes of personal journey – analysis based on data from a register of road traffic accidents in France

IntroductionAccording to the 2018–2019 People Mobility Survey, work-related journeys (commuting and on-duty journeys) account for approximately 25% of all journeys. The use of non-motorised (nm) and motorised (m) personal mobility...

Квалификация деликтов с участием средств индивидуальной мобильности

The work examines current and important problems that arose during the qualification of unlawful acts involving personal mobility devices. It is shown that there is no unified approach to the qualification of illegal acts committed by drivers of personal mobility devices. The author comes to the conclusion that only an integrated approach to determining and regulating the legal status of personal mobility devices will bring clarity to bringing their drivers to administrative and criminal liability.

Helmet wearing and related factors among electric personal mobility device users in Korea.

Using data from the 2022 Korea Community Health Survey (n = 13 320), this study investigated helmet use and related factors among Korean adults using personal mobility devices, without distinguishing between private and hired users. Among mobility device users, 32.1% responded that they always wore a helmet. The proportion of helmet use was 35.2% among men, 25.8% among women, 29.2% among those aged 19-44 years, 42.3% among those aged 45-64 years and 26.6% among those aged 65 years or older. Furthermore, those who drank less frequently and were physically active were more likely to wear helmets. Moreover, people who always wore a seat belt when driving a car or sitting in the rear seat and people who always wore a helmet when riding a motorcycle were more likely to wear a helmet while using electric personal mobility devices. Approximately one-third of users always wore a helmet. The helmet-wearing rate was related to general characteristics such as gender and education level, and to safety behaviors such as wearing a seat belt when driving a car, sitting in the rear seat of a car, or when riding a motorcycle. In addition to considering personal characteristics investigated in this study, the helmet-wearing rate should be improved through policies or systems at the national or regional levels.

Riding Toward Danger: A Scoping Review of Burns Associated With Personal Mobility Devices, Including Electric Bikes (E-Bikes) and Electric Scooters (E-Scooters).

Burn injuries related to lithium-ion batteries from personal mobility devices, such as electric bikes and electric scooters, have emerged as a global concern. By examining the literature, this study aims to provide an overview of the demographics, patterns, and outcomes of personal mobility device-associated burns. A Singaporean cohort revealed burns resulting predominantly from fires occurring due to the combustion of unattended personal mobility device batteries during charging. In contrast, an Israeli cohort showed a higher total body surface area and highlighted the vulnerability of limbs to burn injuries in such incidents. A Beijing cohort, consisting of pediatric patients indicated potential child safety concerns regarding personal mobility device usage. Finally, a Shanghai cohort demonstrated the potential dangers of personal mobility device battery chargers. The observed differences between those experiencing burn injuries and the broader population of personal mobility device riders in terms of age and gender suggest that younger males may be at higher risk, perhaps due to risky practices such as leaving personal mobility devices unattended while charging. This review emphasizes the need for safety education, adherence to regulations, and responsible consumer choices to mitigate burn injuries. Recommendations include promoting child safety measures, using certified personal mobility devices, and cautious handling of DIY conversion kits. Further large-scale studies are essential to gain comprehensive insights and develop effective safety strategies to protect personal mobility device riders from burn injuries.

Effects of postural control by personal mobility on human joint movements-prototype of a new alert system for personal mobility devices

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a prototype Personal Mobility (PM) system with human-robot synchronous motion measurement and sensory feedback as an attention reminder to ensure the safe performance of sustained, step-by-step rehabilitation tailored to the daily living conditions of elderly individuals. Methods: Five healthy adults were fitted with a simulation tool to experience the elderly, and inertial measurement unit sensors were placed on the subjects and the PM device to measure joint movements during two postural movements (sitting to supine and supine to standing). In addition, vibration stimulation and voice guidance were implemented as alerts at a certain set threshold of the joint motion angle. We analyzed the deviation of each joint motion between the subject and the PM device regarding the angle measurements of the trunk, hip, knee, and ankle joints. Results: Trunk angle misalignment was high in the sitting-to-supine position. Hip angle misalignment was greater in the supine to standing position. As an alert system, vibration and voice guidance could be presented to the subject with a 0.3-second delay after the set threshold was reached. Conclusion: The misalignment between a human and a motorized wheelchair in contact with the human is more than several tens of degrees when expressed as the angle change value of the joint motion. We believe that a system that can constantly sense and alert the user regarding whether the user and the PM device are in sync is necessary for PM devices being used in rehabilitation or as daily life support.

