Performance auctoriale et dispositif littéraire. Autour de « Pourquoi Bologne » d’Alain Farah

[Introduction] Dans une salle de classe de l’Université McGill, à Montréal, un jeune professeur en costume donne une séance de cours. Une cigarette électronique K808 Turbo Voluptueuse est posée sur son bureau pendant qu’il parle tantôt de littérature, tantôt des rapports conflictuels qu’il entretient avec sa mère. Ce professeur s’appelle Alain Farah et il est aussi écrivain. Il a publié un recueil de poésie, « Quelque chose se détache du port », avant de faire paraître son premier roman, « Matamore no 29 », suivi quelque temps plus tard de « Pourquoi Bologne ». [...

Assistive robotic device: evaluation of intelligent algorithms

Assistive robotic devices can be used to help people with upper body disabilities gaining more autonomy in their daily life. Although basic motions such as positioning and orienting an assistive robot gripper in space allow performance of many tasks, it might be time consuming and tedious to perform more complex tasks. To overcome these difficulties, improvements can be implemented at different levels, such as mechanical design, control interfaces and intelligent control algorithms. In order to guide the design of solutions, it is important to assess the impact and potential of different innovations. This paper thus presents the evaluation of three intelligent algorithms aiming to improve the performance of the JACO robotic arm (Kinova Robotics). The evaluated algorithms are 'preset position', 'fluidity filter' and 'drinking mode'. The algorithm evaluation was performed with 14 motorized wheelchair's users and showed a statistically significant improvement of the robot's performance.Comment: 4 page

L'européanisation de la politique étrangère de la Slovénie

L’intégration d’un État à l’Union européenne apporte des changements au sein des politiques nationales de cet État, phénomène connu sous le nom d’européanisation. Ce mémoire examine l’européanisation de la politique étrangère de la Slovénie et cherche à en établir la cause. Pour ce faire, une analyse du régime de politique étrangère et de sécurité commune (PESC) établit d’abord que l’intégration européenne a augmenté entre 1992 et 2006, de même que l’intégration de la Slovénie au régime de PESC. Ensuite, les résultats de quatre études de cas sur la politique étrangère slovène sont analysés à travers deux lentilles différentes : la théorie rationaliste et la théorie constructiviste. La conclusion de cette recherche empirico-déductive est que la théorie rationaliste explique mieux l’européanisation observée que la théorie constructiviste, et que ce sont donc des calculs coûts/bénéfices qui ont mené à l’européanisation de la politique étrangère de la Slovénie.The integration of a country into the European Union brings changes to the country’s national policies. This phenomenon is known as Europeanisation. This thesis looks into the Europeanisation of Slovenia’s foreign policy and tries to establish its cause. In order to do that, an analysis of the common foreign and security policy (CFSP) regime first establishes that European integration increased between 1992 and 2006. The same is true of Slovenia’s integration to the CFSP regime. The results of four case studies on Slovenia’s foreign policy are then analysed through two different prisms: the rationalist theory and the constructivist theory. This empirico-deductive research shows that the rationalist theory explains the observed Europeanisation better than the constructivist theory. It therefore concludes that costs/benefits calculations led to the Europeanisation of Slovenia’s foreign policy

How expensive is it to build a visitable home? : A case report

Loneliness and social isolation of older people or those with mobility impairments may result from the physical environment not being in correspondence to their degree of mobility. Winter conditions combined with the presence of steps at the entrance to homes are among the obstacles that prevent them from participating in social or community activities necessary for their well-being. The concept of visitability is proposed in order to allow seniors or individuals with mobility impairments to visit their loved ones. The three criteria for achieving the basic visitability of a residence are: 1) an entrance without a step at the front, back or side of the home (located on a path accessible from the street); 2) wide doors on the main floor (minimum 813 mm (32") opening); and 3) an adapted bathroom on the main floor. The objective of this study is to validate whether visitability can be an economically viable solution, through a comparative cost analysis, to enable older people or people with mobility impairments to visit their loved ones. The results of this case study demonstrate that the marginal costs of applying visitability criteria to new construction can be zero or negligible. These results indicate that the approach to visitability, both basic visitability and so-called improved visitability, should be taken into account more systematically by builders and developers in order to promote the social participation of older people or those with motor disabilities.Peer Reviewe

