Preference For Walking Research Articles

Encoding Motion Cues for Pedestrian Path Prediction in Dense Crowd Scenarios

Pedestrian path prediction is an emerging topic in the crowd visual analysis domain, notwithstanding its practical importance in many respects. To date, the few contributions in the literature proposed quite straightforward approaches, and only a few of them have taken into account the interaction between pedestrians as a paramount cue in forecasting their potential walking preferences in a given scene. Moreover, the typical trend was to evaluate the proposed algorithms on sparse scenarios. To cope with more realistic cases, in this paper, we present an efficient approach for pedestrian path prediction in densely crowded scenes. The proposed approach initiates by extracting motion features related to the target pedestrian and his/her neighbors. Second, in order to further increase the representativeness of the extracted motion cues, an autoencoder feature learning model is considered, whose outcome finally feeds a Gaussian process regression prediction model to infer the potential future trajectories of the target pedestrians given their walking records in the scene. Experimental results demonstrate that our framework scores plausible results and outperforms traditional methods in the literature.

Satisfaction or compensation? The interaction between walking preferences and neighbourhood design

This paper describes a study on preferences, neighbourhood design and walking in a northern European setting. The aim was to examine how preferences for residential choice and modal choice play out regarding walking frequency in three neighbourhoods in the Swedish city of Malmö. The study design, unlike most earlier studies on the walkability of neighbourhoods, treated preferences as explicit variables predicting the amount of walking in a neighbourhood, rather than as control variables that alter the estimated effect of the built environment. The empirical material was examined with analysis of variance and multiple regression, which indicated that heterogeneous preferences resulted in a heterogeneous response, in terms of walking frequency, in one of the neighbourhoods. The suggestion for policy is that pedestrian planning should take the heterogeneity of preferences, and thus, of demand, into account.

Urban Design Qualities Related Walkability in a Commercial Neighbourhood

This study explored the relations of urban design qualities, the adaptability and people’s preference for walking on a commercial street. The research employed survey research method using a self-administered questionnaire applying Likert scale and multiple rating scale techniques. One hundred and three respondents participated in the study. Descriptive statistics and correlations analysis were used to answer the research questions. Results indicated the adaptability quality of a street may depend on the spatial quality of the street such as legibility, human scale, coherence, and imageability while it does not correlate with the appearance of the street such as transparency, complexity, and enclosure. Meanwhile, people’s preference of a street for walking may depend on both qualities. Implications of the findings will discuss further in the paper.© 2016. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.Keywords:Urban Design Qualities; Walkability; Commercial Neighbourhood; Adaptability

Physical activity attitudes and preferences among inpatient adults with mental illness.

The life expectancy of adults with mental illness is worse than that of the general population and is largely due to poor physical health status. Physical activity has been consistently recommended for the prevention and management of many chronic physical health conditions and can also have benefits for mental health. This cross sectional study assessed the attitudes towards and preferences for physical activity among inpatient adults with mental illness, and differences by distress and gender. Self-report questionnaires were completed by 101 patients. Findings indicated that inpatient adults with mental illness are interested in doing physical activity while in hospital, primarily to maintain good physical health and improve emotional wellbeing. Fewer than half of participants agreed that physical activity has benefits for serious mental illness. Participants indicated a preference for walking and physical activity that can be done alone, at a fixed time and with a set routine and format. Major barriers were fatigue and lack of motivation. Females were more likely than males to prefer activities done with others of the same gender (P = 0.001) and at the same level of ability (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences by level of distress. These findings can inform physical activity intervention programming in hospital settings, which may contribute to decreasing the chronic disease burden and improve the psychological wellbeing in adults with mental illness.

The design and initial evaluation of visual cues in carpets to assist walking

Prior research has shown that carpets assist walking thereby reducing the incidence and injury severity of falls, and that visual cues can assist walking. However, little attention has been given to the ability of visual cues in carpets to assist walking. Design guidelines were developed for the colouring and patterning of carpet to provide visual cues to assist walking. The guidelines took into account age-related visual impairments, and were applied in the preparation of a carpet. The designed carpet was compared with two carpets of standard designs in an impaired walking trial. The trial subjects reported a significant preference for walking on the designed carpet, suggesting that appropriate design of carpets can increase their contribution to the well-being of older people and others with impaired walking.

