Evaluation of Rider's Support Systems in Power Two Wheelers (PTWs)

AbstractThe study aimed to investigate the potential of In-Vehicle Information Systems (IVIS) integration on motorcycles for the most crucial functionalities and develop efficient and rider-friendly interfaces and interaction elements for riders comfort and safety. The main objectives were to estimate the safety impact and user acceptance of the prototypes in a series of pilot applications within the SAFERIDER project.Field tests were conducted with a Piaggio MP3 Hybrid. The On-Bike Information System (OBIS) evaluated was the Navigation and Route guidance (NV, RG) with three different HMIs: Visual (display) Acoustic & Haptic (Smart Helmet). 18 riders (37 ±8.5 years old) participated in the field tests and completed a questionnaires’ battery on workload and user acceptance for each condition (i.e. HMI).Higher values were observed for the haptic HMI (5.5±1.21), then for the audio (4.51±0.84) and the lower for the visual display of the navigator (3.87±0.79) for both usability and acceptance. Sensory load is increased with the visual and audio HMI and decrease significantly (p<.05) with the vibration signals within the helmet. Moreover, the NV+RG experience was perceived as more stressful than the audio and haptic; with the latter being of significant magnitude (p<.05). Statistically significant higher physical activity is required in the visually demanding condition (Navigation and Route Guidance display) compared to the haptic signalling condition (p=.015). Safety, performance and derived enjoyment by the riding experience are increased and perceived risk is decreased.Overall, the haptic HMI was the most preferred and was perceived as safer for the Navigation and Route Guidance system. Moreover, most participants believed that they would use it in urban and unfamiliar traffic environments as it was more appealing and pleasant

Plant condensates: no longer membrane-less?

Cellular condensation is a reinvigorated area of study in biology, with scientific discussions focusing mainly on the forces that drive condensate formation, properties, and functions. Usually, condensates are called 'membrane-less' to highlight the absence of a surrounding membrane and the lack of associated contacts. In this opinion article we take a different direction, focusing on condensates that may be interfacing with membranes and their possible functions. We also highlight changes in condensate material properties brought about by condensate-membrane interactions, proposing how condensates-membrane interfaces could potentially affect interorganellar communication, development, and growth, but also adaptation in an evolutionary context. We would thus like to stimulate research in this area, which is much less understood in plants com-pared with the animal field

Concentrating and sequestering biomolecules in condensates: impact on plant biology

Biomolecules can exist in a variety of forms, ranging from single entities to mesoscale assemblies akin to small organelles, also known as ‘biomolecular condensates’. The formation of biomolecular condensates is expedited by phase separation, in which molecules de-mix to form dilute and condensed phases. Phase separation results in concentrating or sequestering certain molecules, thus altering their abundance or other features in the phases and in this way inhibiting or promoting biochemical reactions. Here, we discuss recent research implicating biomolecular condensates in the regulation of biochemical reactions in plants

Improving knowledge discovery from synthetic aperture radar images using the linked open data cloud and Sextant

In the last few years, thanks to projects like TELEIOS, the linked open data cloud has been rapidly populated with geospatial data some of it describing Earth Observation products (e.g., CORINE Land Cover, Urban Atlas). The abundance of this data can prove very useful to the new missions (e.g., Sentinels) as a means to increase the usability of the millions of images and EO products that are expected to be produced by these missions. In this paper, we explain the relevant opportunities by demonstrating how the process of knowledge discovery from TerraSAR-X images can be improved using linked open data and Sextant, a tool for browsing and exploration of linked geospatial data, as well as the creation of thematic maps

Extending Design Thinking with Digital Technologies

The use of emerging technologies (ET), such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), 3D printing and Virtual Robotics (VR) are amongst the EU targeted actions for supporting the digital transformation of education (Digital Education Action Plan, 2021-2027). Yet, despite these technologies being accessible to education stakeholders, there is a lack of concrete pedagogy and teachers' professional development for their meaningful infusion into the current educational context. Extending Design Thinking with Emerging Digital Technologies (Exten (D.T.)2 ) is a [name of funder removed] project aiming to use: AI, AR, VR and 3D printing technologies, to enhance the pedagogical value, sustainable digitization and potential for wide deployment of Design Thinking (DT). DT (Brown, 2008) is a promising pedagogical innovation, based on interdisciplinary co-creation, that can lead to sustainable and feasible product solutions, which has yet to be tested widely in education. Through Design-Based Research (DBR) and a co-production approach with teachers, Exten (D.T.)2 will use emerging technologies and design thinking to design, pilot and scale up a sustainable learning implementation that can foster students' 21st century skills

Managing big, linked, and open earth-observation data: Using the TELEIOS/LEO software stack

Big Earth-observation (EO) data that are made freely available by space agencies come from various archives. Therefore, users trying to develop an application need to search within these archives, discover the needed data, and integrate them into their application. In this article, we argue that if EO data are published using the linked data paradigm, then the data discovery, data integration, and development of applications becomes easier. We present the life cycle of big, linked, and open EO data and show how to support their various stages using the software stack developed by the European Union (EU) research projects TELEIOS and the Linked Open EO Data for Precision Farming (LEO). We also show how this stack of tools can be used to implement an operational wildfire-monitoring service

Real-Time Wildfire Monitoring Using Scientific Database and Linked Data Technologies

We present a real-time wildfire monitoring service that exploits satellite images and linked geospatial data to detect hotspots and monitor the evolution of fire fronts. The service makes heavy use of scientific database technologies (array databases, SciQL, data vaults) and linked data technologies (ontologies, linked geospatial data, stSPARQL) and is implemented on top of MonetDB and Strabon. The service is now operational at the National Observatory of Athens and has been used during the previous summer by emergency managers monitoring wildfires in Greece

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat