Usability in Public Services and Border Control: New Technologies and Challenges for People with Disability

As new security technologies are introduced in public services, such as border control and mass transportation systems, their accessibility for the disabled needs to be evaluated. A large part of the population is directly or indirectly concerned with disability of permanent or temporary nature. This report starts with a brief overview of the scale of disability and associated challenges and puts them in the context of the public policy on disability. In particular it highlights two existing policies: the EU Transport Regulation on the Disabled Air Passengers and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability, both of which are of relevance to mass transportation. The report then analyses the usability challenges in public services and border control, including the issues of accessibility, safety and communication. These need to be addressed in future policy proposals. Technical support to the present and future policies related to disability complying public services is seen as a potentially important role for JRC. This is illustrated through a review of relevant JRC projects: VOICE, SESAMONET and Secure Airport. New technologies in public services can be viewed by the disabled from two perspectives: assistive technologies and neutral technologies. The assistive communication technologies were adopted in projects VOICE and SESAMONET to improve accessibility in public services. On the other hand, the use of biometric identification in airports and border control is to enhance security for all and therefore it is assumed to be neutral, with respect to disability. This assumption was investigated in the Secure Airport project.JRC.G.6-Security technology assessmen

Do you Believe He Can Fly? Royce White and Reasonable Accommodations Under the Americans with Disabilities Act for NBA Players with Anxiety Disorder and Fear of Flying

This Article examines the legal ramifications of Royce White, a basketball player with general anxiety disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder, playing in the NBA. White\u27s conditions cause him to have a fear of flying, thus making it difficult to play in the NBA. This subject is without precedent in sports law and, because of the unique aspects of an NBA playing career, lacks clear analogy to other employment circumstances. This dispute also illuminates broader legal and policy issues in the relationship between employment and mental illness.This Article argues that White would likely fail in a lawsuit against an NBA team and the NBA under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Case law disfavors recognition of his conditions as workplace disabilities, and even if a court recognizes them as such, there appears to be no reasonable accommodation that doesn\u27t necessitate him flying. This Article also contends that if White cannot adequately resolve his health issues, it would be advisable for him -- and the NBA and Players\u27 Association -- to find creative resolutions. Such an approach would be far preferable to litigation. One such approach could be loaning White\u27s employment to another pro basketball league where all or almost all games are played within driving distance. In that circumstance, he could develop his game against talented pro basketball players and, hopefully, gradually overcome his health issues. The Israel Super Basketball League (Ligat Winner Sal) is one such league. During time in another league, White\u27s NBA employment rights could remain with an NBA team. This Article also insists the NBA and Players\u27 Association take mental health policies more seriously, especially as increasing rates of Americans are diagnosed with mental illness. For years, the NBA and Players\u27 Association have focused on physical health policies while largely ignoring mental health

Spartan Daily, November 7, 2013

Volume 141, Issue 31https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/1450/thumbnail.jp

The paradox of competition for airline passengers with reduced mobility (PRM)

Airline competition with customer service as product differentiator has forced down costs, air fares and investor returns. Two passenger markets operate in aviation: (a) able-bodied passengers for whom airlines compete and (b) passengers with reduced mobility (PRMs) – disabled by age, obesity or medical problems – for whom airlines do not compete. Government interference in the market intended to protect a minority of narrowly-defined PRMs has had unintended consequences of enabling increasing numbers of more widely-defined PRMs to access complimentary airline provisions. With growing ageing and overweight populations and long-haul travelling medical tourists such regulation could lead to even lower investors’ returns. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) (2013) examined the air transport value chain for competitiveness using Porter’s (2008) five forces but did not distinguish between able-bodied passengers and PRMs. Findings during an investigation of these two markets concurred with IATA-Porter that the markets for the bargaining powers of PRM buyers and PRM suppliers were highly competitive. However, in contrast to the IATA conclusions, intensity of competition, and threats from new entrants and substitute products for PRM travel were low. The conclusion is that airlines are strategically PRM defensive by omission. Paradoxically, the airline which delivers the best PRM customer service could become the least profitable

