Search Results (172)

In recent years, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, also known as drones) have gained widespread application in fields such as data collection and inspection, owing to their lightweight design and high mobility. However, due to limitations in battery life, UAVs are often unable to independently complete large-scale data collection tasks. To address this limitation, vehicle–drone collaborative data collection has emerged as an effective solution. Existing research, however, primarily focuses on collaborative work in static task scenarios, overlooking the complexities of dynamic environments. In dynamic scenarios, tasks may arrive during the execution of both the vehicle and UAV, and each drone has different positions and remaining endurance, creating an asymmetric state. This introduces new challenges for path planning. To tackle this challenge, we propose a 0–1 integer programming model aimed at minimizing the total task completion time. Additionally, we introduce an efficient dynamic solving algorithm, referred to as Greedy and Adaptive Memory Process-based Dynamic Algorithm (GAMPDA). This algorithm first generates an initial global data collection plan based on the initial task nodes and dynamically adjusts the current data collection scheme using a greedy approach as new task nodes arrive during execution. Through comparative experiments, it was demonstrated that GAMPDA outperforms SCAN and LKH in terms of time cost, vehicle travel distance, and drone flight distance and approaches the ideal results. GAMPDA significantly enhances task completion efficiency in dynamic scenarios, providing an effective solution for collaborative data collection tasks in such environments. Full article

The United Nations has pushed for improved mobile connectivity, ensuring that 97% of the world’s population lives within reach of a mobile cellular signal. This is within the framework of objective nine regarding industry, innovation, and infrastructure for sustainable development. The next challenge is for users to know the quality of this service. The Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network’s quality of service (QoS) is evaluated with key performance indicators (KPI) that only specialists can interpret. This work aims to assess the QoS and effectiveness of the fourth-generation (4G) LTE network using a weighted fuzzy inference system. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is integrated to rank the fuzzy rules. The KPIs that are considered for the evaluation are download speed, upload speed, latency, jitter, packet loss rate, reference received signal power (RSRP), and reference received signal quality (RSRQ). The evaluated data were collected collaboratively with end-user equipment (UEs). Different usage scenarios are contemplated to define the importance according to the positive impact of the QoS of the LTE mobile network. The advantage of the weighted fuzzy inference system concerning the fuzzy inference system is that each KPI is assigned a different weight, which implies having rules with hierarchies. In this way, the weighted fuzzy inference system provides two indices of quality and effectiveness. It can be a valuable tool for end users and regulatory bodies to identify the quality of the LTE mobile network. Full article

This research addresses the challenges and opportunities for electric vehicle charging stations in Latin America. The transition to electric mobility is crucial to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, modernize the quality of life in urban areas, update public policies related to transportation, and promote economic development. However, this is not an easy task in this region; it faces several obstacles, such as a lack of liquidity in governments, a lack of adequate infrastructure, high implementation costs, the need for clear regulatory frameworks, and limited public awareness of the benefits of electric mobility. To this end, the current panorama of electric mobility in the region is analyzed, including current policies, the state of the charging infrastructure, and the prospects for growth regarding electric vehicles in Latin America. Factors that could lead to their successful implementation are promoted, highlighting the importance of public policies adapted to Latin American countries, collaboration between the public–private industry, the industry’s adoption of new technologies in this region, and the education of the population, and the benefits of these policies are considered. Successful case studies from the region are presented to provide us with an idea of practices that can be carried out in other countries. The implementation of a charging system in Latin America is also studied; the successful implementation of charging systems is found to depend largely on the existence of integrated public policies that address aspects other than the charging infrastructure. Finally, the value of the work and the research findings are presented to indicate what this study can help with. These strategies are key to overcoming the challenges and maximizing the benefits of electric mobility in Latin America. Full article

