Toward a Driving Competency Assessment Encouraging Elderly\u27s Automobility: A French Point of View

The purpose of this paper is to suggest a methodology for approaching French elderly driver assessments. More precisely, the objective is to evaluate the impact of visual and cognitive declines in older drivers on real road driving performances. A case control study was conducted with 40 senior drivers (aged between 61 to 80 years old) recruited via their insurance company: 20 case volunteers who had caused 3 or more accidents during a three-year period and 20 control volunteers who had caused no accidents during the same period. The experiment consisted of non-driving laboratory tests, including visual and cognitive tests, and a driving assessment in a real traffic situation. Results showed that, compared to the control group, elderly drivers with a history of accidents, have poorer performance on the cognitive tests. Moreover, data from the multiple regression analysis showed that the two measures entering the model were Zazzo time and movement perception (age and group being controlled). Some considerations that shape construction of a driving assessment are discussed. We discuss the fact that such an approach can be used to estimate the driving skills of drivers, not to deliver an aptitude or inaptitude certificate, but to adapt the advice given to drivers

Longitudinal Two-Year Follow-Up of Updating and Flexibility Functions in Drivers with Parkinson’s Disease: Preliminary Results

This paper outlines the preliminary results of a longitudinal follow up at two years interval (t0 versus t2) in 10 drivers with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease (PD) and 10 matched controls. Changes of (1) driving habits assessed by a questionnaire, (2) neuropsychological performances measured by a set of cognitive tests and (3) cognitive abilities while driving using a simulator, were analyzed. Two types of changes were observed: the decline over time in PD group at two years interval and the appearance of some deficits in PD patients (compared to controls) at the second assessment (t2). These deficits were not observed at the first one (t0). The results showed that PD patients had changed their driving habits over time (reduction of mileage, more avoidance, underestimation of their own driving competency). The cognitive status of PD patients remained relatively stable over time, except for the Trail Making Test performances (part A and part B) which declined. A deficit for the TMT-part A in PD patients, compared to controls, appeared at t2. The data from driving simulator showed no significant decline in PD patients for both updating and flexibility performances. However, a deficit in flexibility appeared at t2 in PD patients, as demonstrated by their poorer performances on the flexibility cost. Our data suggest that flexibility may be significantly affected in PD patients with more advanced disease. The small size on our sample does not allow us any conclusion on updating function in both PD patients and controls

Les Cahiers du Sud, un style de vie

Jean Ballard mourut le 18 juin 1973, il était âgé de 79 ans. Il avait préféré arrêter le cours de sa revue en 1966, quelques mois après que fut célébré le cinquantenaire des Cahiers du Sud. Parmi les rares articles qu’il publia pendant l’ultime séquence de sa vie, on peut lire une contribution au Cahier de L’Herne consacré à Julien Gracq, ainsi qu’un article à propos d’André Suarès qu’il avait confié au quotidien Le Provençal : deux textes que je regrette de n’avoir pas inscrit dans le sommai..

Le théâtre migrant ou la dimension transculturelle dans les dramaturgies de Marie NDiaye et de Abla Farhoud - étude comparée

This PhD thesis aims to highlight the emergence of new ways to represent collectivity in the French and Francophone theatrical lanscapes from the early eighties until now. I hereby confront selected theatrical pieces written by Abla Farhoud and Marie Ndiaye to the concept of migrancy, nomadism and trans. This work focuses primarily on a careful examination of the theoretical notion of “écriture migrante” (migrant writing) as it was conceptualised by the Canadian poet Robert Berrouet-Oriol at the end of the seventies. It then questions its potential application to the French and francophone theatrical fields. This study is firmly rooted in a postcolonial and transcultural background and is based upon the work of Edward Saïd, Gayatri Spivak and Homi Bhabha. To complete this theoretical frame, the analysis of the works of Marie Ndiaye and Abla Farhoud take into consideration the historical, cultural and literary contexts that brought them forth. I address the incorporative, interpretative and rewriting processes to which the figure of the migrant has been regularly submitted during the past thirty years. I also give careful consideration to the different meanings that French and Francophone contemporary theatres have assigned to this wandering figure. Through the detailed analysis of five plays written by A. Farhoud and five plays written by M. NDiaye, this thesis offers a reflexion upon how the figure of the migrant - the migrant being - is being constructed, represented and perceived in contemporary theatre. Finally, my work has been inspired by cross-cultural comparative studies of literary, philosophical and sociological obedience. It transposes these notions into the field of dramaturgical and theatrical studies in order to identify the dramaturgical strategies and modalities that create a culture of the hybrid on French and Francophone stages

Modélisation et émulation 3D orienté temps réel de la diffusion de réactifs dans une pile à combustible à membrane échangeuse de protons

Le but de ce travail est de donner la répartition des concentrations de gaz dans une pile à combustible à membrane échangeuse de proton en temps réel pour faire du diagnostic en ligne. Comme ce modèle doit donner des résultats sur plusieurs dimensions et que les phénomènes se modélisent bien avec des équations aux dérivées partielles, la méthode utilisée pour le calcul sera une méthode de discrétisation. Enfin, le modèle doit être conçu de manière à nécessiter peu de calculs afin de rendre son utilisation en temps réel possible

L'obtention de l'examen du code de la route pour les personnes avec difficulté linguistique : un parcours fastidieux