Co-design knowledge mobilization tools for universal accessibility in municipalities

IntroductionModern research teams are re-evaluating conventional methods with the aim of improving the usefulness of knowledge for users, focusing on the role of knowledge users in shaping innovation. In disability field, encouraging participatory research inherently involves diverse perspectives and inclusion, which aligns with the principles of universal accessibility. By actively involving individuals with various backgrounds, abilities, and needs in the research process, we can better understand and address the challenges faced in adopting universal accessibility. This approach ensures that solutions are more comprehensive, inclusive, and effectively cater to the needs of all individuals, fostering a more equitable and accessible environment for everyone. Despite municipal organizations mandating universal accessibility action plans, they lack tools for efficient implementation. The aim of this study was to develop knowledge mobilization tools tailored to a specific municipal context in Quebec, Canada, to facilitate the implementation of universal accessibility measures by municipal employees.MethodsThe co-design process employed in this study was organized into four distinct stages, following the Morales model: (1) Exploration (2) Co-Design (3) Validation (4) Development.ResultsStages one and two highlighted the employees' lack of awareness about universal accessibility issues and their need to have more information and resources about how universal accessibility is encountered in their work. A steering committee co-designed three video vignettes about universal accessibility, the city's action plan and measures included in it.DiscussionThe co-design approach used in this study allowed us to observe the non-linear nature of partnership research with an organization as complex as a municipality. Our study shows significant advantages of collaboration between the municipal sector and research

Development and validation of open-source activity intensity count and activity intensity classification algorithms from raw acceleration signals of wearable sensors

Background: A popular outcome in rehabilitation studies is the activity intensity count, which is typically measured from commercially available accelerometers. However, the algorithms are not openly available, which impairs long-term follow-ups and restricts the potential to adapt the algorithms for pathological populations. The objectives of this research are to design and validate open-source algorithms for activity intensity quantification and classification. Methods: Two versions of a quantification algorithm are proposed (fixed [FB] and modifiable bandwidth [MB]) along with two versions of a classification algorithm (discrete [DM] vs. continuous methods [CM]). The results of these algorithms were compared to those of a commercial activity intensity count solution (ActiLife) with datasets from four activities (n = 24 participants). Results: The FB and MB algorithms gave similar results as ActiLife (r > 0.96). The DM algorithm is similar to a ActiLife (r ≥ 0.99). The CM algorithm differs (r ≥ 0.89) but is more precise. Conclusion: The combination of the FB algorithm with the DM results is a solution close to that of ActiLife. However, the MB version remains valid while being more adaptable, and the CM is more precise. This paper proposes an open-source alternative for rehabilitation that is compatible with several wearable devices and not dependent on manufacturer commercial decisions

Impact of the team wheels ehealth manual wheelchair training program : study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background Variable, and typically inadequate, delivery of skills training following manual wheelchair (MWC) provision has a detrimental impact on user mobility and participation. Traditional in-person delivery of training by rehabilitation therapists has diminished due to cost, travel time, and most recently social distancing restrictions due to COVID-19. Effective alternative training approaches include eHealth home training applications and interactive peer-led training using experienced and proficient MWC users. An innovative TEAM Wheels program integrates app-based self-training and teleconference peer-led training using a computer tablet platform. Objective This protocol outlines implementation and evaluation of the TEAM Wheels training program in a randomized control trial using a wait-list control group. Setting The study will be implemented in a community setting in three Canadian cities. Participants Individuals ≥ 18 years of age within one year of transitioning to use of a MWC. Intervention Using a computer tablet, participants engage in three peer-led teleconference training sessions and 75–150 minutes of weekly practice using a video-based training application over 4 weeks. Peer trainers individualize the participants’ training plans and monitor their tablet-based training activity online. Control group participants also receive the intervention following a 1-month wait-list period and data collection. Measurements Outcomes assessing participation; skill capacity and performance; self-efficacy; mobility; and quality of life will be measured at baseline and post-treatment, and at 6-month follow-up for the treatment group. Impact statement We anticipate that TEAM Wheels will be successfully carried out at all sites and participants will demonstrate statistically significant improvement in the outcome measures compared with the control grou