Five-star transportation: using online activity reviews to examine mode choice to non-work destinations

Information and communication technologies are generating unprecedented quantities of data with potential applications in transportation planning and research. Because of their focus on non-work activities, crowdsourced activity reviews such as Yelp reviews have the potential to inform how individuals make travel choices to a range of activities with significant economic impacts. Substantial numbers of Yelp reviews include transportation content, including mode choices. I use content analysis to extract and understand statements on mode from a dataset of more than 225,000 Yelp reviews in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Spatial analysis of the results shows that access to non-work destinations varies significantly by mode across the region and within neighborhoods. The findings address ongoing questions in accessibility research, including preferences for transit around rail stations and local variability in walking preferences. Yelp data do not replace travel surveys, but they provide significantly more information and spatial detail on mode choice to many non-work destinations. Though this and similar datasets show promise for several applications in transportation planning and research, the issues of potential sampling biases and data ownership and access must also be addressed for these data to become widespread tools for practioners and researchers.

Associations between perceived and observational physical environmental factors and the use of walking paths: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundHow to promote physical activity is an important public health problem that is attracting increasing attention. Although the application of environmental approaches is believed to promote resident walking, there remains insufficient evidence of the effectiveness of these interventions.MethodsThis study employed direct observation and questionnaires. Observations were performed on each Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from April 13th to May 16th. Fourteen trained observers observed six community walking paths, and an additional walking path in a park. The trained observers filled out 2388 observation forms in the field, including 228 forms rating the permanent environment, and 1080 forms assessing the current environment and counting the number of walkers. A total of 1800 questionnaireswere administered to community residents.ResultsThe results of both observation and questionnaires showed good association regarding the characteristics of walking path users (for observation, female = 54.4%; for questionnaire interviews, female, OR = 1.441), and the environmental features associated with walking path utilization (for observation, positive associations were observed between the utilization index and observational environmental variables; for questionnaire interviews, roads and aesthetics were important, OR = 1.044). There were positive associations between path use and time, a preference for brisk walking, and the observed current and permanent environmental variables. Female participants were more likely to use walking paths than males (OR = 1.441, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.126–1.846). BMI and traffic hazard safety were significantly negatively associated with walking path use (OR = 0.948, 95% CI 0.915–0.981, and OR = 0.933, 95% CI 0.887–0.981, respectively). Roads, aesthetics, and knowledge of physical activity were significantly positively correlated with use of walking paths (OR = 1.044, 95% CI 1.017–1.072, and OR = 1.175, 95% CI 1.043–1.323). Participants that resided further than 1 km from the park were less likely to use walking paths (OR = 0.703, 95% CI 0.530–0.933). Gender-specific associations were also found.ConclusionsBoth perceived and objective environmental factors were associated with walking path use. Data suggested that the permanent and current conditions of the paths might influence walking path utilization, and that gender-specific promotion strategies should be considered.

Analyzing pedestrian merging flow on a floor–stair interface using an extended lattice gas model

The floor–stair interface is a critical component of the escape stairs in high-rise buildings, and the characteristics of the merging flow in the floor–stair interface is also significant for investigating the evacuation of high-rise buildings. In this paper, the original lattice gas model is extended by considering inner-side walking preferences, turning behavior and different desired speeds. Then the merging flow in the floor–stair interface is simulated with the extended model. The fundamental diagram of the simulation results has the same tendency as the empirical data and it is found that the merging at the floor–stair interface could retard the motion of pedestrians on the incoming stairs and reduce the motion speed in the case when the corridors are adjacent to the incoming stairs. The effect of two kinds of typical structures of the floor–stair interface on pedestrian merging behavior is investigated. The results show that the evacuation process will be improved when the corridor is connected to the landing opposite to the incoming stairs. The results given in this paper may be helpful in understanding the characteristics of pedestrian merging flow in floor–stair interfaces and in designing building structures.