Introduction: The objective of this narrative review is to examine the health risks associated with informal mining in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), with a particular focus on HIV prevention. It aims to review existing interventions targeting this population and identify challenges and opportunities for improvement. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library. Studies and reports published between 2000 and 2023 that focused on occupational health risks and HIV prevention interventions in the informal mining sector of SSA were included in the analysis. Results: Informal mining in SSA presents significant health risks to workers, including exposure to hazardous substances, poor working conditions, and limited access to healthcare. These factors, combined with the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the region, make informal miners particularly vulnerable to infection. The review identified several key themes related to occupational health risks, such as poor environmental and sanitation conditions, increased vulnerability due to factors like poverty and lack of education, and limited access to healthcare services. A variety of interventions have been implemented to address HIV prevention among informal miners in SSA. These include behavioral strategies like peer education and social marketing campaigns, as well as biomedical interventions such as counseling, testing, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). However, challenges persist in delivering effective HIV prevention services to this population. These challenges include restricted access to healthcare, the high mobility of miners, limited resources, and stigma associated with HIV. Conclusions: The findings of this review highlight the urgent need for integrated health services and tailored interventions that address the specific issues faced by informal miners in SSA. Community-based and culturally sensitive programs, developed in collaboration with mining communities, are essential for effective HIV prevention. Future research should evaluate the long-term impact of interventions and explore their scalability. To improve intervention effectiveness and sustainability, stakeholders should focus on community engagement, strengthening health systems, and addressing structural barriers. A multi-sectoral approach is necessary to tackle the broader determinants of health in mining communities. Full article

True crime podcasts invite their listeners to crowdsource investigations online, solving cases that have fallen through the cracks of the criminal justice system. Through a cultural criminologist lens, this digital ethnography examines The Vanished podcast as a case study of how true crime listeners engage with solving cases in digital community spaces. Previous studies have dismissed true crime fans as pseudo police acting as digital vigilantes. Podcasting communities provide an important public service, working as participatory journalists to investigate the story and report the truth. Rather than depending on law enforcement permission to organize, online crime-investigation communities leverage the Internet’s function as an organizing agent for mobilization beyond the parameters of conventional social structures and formal government agencies. Findings reveal a six-step process of case collaboration between podcast producers, active listeners, and family and friends of missing persons. Other communities can apply this unique system to successfully investigate crime, suggesting implications for individuals within marginalized groups less likely to find justice through the formal legal system. Full article

This paper addresses the challenge of preserving user privacy in location-based services (LBSs) by proposing a novel, complementary approach to existing privacy-preserving techniques such as k-anonymity and l-diversity. Our approach implements collaborative caching strategies within a mobile ad hoc network (MANET), exploiting the geographic of location-based queries (LBQs) to reduce data exposure to untrusted LBS servers. Unlike existing approaches that rely on centralized servers or stationary infrastructure, our solution facilitates direct data exchange between users’ devices, providing an additional layer of privacy protection. We introduce a new privacy entropy-based metric called accumulated privacy loss (APL) to quantify the privacy loss incurred when accessing either the LBS or our proposed system. Our approach implements a two-tier caching strategy: local caching maintained by each user and neighbor caching based on proximity. This strategy not only reduces the number of queries to the LBS server but also significantly enhances user privacy by minimizing the exposure of location data to centralized entities. Empirical results demonstrate that while our collaborative caching system incurs some communication costs, it significantly mitigates redundant data among user caches and reduces the need to access potentially privacy-compromising LBS servers. Our findings show a 40% reduction in LBS queries, a 64% decrease in data redundancy within cells, and a 31% reduction in accumulated privacy loss compared to baseline methods. In addition, we analyze the impact of data obsolescence on cache performance and privacy loss, proposing mechanisms for maintaining the relevance and accuracy of cached data. This work contributes to the field of privacy-preserving LBSs by providing a decentralized, user-centric approach that improves both cache redundancy and privacy protection, particularly in scenarios where central infrastructure is unreachable or untrusted. Full article