Entretien Jacques Cartier, Bruxelles, BELGIQUE, 25-/11/2015 - 26/11/2015En théorie, l'examen du code de la route peut être présenté par tous les publics quel que soit le niveau socioculturel, scolaire ou intellectuel. Les supports d'apprentissage ainsi que l'outil de contrôle des connaissances devraient être abordables par tous. Or, dans la pratique, l'examen du code de la route reste difficile d'accès à un nombre important de candidats, en particulier à ceux présentant des lacunes vis-à-vis du langage écrit tels que certains sourds ou malentendants, les personnes non francophones, dyslexiques ou encore dysphasiques. Selon un rapport parlementaire, le taux de réussite à l'examen du code de la n'était que de 27 % pour les candidats ne maîtrisant pas la langue française. Ceci va à l'encontre de la politique d'intégration et de la pleine autonomie des personnes en situation de handicap (loi 2005 en France). L'objectif à terme est d'aménager des supports pédagogiques accessibles aux publics en difficulté linguistique. Il s'agira de concevoir et de tester l'intérêt d'outils innovants qui s'appuient sur les techniques du multimédia et de l'animation. L'idée sous-jacente est qu'un matériel visuel, dynamique, animé, peut favoriser la compréhension de certaines notions de sécurité routière qui ne seraient pas accessibles avec un matériel uniquement écrit et/ou statique (photographies). Cette hypothèse s'appuie sur les résultats convergents dans le domaine de l'apprentissage et du multimédia qui montrent les effets positifs de l'animation sur l'appréhension de notions complexes (Bétrancourt et al., 2001, Boucheix, & Guignard, 2005, Lowe, 2008). Dans la présente étude, nous nous appuyons sur les premiers résultats collectés dans une auto-école lyonnaise qui est spécialisée dans la formation à la conduite des personnes sourdes. Les séances de code sont faites en langue des signes et des outils ont été aménagés pour accompagner ces candidats sourds et malentendants. Malgré ces aménagements très personnalisés, nous montrons que le nombre moyen de mois, de séances, d'échecs à l'examen, de fautes aux différents tests d'entraînement selon les différents thèmes ainsi que la progression sont toujours supérieurs pour les personnes sourdes par rapport aux personnes entendantes avant la réussite à l'examen. Des analyses plus fines nous permettront de cibler plus précisément les situations problématiques qui feront prioritairement l'objet d'aménagements pédagogiques

ACoSur : Accès au Code de la route et Surdité.

Journée comité des études DSR, PARIS, FRANCE, 19-/09/2017 - 19/09/2017Intérêt d'introduire de l'animation dans le matériel d'apprentissage du code de la route pour les candidats sourds

Simultaneous mapping and planning for autonomous underwater vehicles in unknown environments

New potential applications of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) involve operations in unknown and cluttered environments, therefore increasing the vehicle exposure to collisions. To cope with these situations, we use an AUV framework for planning collision-free paths in unknown environments, which adapt and replan the paths according to nearby obstacles perceived during the mission execution using different range sensing sonar. We present simulation and real-world results for the SPARUS-II AUV, a torpedo-shaped vehicle, performing autonomous missions

Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 mesa microdiodes: study of edge recombination and behaviour under concentrated sunlight

ABSTRACT In order to develop photovoltaic devices with increased efficiency using less rare semiconductor materials, the concentrating approach is applied on Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin film devices. For this purpose, Cu(In,Ga)Se2 microcells with a mesa design are fabricated. The influence of the edge recombination signal is analyzed. It is found that with an appropriate etching procedure, devices as small as 50x50 µm do not experience edge recombination efficiency limitations. Under concentration, significant Voc gains are seen, leading to an absolute efficiency increase of two points per decade

An innovative therapeutic educational program to support older drivers with cognitive disorders: Description of a randomized controlled trial study protocol

Older drivers face the prospect of having to adjust their driving habits because of health problems, which can include neurocognitive disorders. Self-awareness of driving difficulties and the interaction between individual with neurocognitive disorders and natural caregiver seem to be important levers for the implementation of adaptation strategies and for the subsequent voluntary cessation of driving when the cognitive disorders become too severe. This study aims to evaluate an educational program for patient/natural caregiver dyads who wish to implement self-regulation strategies in driving activity, and to improve self-awareness of driving ability. The ACCOMPAGNE program is based on seven group workshops, which target the dyad. The workshops deal with the impact of cognitive, sensory and iatrogenic disorders on driving. They tackle questions about responsibility, and about autonomy and social life. They also provide alternative solutions aimed at maintaining outward-looking activities even if driving is reduced or stopped. A randomized controlled trial is planned to evaluate the effectiveness of the program 2 months and 6 months after inclusion, and to compare this to the effectiveness of conventional approaches. The main outcome of this trial (i.e., the implementation of self-regulated driving strategies), will be measured based on scores on the “Current Self-Regulatory Practices” subscale of the Driver Perception and Practices Questionnaire. The Driving Habits Questionnaire will be used to measure secondary outcomes (indicators of driving changes; indicators of changes in mood, quality of life and caregiver burden; and self-awareness of driving abilities). Indicators will be collected for both patients and natural caregivers. This cognitive, social and psychological program should allow older individuals with cognitive disorders to drive more safely, and help to maintain the quality of life and mood of both patient and natural caregiver despite driving limitations. The patient's care path would be optimized, as he/she would become an actor in the process of giving up driving, which will, most certainly, be needed at some point in the progress of neurocognitive disorders. This process ranges from becoming aware of driving difficulties, to implementing self-regulation strategies, through to complete cessation of driving when necessary.Clinical trial registration numberNCT04493957