Sustainable Mobility at a University Campus: Walking Preferences and the Use of Electric Minibus

The most useful strategies to reduce traffic congestion and the consequences on the environment are linked to the improvement of the use of sustainable transport systems such as electric transit systems and of the pedestrian mobility. This study has the aim to investigate on the factors influencing the preferences of the users just between these two alternative modes: walking and moving by a transit system. We propose a study of the mobility inside a university campus sited in a wide suburban area. The main structures of the campus are located along a steel bridge 1.5 kilometres long. The mobility on the bridge is mainly a pedestrian mobility, but there is also a service offered by an electric minibus. Specifically, discrete choice models are proposed to establish the characteristics of the alternative modes and the attitudes of users mostly affecting their preferences. The models are based on the use of experimental data collected by a sample survey. Interesting results are obtained, suggesting that personal attitudes of the users and service quality aspects influence their preferences of moving. Keywords: pedestrian mobility, logit models, service quality attributes, attitudinal characteristics

Walking at the preferred stride frequency maximizes local dynamic stability of knee motion

Healthy humans display a preference for walking at a stride frequency dependent on the inertial properties of their legs. Walking at preferred stride frequency (PSF) is predicted to maximize local dynamic stability, whereby sensitivity to intrinsic perturbations arising from natural variability inherent in biological motion is minimized. Previous studies testing this prediction have employed different variability measures, but none have directly quantified local dynamic stability by computing maximum finite-time Lyapunov exponent (λMax), which quantifies the rate of divergence of nearby trajectories in state space. Here, ten healthy adults walked 45m overground while sagittal motion of both knees was recorded via electrogoniometers. An auditory metronome prescribed 7 different frequencies relative to each individual's PSF (PSF; ±5, ±10, ±15strides/min). Stride frequencies were performed under both freely adopted speed (FS) and controlled speed (CS: set at the speed of PSF trials) conditions. Local dynamic stability was maximal (λMax was minimal) at the PSF, becoming less stable for higher and lower stride frequencies. This occurred under both FS and CS conditions, although controlling speed further reduced local dynamic stability at non-preferred stride frequencies. In contrast, measures of variability revealed effects of stride frequency and speed conditions that were distinct from λMax. In particular, movement regularity computed by approximate entropy (ApEn) increased for slower walking speeds, appearing to depend on speed rather than stride frequency. The cadence freely adopted by humans has the benefit of maximizing local dynamic stability, which can be interpreted as humans tuning to their resonant frequency of walking.

Analysing hiker movement patterns using GPS data: Implications for park management

In natural areas, park management organisations need to cater for economic, environmental, recreation and social demands and values. However, multifunctional land use also creates conflicts. Increased numbers of people using an area could exceed its ecological carrying capacity. The recreational quality of areas could be negatively impacted by conflicts in recreational behaviour. Therefore, park managers require spatio-temporal data on visitor flows, but there appears to be a shortage of suitable visitor data. If there are data available, these often do not deliver the information required by managers and there is little guidance on appropriate monitoring variables. This paper therefore combines user movement analysis with environmental and ecological factors for natural resource management. Through a case study we describe the entire working process from field data acquisition to usable park management information. GPS and itinerary data from 138 visitors to the Drents-Friese Wold National Park (the Netherlands) were collected to estimate visitor densities and distribution patterns within the park. Data acquisition is efficient in the working process, but careful error handling is a time consuming but necessary part of it. We introduce the definition of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ errors to make spatial analysis more flexible. We show that walking speed, trip time and spatial distributions varied between park visitor groups. Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis showed that factors such as the presence of marked trails, distance to facilities but not land use (such as forest or arable land) explained visitor distributions. Patterns differ between respondent groups based on group size and composition, which is also true for itinerary variables such as walking speed and trip time. The combination of high resolution location data with itinerary information from respondents provides a good impression of the different walking preferences of different respondent groups. We conclude therefore that combining GPS data with itinerary information is a useful tool in profiling different natural park visitors. This is useful information for park managers in steering tourists and in catering for different visitor demands in natural parks.