With the advancing development of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), there is a collaborative effort to increase safety in the airspace. AAM is an advancing field of aviation that aims to contribute to the safe transportation of goods and people using aerial vehicles. When aerial vehicles are operating in high-density locations such as urban areas, it can become crucial to incorporate collision avoidance systems. Currently, there are available pilot advisory systems such as Traffic Collision and Avoidance Systems (TCAS) providing assistance to manned aircraft, although there are currently no collision avoidance systems for autonomous flights. Standards Organizations such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA), and General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) are working to develop cooperative autonomous flights using UAS-to-UAS Communication in structured and unstructured airspaces. This paper presents a new approach for collision avoidance strategies within structured airspace known as “digital traffic lights”. The digital traffic lights are deployed over an area of land, controlling all UAVs that enter a potential collision zone and providing specific directions to mitigate a collision in the airspace. This strategy is proven through the results demonstrated through simulation in a Cesium Environment. With the deployment of the system, collision avoidance can be achieved for autonomous flights in all airspaces. Full article

The 21st century, known as the “metropolitan century”, saw urban populations exceed half the global populace. By 2035, emerging metropolises, particularly in Asia and Africa, highlight the urgent need for research on urban growth, demographics, and mobility’s role in sustainable development. The objective of this study is to explore the key aspects of mobility essential for sustaining metropolitan regions, with a focus on the case of Greater London. The research aims to understand, through interview analysis and urban theories, how mobility contributes to socio-spatial equity, connectivity, and integrated governance, highlighting the importance of sustainability—such as decarbonization and the promotion of non-motorized transport—in the context of global sustainable development commitments. This research, through a convergent analysis of interviewees’ responses, has identified thirty-one fundamental attributes to enhance our understanding of sustainable mobility. The results indicate that mobility is a key driver for socio-spatial equity, connectivity, and integrated governance within metropolitan regions; it also shows that successful infrastructure work necessarily calls for collaboration between different administrative levels. Finally, the imperative for sustainability in mobility—as exemplified by decarbonization and the encouragement of non-motorized transport—arises as an urgent element in ordering development at the urban scale vis-à-vis global sustainability commitments, such as SDG 11. Full article

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, are omnipresent and have grown in popularity due to their wide potential use in many civilian sectors. Equipped with sophisticated sensors and communication devices, drones can potentially form a multi-UAV system, also called an autonomous swarm, in which UAVs work together with little or no operator control. According to the complexity of the mission and coverage area, swarm operations require important considerations regarding the intelligence and self-organization of the UAVs. Factors including the types of drones, the communication protocol and architecture, task planning, consensus control, and many other swarm mobility considerations must be investigated. While several papers highlight the use cases for UAV swarms, there is a lack of research that addresses in depth the challenges posed by deploying an intelligent UAV swarm. Against this backdrop, we propose a computation framework of a self-organized swarm for autonomous and collaborative missions. The proposed approach is based on the Leader–Followers paradigm, which involves the distribution of ROS nodes among follower UAVs, while leaders perform supervision. Additionally, we have integrated background services that autonomously manage the complexities relating to task coordination, control policy, and failure management. In comparison with several research efforts, the proposed multi-UAV system is more autonomous and resilient since it can recover swiftly from system failure. It is also reliable and has been deployed on real UAVs for outdoor survey missions. This validates the applicability of the theoretical underpinnings of the proposed swarming concept. Experimental tests carried out as part of an area coverage mission with 6 quadcopters (2 leaders and 4 followers) reveal that the proposed swarming concept is very promising and inspiring for aerial vehicle technology. Compared with the conventional planning approach, the results are highly satisfactory, highlighting a significant gain in terms of flight time, and enabling missions to be achieved rapidly while optimizing energy consumption. This gives the advantage of exploring large areas without having to make frequent downtime to recharge and/or charge the batteries. This manuscript has the potential to be extremely useful for future research into the application of unmanned swarms for autonomous missions. Full article

Extreme weather, such as rainstorms, often triggers faults in the distribution network, and power outages occur. Some serious faults cannot be repaired by one team alone and may require equipment replacement or engineering construction crews to work together. Rainstorms can also lead to road damage or severe waterlogging, making some road sections impassable. Based on this, this paper first establishes a road network model to describe the dynamic changes in access performance and road damage. It provides the shortest time-consuming route suggestions for the traffic access of mobile class resources in the post-disaster recovery task of power distribution networks. Then, the model proposes a joint repair model with general repair crew (GRC) and senior repair crew (SRC) collaboration. Different types of faults match different functions of repair crews (RCs). Finally, the proposed scheme is simulated and analyzed in a road network and power grid extreme post-disaster recovery model, including a mobile energy storage system (MESS) and distributed power sources. The simulation finds that considering road damage and severe failures produces a significant difference in the progress and load loss of the recovery task. The model proposed in this paper is more suitable for the actual scenario requirements, and the simulation results and loss assessment obtained are more accurate and informative. Full article