Grid flexibility by electrifying energy systems for sustainable aviation

This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University LondonDecarbonisation of aviation goals set by Flightpath 2050 Europe’s Vision for Aviation requires that the airports become emission-free by 2050. This thesis original contribution to knowledge is to explore the incorporation of aviation electrification technologies, including electric aircraft (EA), electrified ground support equipment (GSE), and airport parking electric vehicles (EVs), into power systems, evaluating their influence on grid infrastructure and operations, as well as their potential to support the grid operation. A comprehensive review of aviation electrification technologies revealed a research gap in the integration of these technologies into the power systems. The thesis contributes to electricity network infrastructure planning for electrification of aviation and airport-based distributed energy resources (DER) that provide ancillary services to the power grid. A multi-objective airport microgrid planning framework is developed, comparing EA charging strategies and revealing that battery swap performs better. Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) strategy with parking EVs improves the microgrid's performance. A techno-economic assessment of wireless charging systems for electric airport shuttle buses shows better economic performance than conventional buses and other charging options. A novel Aviation-to-Grid (A2G) flexibility concept provides frequency response services to the GB power system using EA battery charging systems, with typical A2G service capacity showing significant variation across eight UK airports. A deep reinforcement learning (DRL)-based A2G dispatch approach evaluates the impact of EA charger capacity on energy dispatch results, with higher capacities leading to higher revenue and lower operation costs. To summarise, this thesis addresses the research gaps in integrating aviation electrification technologies into power systems, offering valuable insights for airport operators aiming to decarbonise air transport activities through the adoption of these technologies. The study also provides an understanding of the impacts on grid operators in terms of infrastructure planning and operations. This comprehensive approach ensures a cohesive understanding of the challenges and opportunities presented by aviation electrification and its integration into power systems

Promoting Intermodal Connectivity at California’s High Speed Rail Stations

High-speed rail (HSR) has emerged as one of the most revolutionary and transformative transportation technologies, having a profound impact on urban-regional accessibility and inter-city travel across Europe, Japan, and more recently China and other Asian countries. One of HSR’s biggest advantages over air travel is that it offers passengers a one-seat ride into the center of major cities, eliminating time-consuming airport transfers and wait times, and providing ample opportunities for intermodal transfers at these locales. Thus, HSR passengers are typically able to arrive at stations that are only a short walk away from central business districts and major tourist attractions, without experiencing any of the stress that car drivers often experience in negotiating such highly congested environments. Such an approach requires a high level of coordination and planning of the infrastructural and spatial aspects of the HSR service, and a high degree of intermodal connectivity. But what key elements can help the US high-speed rail system blend successfully with other existing rail and transit services? That question is critically important now that high-speed rail is under construction in California. The study seeks to understand the requirements for high levels of connectivity and spatial and operational integration of HSR stations and offer recommendations for seamless, and convenient integrated service in California intercity rail/HSR stations. The study draws data from a review of the literature on the connectivity, intermodality, and spatial and operational integration of transit systems; a survey of 26 high-speed rail experts from six different European countries; and an in-depth look of the German and Spanish HSR systems and some of their stations, which are deemed as exemplary models of station connectivity. The study offers recommendations on how to enhance both the spatial and the operational connectivity of high-speed rail systems giving emphasis on four spatial zones: the station, the station neighborhood, the municipality at large, and the region

Disabled and reduced-mobility passengers´ satisfaction with facilities, services and staff of Faro airport, Portugal

