25,513 research outputs found

    Ambient orchestration in assisted environment

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    Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) stands for information and communication technology enabled smart home environment that serves persons, especially the elderly and disabled in their independent living. Among many already developed AAL systems, technologies, resources and services, the main problem about their inherent interconnection still remains. One of the big research issues is to propose reference architecture and develop an open and standardized platform that should serve wider community as an enabler for cooperating concept – collaboration between competitors. This paper presents an experimental ambient orchestration in assisted environment on top of universAAL middleware that is based on the reference architecture under development within universAAL research project. Our contributions are the following: interconnection scenario using industry commercial products, verification of reference architecture and user guides, developed web services for ambient orchestration within case study and its demonstration in real environment

    Universal Design: Planning and Design for All

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    [Excerpt] This report attempts to develop and illustrate the concept of universal design. The aim of universal design is to develop theory, principles and solutions to enable everybody to use the same physical solutions to the greatest extent possible, whether it be buildings, outdoor-areas, means of communication or household goods. Universal design opposes, ideologically and politically, all unnecessary and stigmatizing specialized solutions, whether they are intended for people with disabilities or other groups of the population. Equal status, equal treatment and equal merit are key concepts. The discussion in this report covers extensive spheres such as planning, architecture and product design. One may object that we try to cover too large an area within a relatively brief report. It is therefore important to emphasise that our main intention is to include more professionals and politicians in the further discussion of universal design or design for all

    Application of universal design in healthcare built environment

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    Accessibility to buUt environment are increasing needed due to the increasing number of people surviving to older ages which are adding to the numbers of person with disabilities. The need of frait and firm to elderly persons for accessibJe built environments are similar to those of the group generally describe as persons with disabilities. The main purpose of this research is to audit accessibility of buildjng facilities for the disabled persons~ elderJy and chUdren, at hospitaJ buHdings, and Hospitar Putrajaya has been selected for this research. The methodo'ogy used is based on table research, and simulation on the users of the facilities, observations and photographs. The access audit is carrred out together with students of the fifth year Architecture from Jnternational Islamic University Malaysia and experts of access audit. The findings and recommendations from the study will give insights to the problems faced by the disabled persons, thus enable the owner of the building to upgrade the facUities provided in their building to serve the need of the target group. The recommendation can also be used as guidennes to des;gners, building owners and people who involved in building industr

    Overcoming barriers and increasing independence: service robots for elderly and disabled people

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    This paper discusses the potential for service robots to overcome barriers and increase independence of elderly and disabled people. It includes a brief overview of the existing uses of service robots by disabled and elderly people and advances in technology which will make new uses possible and provides suggestions for some of these new applications. The paper also considers the design and other conditions to be met for user acceptance. It also discusses the complementarity of assistive service robots and personal assistance and considers the types of applications and users for which service robots are and are not suitable

    Sinatra Living: Team Las Vegas DOE Solar Decathlon 2017 Application Summary

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    This document is the summary of the Team Las Vegas project, as submitted to the 2017 Solar Decathlon competition

    Improving Pathways to Transit for Persons with Disabilities

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    Persons with disabilities can achieve a greater degree of freedom when they have full access to a variety of transit modes, but this can only be achieved when the pathways to transit – the infrastructure and conditions in the built environment – allow full access to transit stops, stations, and vehicles. Since passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, many transit agencies and governmental jurisdictions have made significant progress in this area. Policy initiatives, incremental enhancements, modifications, and other measures undertaken by transit agencies and their partners have significantly improved access to transit for persons with disabilities, others who rely on public transportation, and individuals who chose to utilize these services. This research study explores, through case study work, efforts that have been effective in improving pathways to transit. Interviews and site visits were conducted with five transit agencies, along with their partners, that are actively engaged in improving pathways to connect transit consumers – particularly people with disabilities – with transit stations and stops. These agencies are: Broward County Transit (Broward County, FL), Memphis Area Transit Authority (Memphis, TN), NJ TRANSIT (Newark and New Brunswick, NJ), Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (Portland, OR), and Link Transit (Wenatchee, WA). Promising practices and/or lessons were identified through the case study analysis; these should be considered by any transit agency seeking to create improved access to its services for persons with disabilities

    The design thinking approaches of three different groups of designers based on self-reports

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    This paper compares the design thinking approaches of three groups of student-designers: industrial design and architecture undergraduates, and design PhD candidates. Participants responded to an open-ended design brief, working individually. Upon submission of their designs they were debriefed about their design processes. We compare the groups based on their submissions and self-reported design activities, especially the sequence of their design activities and the time allotted to them. There were some commonalities and differences between the two undergraduate groups but the main differences were between the two undergraduates and the PhD students. On the basis of the findings we pose questions regarding design methods in the era of 'design thinking' wherein designers are required to adopt an entrepreneurial frame of mind
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