Caries is among the most common non-communicable diseases worldwide, yet it is commonly described as preventable. Caries prevention is, however, difficult and complex, since the disease has strong social, parental, behavioral, political, medical/genetic, and psychological elements, and the payment models are targeted at traditional conservative care. The aim of this paper is to discuss some key issues that make caries prevention in children be perceived as “difficult”: i) the communication gap between researchers and clinicians, creating unrealistic expectations of intervention efficacy; ii) the skewed distribution of caries and the problem of reaching children with the highest need; iii) limited access to care, which is a threat to oral health, in particular in low-socioeconomic-status, underserviced, and remote communities; and iv) the need to adopt behavior change models to affect the modifiable risk factors that are shared with other non-communicable diseases. Dentists cannot simply rely on fluoride exposure; proper education and training in caries risk assessment, behavior change models targeted at oral hygiene and sugar intake, and collaboration with primary healthcare and local school authorities are avenues that aid in caries prevention and reduce the uneven burden of the disease. Online education and mobile apps may help to promote oral health in areas with shortages of dental work force. Full article

The Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) and the Infrared Working Group of the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC-IRWG) are two ground-based networks that provide the retrieved concentrations of up to 30 atmospheric trace gases, using solar absorption spectrometry. Both networks provide reference measurements for the validation of satellites and models. TCCON concentrates on long-lived greenhouse gases (GHGs) for carbon cycle studies and validation. The number of sites is limited, and the geographical coverage is uneven, covering mainly Europe and the USA. A better distribution of stations is desired to improve the representativeness of the data for various atmospheric conditions and surface conditions and to cover a large latitudinal distribution. The two successive Fiducial Reference Measurements for Greenhouse Gases European Space Agency projects (FRM4GHG and FRM4GHG2) aim at the assessment of several low-cost portable instruments for precise measurements of GHGs to complement the existing ground-based sites. Several types of low spectral resolution Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometers manufactured by Bruker, namely an EM27/SUN, a Vertex70, a fiber-coupled IRCube, and a Laser Heterodyne spectro-Radiometer (LHR) developed by UK Rutherford Appleton Laboratory are the participating instruments to achieve the Fiducial Reference Measurements (FRMs) status. Intensive side-by-side measurements were performed using all four instruments next to the Bruker IFS 125HR high spectral resolution FTIR, performing measurements in the NIR (TCCON configuration) and MIR (NDACC configuration) spectral range. The remote sensing measurements were complemented by AirCore launches, which provided in situ vertical profiles of target gases traceable to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reference scale. The results of the intercomparisons are shown and discussed. Except for the EM27/SUN, all other instruments, including the reference TCCON spectrometer, needed modifications during the campaign period. The EM27/SUN and the Vertex70 provided stable and precise measurements of the target gases during the campaign with quantified small biases. As part of the FRM4GHG project, one EM27/SUN is now used as a travel standard for the verification of column-integrated GHG measurements. The extension of the Vertex70 to the MIR provides the opportunity to retrieve additional concentrations of N₂O, CH₄, HCHO, and OCS. These MIR data products are comparable to the retrieval results from the high-resolution IFS 125HR spectrometer as operated by the NDACC. Our studies show the potential for such types of spectrometers to be used as a travel standard for the MIR species. An enclosure system with a compact solar tracker and meteorological station has been developed to house the low spectral resolution portable FTIR systems for performing solar absorption measurements. This helps the spectrometers to be mobile and enables autonomous operation, which will help to complement the TCCON and NDACC networks by extending the observational capabilities at new sites for the observation of GHGs and additional air quality gases. The development of the retrieval software allows comparable processing of the Vertex70 type of spectra as the EM27/SUN ones, therefore bringing them under the umbrella of the COllaborative Carbon Column Observing Network (COCCON). A self-assessment following the CEOS-FRM Maturity Matrix shows that the COCCON is able to provide GHG data products of FRM quality and can be used for either short-term campaigns or long-term measurements to complement the high-resolution FTIR networks. Full article