Simplifying healthful choices: a qualitative study of a physical activity based nutrition label format

BackgroundThis study used focus groups to pilot and evaluate a new nutrition label format and refine the label design. Physical activity equivalent labels present calorie information in terms of the amount of physical activity that would be required to expend the calories in a specified food item.MethodsThree focus groups with a total of twenty participants discussed food choices and nutrition labeling. They provided information on comprehension, usability and acceptability of the label. A systematic coding process was used to apply descriptive codes to the data and to identify emerging themes and attitudes.ResultsParticipants in all three groups were able to comprehend the label format. Discussion about label format focused on issues including gender of the depicted figure, physical fitness of the figure, preference for walking or running labels, and preference for information in miles or minutes. Feedback from earlier focus groups was used to refine the labels in an iterative process.ConclusionsIn contrast to calorie labels, participants shown physical activity labels asked and answered, “How does this label apply to me?” This shift toward personalized understanding may indicate that physical activity labels offer an advantage over currently available nutrition labels.

Home-based functional walking program for advanced cancer patients receiving palliative care: a case series

BackgroundAlthough meta-analyses have demonstrated that physical activity can positively impact quality of life outcomes in early stage cancer patients, it is not yet known whether these benefits can be extended to patients with advanced cancer. In a previous pilot survey of patients with advanced cancer with a median survival of 104 days, participants felt willing and able to participate in a physical activity intervention, and reported a strong preference for walking and home-based programming. Here, we report on the initial development and feasibility of a home-based functional walking program in patients with advanced cancer receiving palliative care.MethodsNine adult patients were recruited from outpatient palliative care clinics and palliative home care. A pilot intervention trial was conducted over a 6-week period. The McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (MQOL), Late Life Function and Disability Instrument (LLFDI), Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS), Seniors Fitness Test, four-test balance scale, and grip strength, were performed pre- and post-intervention. Participants wore activPAL™ accelerometers to monitor ambulatory activity levels.ResultsOf the nine recruited participants, three participants dropped out prior to baseline testing due to hospital admission and feeling overwhelmed, and three participants dropped out during the intervention due to severe symptoms. Only three participants completed the intervention program, pre- and post-intervention assessments: two reported improvements in total MQOL scores, yet all three shared an overall trend towards worsening symptom and total fatigue scores post-intervention. Two participants passed away within 90 days of completing the intervention.ConclusionsThis case series demonstrates the challenges of a physical activity intervention in patients with advanced cancer receiving palliative care. Further feasibility research is required in this patient population.Trial registrationThis study is registered under ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT00438620.

Physical Activity Preferences Among Patients With Lung Cancer in Taiwan

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the world. Physical activity could help lung cancer patients improve their health. The purpose of our study was to investigate lung cancer patients' physical activity preferences and relevant contributing factors, so that we could develop individualized intervention strategies to fit their needs. This study used a descriptive and correlational design. Instruments included a physical activity preference survey form, the Physical Activity Social Support Scale, and Physical Activity Self-efficacy Scale. From 81 lung cancer patients' physical activity preferences, our results showed that during the course of their illness, 85.2% of patients wanted to have a physical activity consultation and preferred to obtain advice from their physicians (28.4%) through face-to-face counseling (48.1%). Moreover, patients (70.4%) showed an interest in physical activity programs, and many (69.1%) revealed that they were able to participate. About 88.9% of patients showed a preference for walking, and 54.3% patients preferred moderate physical activity. This study also revealed that social support and self-efficacy for physical activity effectively predicted moderate physical activity preferences. The adherence to regular physical activity is improved by understanding the lung cancer patients' unique preferences for physical activity.

Is walking faster or walking farther more important to persons with chronic stroke?