Стратегическое значение инновационных кластеров Москвы в развитии прогрессивной транспортной инфраструктуры мегаполиса

The pace of metropolitan life is growing higher and higher. To keep up with it, Moscow residents have to abandon cars and public transport in favor of personal mobility devices, e.g., electric scooters. As a result, the state authorities are developing a unified strategy for urban public transport that would include personal mobility devices and their rent. An effective strategy should integrate all innovative public transport vehicles into a single urban transport system. Technopolis is a special economic zone of innovation clusters in Moscow that offers conditions for design and production of innovative electric individual mobility devices. New-generation vehicles that meet the needs of metropolitan residents will become a key strategic vector in the development of Moscow’s transport system. The key strategic goals are to improve the quality of urban life and to ensure the national technological sovereignty. Modernization and consistent implementation of production facilities can stimulate innovative technologies in the transport sector and its progressive transformation nationwide. Moscow’s innovation clusters produce innovative technologies, test them, and spread the most effective innovations onto all regions.

Study of the Demand for Ecological Means of Transport in Micromobility: A Case of Bikesharing in Szczecin, Poland

The need for urban societies to move continues to grow with the intensity of their various activities. One of the challenges in micromobility in cities based on bike, scooter, or public scooter systems is determining the potential yet realistic demand for such services. This article aims to present the level of demand for eco-friendly non-motorized transport systems and identify the motivations driving users of public transport to choose these eco-friendly Personal Mobility Devices (PMD). The authors propose a methodology based on the integration of four components: a case study, an analysis of participatory budget projects, a metadata analysis of bikesharing (BSS) in Szczecin, and a meta plan. They utilized a case study method and conducted a survey based on a custom questionnaire. An analysis of participatory budget projects and data from the operation of bikesharing in Szczecin was performed using statistical methods. Applying the heuristic tool meta plan, they outlined the directions for the development and support of bikesharing as an example of micromobility in Szczecin. The research identified connections between the socio-demographic structure of respondents and attributes of bike communication. This study highlighted periods of intensive system use and locations with the highest exploitation. It showed that the demand for BSS depends on weather conditions, traveler convenience, the density and coherence of bike infrastructure with important locations for residents, transfer connections, and safety. The presented research results can assist planners and authorities in Szczecin and other cities in expanding bikesharing.

The Juxtaposition of Our Future Electrification Solutions: A View into the Unsustainable Life Cycle of the Permanent Magnet Electrical Machine

Electrification is increasing in prevalence due to the importance placed on it for achieving global net zero targets. This has led to the proliferation of electrical mobility, including the wide-scale production of passenger vehicles, personal mobility devices and recent announcements regarding electrically powered aircraft, as well as in energy production. Electrical machines provide a cleaner source of energy during operation in comparison to their traditional fossil-based alternatives. The uncertainty and lack of transparency hanging over these green credentials can be attributed to how these products are manufactured and then disposed of at the end of their life. For them to be a truly sustainable solution, improvements need to be made across their entire life cycle. With the projected increase in their numbers due to the advancement of electrification, this current life cycle is not sustainable, directly opposing the intention of these products. This paper will introduce the current demand and challenges. It will also present these motors broken down into their constituent parts and follow each through their typical lifecycle. This paper presents the typical current life cycle of permanent magnet electrical machines, demonstrating the environmental issues associated with the current linear life cycle, and proposing alternative practices, to ease the environmental burden.

Operating speed distributions in off-street cycling facilities by vehicle type and motorization

With the growing popularity of motorized Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs) for urban travel, there is increasing need to understand the impacts on transportation facility operation. Speed is a critical aspect of vehicle performance, and the lack of robust information on PMD operating speeds hinders facility design, regulation, and policy for safe and comfortable PMD integration. The objectives of this study are 1) to derive operating speed distributions for all Personal Mobility Devices in use on off-street “cycling” facilities in metropolitan Vancouver, Canada, and 2) to determine how PMD speeds are influenced by microenvironment factors including facility type, path grade, weather, and path traffic volume. Classified speed data for 27 PMD types were collected in 4 seasons at 12 sampling locations in Vancouver, Canada. Results from the 25,053 observations show that motorization increases speeds by 3, 10, and 13 km/hr for bicycles, skateboards, and scooters, respectively, which tends to homogenize average speeds across PMD types at around 20–24 km/hr. Motorization also decreases the effect of grade on speed by about 2/3rd. Even with motorization, bicycle and other PMD speeds rarely exceed the regulatory limit of 32 km/hr – except for sit-down electric scooters which have exceptionally high speeds. Scenario analysis indicates that even with large penetration rates of motorized PMD, a 30 km/hr design speed for off-street paths would still be appropriate, although less conservative.