Intuitive adaptive orientation control of assistive robots for people living with upper limb disabilities

Robotic assistive devices enhance the autonomy of individuals living with physical disabilities in their day-to-day life. Although the first priority for such devices is safety, they must also be intuitive and efficient from an engineering point of view in order to be adopted by a broad range of users. This is especially true for assistive robotic arms, as they are used for the complex control tasks of daily living. One challenge in the control of such assistive robots is the management of the end-effector orientation which is not always intuitive for the human operator, especially for neophytes. This paper presents a novel orientation control algorithm designed for robotic arms in the context of human-robot interaction. This work aims at making the control of the robot's orientation easier and more intuitive for the user, in particular, individuals living with upper limb disabilities. The performance and intuitiveness of the proposed orientation control algorithm is assessed through two experiments with 25 able-bodied subjects and shown to significantly improve on both aspects

Patient and provider perspectives regarding criteria for patient prioritization in two specialized rehabilitation programs

To increase fairness and equity in access to rehabilitation services, a strategy emerging from the literature is patient prioritization. Selecting explicit prioritization criteria is a complex task because it is important to simultaneously consider the objectives of all stakeholders. The of this study was to compare service users’ and service providers’ perspectives regarding patient prioritization criteria in two rehabilitation programs. We conducted a multiple case study in two rehabilitation programs, i.e., a driving evaluation program and a compression garment manufacturing program. We sent a web-based survey asking two groups (patients and providers) to individually produce a set of criteria, then individual answers were coded and combined in a single set of criteria. Stakeholders identified a total of 32 criteria to prioritize patients. Some criteria, such as age, occupation, functional level, pain, absence of caregiver, and time since referral, were considered important by both stakeholders in both programs. Patients and providers tended to have similar opinions about criteria to prioritize patients in waitlists. Taking into consideration the opinions of all stakeholders concerning prioritization criteria is an important part of the decision-making process. Experience Framework This article is associated with the Quality & Clinical Excellence lens of The Beryl Institute Experience Framework (https://www.theberylinstitute.org/ExperienceFramework). Access other PXJ articles related to this lens. Access other resources related to this lens

Criterion validity of ActiGraph monitoring devices for step counting and distance measurement in adults and older adults: a systematic review

Background: Wearable activity monitors such as ActiGraph monitoring devices are widely used, especially in research settings. Various research studies have assessed the criterion validity of ActiGraph devices for step counting and distance estimation in adults and older adults. Although several studies have used the ActiGraph devices as a reference system for activity monitoring, there is no summarized evidence of the psychometric properties. The main objective of this systematic review was to summarize evidence related to the criterion validity of ActiGraph monitor‑ ing devices for step counting and distance estimation in adults and/or older adults. Methods: Literature searches were conducted in six databases (Medline (OVID), Embase, IEEExplore, CINAHL, Engi‑ neering Village and Web of Science). Two reviewers independently conducted selection, a quality analysis of articles (using COSMIN and MacDermid’s grids) and data extraction. Results: This review included 21 studies involving 637 participants (age 30.3±7.5 years (for adults) and 82.7±3.3 years (for older adults)). Five ActiGraph devices (7164, GT1M, wGTX+, GT3X+/wGT3X+and wGT3X − BT) were used to collect data at the hip, wrist and ankle to assess various walking and running speeds (ranging from 0.2 m/s to 4.44 m/s) over durations of 2 min to 3 days (13 h 30 mins per day) for step counting and distance esti‑ mation. The ActiGraph GT3X+/wGT3X+and wGT3X − BT had better criterion validity than the ActiGraph 7164, wGTX+and GT1M according to walking and running speeds for step counting. Validity of ActiGraph wGT3X+was good for distance estimation. Conclusion: The ActiGraph wGT3X − BT and GT3X+/wGT3X+have good criterion validity for step counting, under certain conditions related to walking speeds, positioning and data processing