Purpose: The purposes of this mixed-methods study were to (1) investigate whether walking faster or walking farther was more important for getting “out and about” to persons with chronic stroke and (2) explore explanations for walking preferences. Method: A convenience sample of 77 adults with chronic stroke completed questionnaires and walking outcomes in one visit. Participants were asked whether walking faster or farther was more important to them for getting “out and about”, and differences between response groups (faster vs. farther) were evaluated. Participants also described their preference for walking faster or farther. Qualitative responses were analyzed using content analysis. Results: The majority of participants (76%; n = 58) reported walking farther was more important, while 18% (n = 14) reported walking faster was more important. Statistically significant differences were not found between response groups for any variable. Primary themes identified from participant preferences for walking faster included: (1) faster speed equals better walking ability and (2) getting places faster/quicker. Primary themes from preferences for walking farther included: (1) engaging in activity and participation within home and community; (2) walking farther at a slower pace; and (3) fatigue with walking. Conclusions: Individual preferences for walking faster versus walking farther by persons with chronic stroke should be considered by clinicians when making decisions for rehabilitation.Implications for RehabilitationIndividual preferences for walking faster versus walking farther by patients with chronic stroke should be considered by rehabilitation clinicians when making decisions about examination and intervention.The majority of participants with chronic stroke in this study indicated the importance of walking farther in order to better engage in activities both at home and away from home.Interventions that focus on improving endurance and energy conservation may need to be used for persons with chronic stroke who want to walk father in order to maximize their potential for walking longer distances.

Consumer preference in ranking walking function utilizing the walking index for spinal cord injury II

Blinded rank ordering. To determine consumer preference in walking function utilizing the walking Index for spinal cord injury II (WISCI II) in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI)from the Canada, the Italy and the United States of America. In all, 42 consumers with incomplete SCI (25 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar) from Canada (12/42), Italy (14/42) and the United States of America (16/42) ranked the 20 levels of the WISCI II scale by their individual preference for walking. Subjects were blinded to the original ranking of the WISCI II scale by clinical scientists. Photographs of each WISCI II level used in a previous pilot study were randomly shuffled and rank ordered. Percentile, conjoint/cluster and graphic analyses were performed. All three analyses illustrated consumer ranking followed a bimodal distribution. Ranking for two levels with physical assistance and two levels with a walker were bimodal with a difference of five to six ranks between consumer subgroups (quartile analysis). The larger cluster (N=20) showed preference for walking with assistance over the smaller cluster (N=12), whose preference was walking without assistance and more devices. In all, 64% (27/42) of consumers ranked WISCI II level with no devices or braces and 1 person assistance higher than multiple levels of the WISCI II requiring no assistance. These results were unexpected, as the hypothesis was that consumers would rank independent walking higher than walking with assistance. Consumer preference for walking function should be considered in addition to objective measures in designing SCI trials that use significant improvement in walking function as an outcome measure.

Connecting masculinities and physical activity among senior South Asian Canadian immigrant men

Senior South Asian (SA) men experience many health challenges which may be exacerbated by immigration. However, little is known about the health practices of this subgroup of men, including how they conceptualize connections between exercise, health and illness. An ethnographic qualitative study including fieldwork and participant observations at South Asian men's groups (SAMGs) based in British Columbia (BC), Canada and individual interviews with 36 attendees (group leaders and non-leader group members) were conducted to better understand how masculinity (as it intersects with culture, social class and age) informs and influences men's physical activity. The findings indicated that few men linked exercise with specific illnesses; however, age-induced musculoskeletal impairment and a cold, wet Canadian climate were the main restrictors of men's physical activity. Traditional SA cultures and in some cases economic hardship influenced men's preference for walking to socially connect with other men, while strenuous activity was detailed in nostalgic ways as a previously used tool for securing paid labor. The results indicate varying masculine identities, roles and relations in how men conceptualized and embodied physical activity, some of which were incongruent with Western ideals about men and exercise. Collectivism was a prevailing SA cultural norm for participants, which should be thoughtfully considered in the design and distribution of exercise-based health promotion programs targeted to senior SA Canadian immigrant men.