On Some Problems of the Legal Regulation of the Use of Personal Mobility Devices

On Some Problems of the Legal Regulation of the Use of Personal Mobility Devices

Influence of personal mobility devices on environmental amenities

Electric scooters are rapidly involved in our life, and every year their lease increases and spreads to more cities. Urban infrastructure never keeps up with progress and cannot provide these vehicles with the appropriate infrastructure. In this regard, it is important to solve problems of adapting modern means of transportation with respect to comfortable and safe traffic.Purpose: The analysis of the current situation with personal mobility devices and their impact on the urban environment.Methodology/approach: Sociological survey and analysis of improving amenities environment to ensure the operation of personal mobility devices.Research findings: The analysis of introduced traffic rules for personal mobility devices in 2023, where the status of transport is officially assigned to electric scooters. there is a need to separate roads and create the bicycle path infrastructure to minimize accidents. Results show positive and negative consequences of using electric scooters in cities. It is shown that the urban environment quality index in different cities is determined by the distance of bicycle paths in cities.

Evaluation of Electric and Air-Powered Shopping Scooters in Grocery Stores.

The purpose of this study was to further previous research and gather additional information regarding the usage of motorized shopping scooters as well as feedback for improvements to an air-powered scooter. Online surveys were used to assess individuals' shopping characteristics and experience using the motorized scooters and to gather feedback from store employees regarding their experience. K-Means clustering analysis was used to determine user demographics who chose to use the air-powered scooter versus the electric-powered scooter while shopping. A total of 127 individuals provided informed consent, 65 individuals from site 1 and 62 individuals from site 2. One hundred twenty participants met the inclusion criteria and completed the survey. K-Means clustering found that age, type of personal mobility device, shopping bill total, and frequency using a motorized shopping scooter to be significant factors in whether individuals chose to use an air-powered scooter or electric-powered scooter. Motorized shopping scooters are in high demand and used by a wide variety of individuals, yet electric-powered scooters are commonly unavailable because of having dead batteries or all the devices being in use. Air-powered scooters may serve as a practical replacement for the current electric-powered scooters found in grocery and retail stores.

Positive and negative aspects of using personal mobility devices on the road network

The article examines the positive and negative aspects of the use of personal mobility devices on the road network in the Russian Federation in the period from 2018-2023. The advantages of vehicles with an electric motor are analyzed, such as environmental friendliness, comfortable parking conditions, ease of movement over short distances, time saving and physical activity. On the other hand, the study also highlights the risks of traveling on these means, such as accidents, increased risk of injury, lack of safe infrastructure, lack of driving style and seasonality. After studying the statistics of road accidents in which personal mobility devices were involved, problems were identified at the legislative level associated with driving on devices equipped with an electric motor in road cases. In addition, options were proposed to reduce accidents and ensure safe traffic on the road network in the context of the amendments introduced on March 1, 2023, such as increasing the level of awareness regarding traffic safety on road infrastructure, using equipment for certain vehicles and following safety precautions.

Comparison of pediatric injury patterns before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea: a retrospective study.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant changes in the lifestyle patterns of children and affected the patterns of pediatric injuries. This study analyzed the changing patterns of pediatric injury overall and by age groups, based on the datasets before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study is based on the data of patients who presented with injuries at 23 hospital emergency departments participating in the Emergency Department-based Injury In-depth Surveillance (EDIIS) conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The surveillance data was categorized by injury mechanism, location, activity, and severity. We analyzed the injury patterns of pediatric patients aged 0 to 15 years. Subgroup analysis was conducted by age group in children aged 7 to 15 years, 1 to 6 years, and <1 year. When comparing the COVID-19 pandemic period to the pre-COVID-19 period, the total number of pediatric patients with injuries decreased by 38.7%, while the proportions of in-home injuries (57.9% vs. 67.9%), and minor injuries (38.9% vs. 39.7%) increased. In the 7 to 15 years group, bicycle riding injuries (50.9% vs. 65.6%) and personal mobility device injuries (2.4% vs. 4.6%) increased. The 1 to 6 years group also showed an increase in bicycle accident injuries (15.8% vs. 22.4%). In the <1 year group, injuries from falls increased (44.5% vs. 49.9%). Self-harm injuries in the 7 to 15 years group also increased (1.6% vs. 2.8%). During the COVID-19 pandemic period, the overall number of pediatric injuries decreased, while injuries occurring at home and during indoor activities increased. Traffic accidents involving bicycles and personal mobility devices and self-harm injuries increased in the 7 to 15 years group. In the <1 year group, the incidence of falls increased. Medical and societal preparedness is needed so that we might anticipate these changes in the patterns of pediatric injuries during future infectious disease pandemics.

Dynamic characteristic improvement of battery chargers for personal mobility devices using sliding mode control

Dynamic characteristic improvement of battery chargers for personal mobility devices using sliding mode control

A Study of Personal Mobility Devices and Duty of Disclosure ‘Material Facts’ -Focusing on Cases of Conflict Mediation-

A Study of Personal Mobility Devices and Duty of Disclosure ‘Material Facts’ -Focusing on Cases of Conflict Mediation-