Faro Airport in Portugal has seen a significant increase of Disabled and Reduce mobility air passengers in recent years. The main research problem along this dissertation is to identify and measure satisfaction levels of Disabled and Reduce-mobility air passengers during their journeys through this airport. The study is focus on seven factors: (i) Accessible facilities, (ii) Accessible services, (iii) Punctuality, (iv) Quality of Equipment-devices, (v) Inclusive marketing, (vi) Trained staff (professionalism, attitude and approach), and (vii) areas that have room for improvement. The main goal is the combination of a scientific and practical approach to contribute with valuable information and recommendations to Faro Airport Management; in order to explore wants and needs of this passengers´ segment and to develop quality facilities and services to have happy, satisfied and loyal air passengers in the terminal. The research methodology is conducted by quantitative method through the implementation of 343 survey questionnaires in Faro Airport. Moreover, unstructured interviews to staff and observation method are considered. The study is held in the course of October and November 2018, when the traffic flow of PRMs (Passenger with Reduce Mobility) is greatly representative. According to the results, 97% of Disabled and Reduce-mobility air passengers of Faro Airport are widely Satisfied + Very Satisfied with the overall performance of the terminal. However, out of the 27 attributes evaluated, there are seven attributes related to Accessible Services, Punctuality, Inclusive Marketing, and Staff, which require immediate attention and enhance.O Aeroporto de Faro, em Portugal, registou um aumento significativo de passageiros com deficiência e mobilidade reduzida nos últimos anos. O principal problema de pesquisa ao longo desta dissertação foi identificar e medir os níveis de satisfação dos passageiros aéreos com deficiência e mobilidade reduzida durante as suas viagens por este aeroporto. O principal objetivo é a combinação de uma abordagem científica e prática para contribuir com informações e recomendações valiosas para a Administração do Aeroporto de Faro; a fim de explorar desejos e necessidades deste segmento de passageiros, e desenvolver instalações e serviços de qualidade para ter passageiros felizes, satisfeitos e leais no terminal de Faro. Os objetivos específicos a serem alcançados são: Identificar a opinião dos passageiros com deficiência e mobilidade reduzida em relação às instalações e serviços acessíveis do Aeroporto de Faro; Avaliar o profissionalismo, a atitude e a abordagem do pessoal do aeroporto em relação este segmento de passageiros; e, Reconhecer áreas que têm espaço para melhorias, a fim de oferecer instalações e serviços de melhor qualidade aos passageiros com deficiência e mobilidade reduzida no Aeroporto de Faro. Ao longo da dissertação são abordados temas relevantes para ter uma melhor compreensão e enquadramento de quem é um passageiro deficiente ou de mobilidade reduzida, os diferentes tipos de deficiência, as instalações acessíveis, serviços e pessoal treinado, a legislação e os códigos de aviação que os protegem, e o serviço de assistência especial a que têm direito quando viajam de avião. Bem como uma abordagem de satisfação do cliente. Além disso, a área de estudo do Aeroporto de Faro é descrita com as suas características, nova restauração do terminal, instalações e serviços acessíveis, estatísticas oficiais e MyWay, o serviço de assistência especial no terminal. A pesquisa centra-se nos seguentes sete factores para medir os níveis de satisfação destes passageiros no Aeroporto de Faro: (i) Instalações acessíveis, (ii) Serviços acessíveis, (iii) Pontualidade, (iv) Qualidade dos equipamentos-dispositivos, (v) Marketing inclusivo, (vi) Funcionários (profissionalismo, atitude e abordagem), e (vii) áreas que têm espaço para melhorias. A metodologia de pesquisa é conduzida por método quantitativo através da implementação de 343 questionários no Aeroporto de Faro. O questionário é dividido em perfil sociodemográfico dos passageiros; perfil de passageiros com deficiência e redução de mobilidade; e níveis de satisfação com as instalações, os serviços e os funcionarios. Uma escala tipo Likert de 5 pontos é adotada para medir os níveis de satisfação Além disso, entrevistas não estruturadas para o pessoal e método de observação são consideradas. O estudo é realizado nos meses de Outubro e Novembro de 2018, quando o fluxo de tráfego de passageiros com mobilidade reduzida é muito representativo. O questionário da pesquisa é definido em inglês na ferramenta de pesquisa online LimeSurvey Pro, e a análise estatística dos resultados é computada e interpretada através da geração de tabelas e gráficos no Statistical Package for the Social Science, IBM SPSS Statistics. A análise estatística descritiva é aplicada para submeter e analisar medidas de localização central (média, moda e mediana) e medidas de dispersão (desvio padrão). Os resultados da pesquisa revelam que 64% da amostra são do sexo feminino, 63% têm entre 70 e 90 anos, a Inglaterra tem a maior representação com 71% da amostra, 68% são casados ou em união de facto, 68,8% têm Ensino Secundário ou superior, e 76% são reformados. Em relação ao Perfil do Passageiro com Deficiência e Mobilidade Reduzida, 78% têm um tipo permanente de redução de mobilidade, 96% têm deficiência de mobilidade, 43% têm doenças ocultas e 43% são Idosos/Boomers /Obesos. Além disso, 86% viajaram mais de uma vez pelo terminal de Faro, e 58% já solicitaram o serviço MyWay no passado. É determinado que o pedido de assistência mais frequente é o WCHS (o passageiro tem dificuldade ou não consegue subir ou descer escadas). Além disso, 83,5% da amostra que viajou antes da restauração do aeroporto de 2018 considera que houve algumas melhorias para os passageiros com Deficiência e mobilidade reduzida. De acordo com os resultados, 97% dos passageiros dos transportes aéreos com deficiência e com mobilidade reduzida do Aeroporto de Faro estão amplamente Satisfeitos + Muito Satisfeitos com o desempenho geral do terminal. No entanto, dos 27 atributos avaliados, existem sete atributos relacionados a Serviços Acessíveis, Pontualidade, Marketing Inclusivo e Funcionários, que exigem atenção e aprimoramento imediato. Para concluir, no final da dissertação são expostas as limitações do estudo, e uma série de recomendações e futuras pesquisas dirigidas à Administração do Aeroporto de Faro