“Diabetes is my companion”: Lifestyle and self-management among good and poor control Mexican diabetic patients

This paper identifies naturally occurring lifestyle and self-care practices in managing type 2 diabetes mellitus that are associated with good glycemic control. In-depth, qualitative interviews were conducted in Guadalajara, Mexico, with 31 matched pairs of good and poor control diabetic patients (n=62), who were matched on their duration of disease and use of medications. While many themes were listed by both groups, a comparison of the responses indicated that themes of daily exercise with a preference for walking, eating beef and milk rather than chicken and fish, economic issues, and emotional issues distinguished poor-control patients. Good-control patients were more likely to have a negative reaction to their initial diagnosis, take a more comprehensive approach to control, eat only two meals a day (plus snacks), use noncaloric beverages to satisfy desires for more food, and know what their blood sugar levels should be.

Cross-cultural differences in preference for recovery of mobility among spinal cord injury rehabilitation professionals

Direct observation of a constrained consensus-building process in three culturally independent five-person panels of rehabilitation professionals from the US, Italy and Canada. To illustrate cultural differences in belief among rehabilitation professionals about the relative importance of alternative functional goals during spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation. Spinal Cord Injury Units in Philadelphia-USA, Rome-Italy and Vancouver-Canada. Each of the three panels came to independent consensus about recovery priorities in SCI utilizing the features resource trade-off game. The procedure involves trading imagined levels of independence (resources) across different functional items (features) assuming different stages of recovery. Sphincter management was of primary importance to all three groups. The Italian and Canadian rehabilitation professionals, however, showed preference for walking over wheelchair mobility at lower stages of assumed recovery, whereas the US professionals set wheelchair independence at a higher priority than walking. These preliminary results suggest cross-cultural recovery priority differences among SCI rehabilitation professionals. These dissimilarities in preference may reflect disparities in values, cultural expectations and health care policies.

European Academy of Childhood Disability Annual Meeting 2003, 2–4th October

Objective: The aim of this small, mainly qualitative, study was to discover what a group of children with cerebral palsy (CP) think of their orthoses and the effect they have on their walking. The study complemented a biomechanical assessment of the children walking with, and without, their orthoses. Method: Fourteen children were recruited from physiotherapy departments located in a residential school and two child development centres. The children were aged between 5 and 16 years, and had a diagnosis of CP. Between them, the children wore a variety of orthoses and used a variety of walking aids, although the Kaye walker was the most frequently used. The children’s views and experiences were gathered by semi-structured interview. During the biomechanical assessment the children were also asked to rate four aspects of their walking – speed, ease, steadiness, and level of tiredness – by means of pictorial scales. The audiotaped interview data were transcribed and subjected to content analysis. The ratings from the scales were compared using the Wilcoxon signed ranks test. Results: Most children wore their orthoses for the majority of the time, found them comfortable, and some reported definite benefits to wearing them. Even when children did not identify specific benefits they seemed to accept wearing the orthoses. Children’s ratings of their walking with and without orthoses identified no clear preference. The difference in ratings was not statistically significant apart from level of tiredness which was significantly in favour of walking without orthoses (z=–1.983, p=0.047). There was a lack of consistency between the children’s ratings and the results from the biomechanical assessments, which were also inconclusive. However, one child, for whom definite improvements were seen in velocity and energy costs when wearing orthoses, consistently rated her own performance as better with orthoses. Conclusions: The children’s experiences of wearing orthoses were mainly positive or neutral. The children did not consistently identify a preference for walking with or without orthoses. This may have been due to their age, their expectations, or the fact that the findings of the biomechanical assessments were not consistent either. The experience of carrying out this study indicates that children are able to express their views about, and experiences of, a therapeutic intervention. Acknowledgements: The children who took part in the study and their families; the physiotherapists who helped with recruitment, and the charity HOPE, for funding .