The definition, characterization and implementation of Positive Energy Districts is crucial in the path towards urban decarbonization and energy transition. However, several issues still must be addressed: the need for a clear and comprehensive definition, and the settlement of a consistent design approach for Positive Energy Districts. As emerged throughout the workshop held during the fourth edition of Smart and Sustainable Planning for Cities and Regions Conference (SSPCR 2022) in Bolzano (Italy), further critical points are also linked to the planning, modeling and assessment steps, besides sustainability aspects and stakeholders’ involvement. The “World Café” methodology adopted during the workshop allowed for simple—but also effective and flexible—group discussions focused on the detection of key PED characteristics, such as morphologic, socio-economic, demographic, technological, quality-of-life and feasibility factors. Four main work groups were defined in order to allow them to share, compare and discuss around five main PED-related topics: energy efficiency, energy flexibility, e-mobility, soft mobility, and low-carbon generation. Indeed, to properly deal with PED challenges and crucial aspects, it is necessary to combine and balance these technologies with enabler factors like financing instruments, social innovation and involvement, innovative governance and far-sighted policies. This paper proposes, in a structured form, the main outcomes of the co-creation approach developed during the workshop. The importance of implementing a holistic approach was highlighted: it requires a systematic and consistent integration of economic, environmental and social aspects directly connected to an interdisciplinary cross-sectorial collaboration between researchers, policymakers, industries, municipalities, and citizens. Furthermore, it was reaffirmed that, to make informed and reasoned decisions throughout an effective PED design and planning process, social, ecological, and cultural factors (besides merely technical aspects) play a crucial role. Thanks to the valuable insights and recommendations gathered from the workshop participants, a conscious awareness of key issues in PED design and implementation emerged, and the fundamental role of stakeholders in the PED development path was confirmed. Full article

While the planet Earth will survive the accelerating climate and nature crisis, humankind may not. As part of its work to halt the global climate and nature crisis, while generating a distributed prosperity, the United Nations has unanimously agreed on sustainable development goals. The achievement of these goals depends on the mobilization of local knowledge and resources, and the creation of a sense of joint ownership over new and bold solutions. Co-creation that brings together relevant and affected actors in emergent processes of collaboration, learning, and innovation offer a path to localized green transitions. However, little is known about how public governance can prompt, support, and scaffold the local co-creation of green solutions. Bridging extant literatures in the field of collaborative and networked governance, this theory-building article aims to identify a number of governance factors conducive for the local co-creation of green transitions. The resulting theoretical framework allows us to conjecture about which governance factors will be critical in different socio-political contexts, thus facilitating future studies of contrasted governance paths to local green co-creation. Full article

Safety concerns are progressively emerging regarding the adoption of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs) in diverse civil applications, particularly within the booming air transportation system, such as in Advanced Air Mobility. The outcomes of risk assessment determine operation authorization and mitigation strategies. However, civil UAS operations bring novel safety issues distinct from traditional aviation, like ground impact risk, etc. Existing studies vary in their risk definitions, modelling mechanisms, and objectives. There remains an incomplete gap of challenges, opportunities, and future efforts needed to collaboratively address diverse safety risks. This paper undertakes a comprehensive review of the literature in the domain, providing a summative understanding of the risk assessment of civil UAS operations. Specifically, four basic modelling approaches utilized commonly are identified comprising the safety risk management process, causal model, collision risk model, and ground risk model. Then, this paper reviews the state of the art in each category and explores the practical applications they contribute to, the support offered to participants from multiple stakeholders, and the primary technical challenges encountered. Moreover, potential directions for future work are outlined based on the high-level common problems. We believe that this review from a holistic perspective contributes towards better implementation of risk assessment in civil UAS operations, thus facilitating safe integration into the airspace system. Full article