bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
NATO in Afghanistan and the Communications Domain
Authors: Branco Carlos
Published: February 2025

This paper aims at addressing the subject of communications in military operations, focused in a very specific kind of operations - counterinsurgency - and in a specific place, i.e. Afghanistan. The author argues that Strategic Communications is a tool not designed to address the afghan population and the insurgents. He underlines the utmost importance of using Traditional Communications. He highlights the importance of social networks of interaction such as churches, tribes, groups of families, common languages, drug cartels and so forth and the crucial need to identify and understand the complicity, sophistication, interconnections and powers of these various intermingled networks to design a communications strategy. The author still argues that to increase the audience, it’s fundamental to look at means to spread messages through traditional message deliveries using for that afghan soldiers and police dully trained and mentored and with a strategy in place.”
NATO: Shaping the Correct Strategy for a Safer Tomorrow
Authors: Dubovyk Volodymyr
Published: February 2025

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is undergoing an important transformation. This is a well-known and mostly acknowledged fact, but everything else in there is out for questioning. What should the pace of this transformation be? Who is to lead in the process and to carry the bulk of operational and financial burden? How much of the consensus between the members on the overall mission of the Alliance there might be? What should the “newer” NATO’s priorities and modus operandi be? What is to happen to the NATO’s “sacred cows” such as an imperative of collective defense and others? Who should be invited into the Alliance, if any and where is that final frontier could be? What could be done so that the Alliance would have public on its side, both internationally and within the member-states? Should NATO continue along the road of becoming a global player and run those out or the traditional area operations, or should it rather retreat to its more familiar and better tested “backyard”? Finally, what sort of relations the Alliance should be building with its neighbors and major partners? This, certainly, is not an ultimate and comprehensive list of those strategic questions that one faces in looking at NATO’s today and, even more importantly so, its tomorrow. However, it does illustrate the intensity of the debate on the future role of the Euro-Atlantic Alliance.
NATO’s Strategic Concept
Authors: Gaspar Carlos
Published: February 2025

The debate on NATO’s Strategic Concept may prove to be an opportunity to discuss the nature of the Atlantic Alliance as the international pole of stability, its enduring responsibility for the collective defence of the Western allies and its role as a regional alliance with global responsibilities. The new Strategic Concept should take into account NATO’s new missions as an “expeditionary alliance” and the need to develop new partnerships, namely with democratic powers.
The European Union's Role in the South Caucasus
Authors: Akgül Açikmeşe Sinem
Published: February 2025

Throughout the nineties, the South Caucasus was a distant neighbour for the EU. However, because of pressures resulting from the EU's eastern enlargement which consumed most of the Union's energy in that very same period, EU thinking on the South Caucasus has changed. The aim of this chapter is to explain this flux in EU's policies towards the South Caucasus through the concepts of structural stability and short-term conflict prevention, terms borrowed from the Commission's conflict prevention lexicon. Employing these two concepts, the chapter explains the motives and the extent of EU involvement in the South Caucasus in two periods demarcated by the 2004/2007 big-bang enlargements. After comparing the EU's role before and after the eastern enlargement, this chapter suggests that the EU is becoming more powerful as a structural stabilizer dealing with the problems of the region at the grass-roots level, more so than as a security actor assuming direct roles in the resolution of the regional conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Economic Transformation and the Impacts of the Global Financial Crisis in the Southern Caucasus
Authors: Papava Vladimer
Published: February 2025

The South Caucasian economies suffer from the same basic problems as all the other post-Communist countries with the global financial crisis having created some general threats for all of the post-Communist countries of the world. Unlike developed economies, which are exposed to the threat of the zombie-ing of the economy under the conditions of a financial crisis, this threat is even greater for the post-Communist countries owing also to their exposure to the necroeconomy. Under the financial crisis, in all South Caucasian economies there is a paradoxical situation: Armenia has a “Paradox of a Diaspora,” Azerbaijan, a “Paradox of a Closed Economy,” and Georgia, a “Paradox of War.”
The Post-conflict South Caucasus within New Geopolitical Framework - View from Georgia
Authors: Kakachia Kornely K.
Published: February 2025

The August 2008 Russian invasion of Georgia and the unilateral recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia significantly transformed the geopolitical pattern in the South Caucasus in several ways. A significant challenge for regional security issues is the ongoing Armenian-Turkish rapprochement, which could also considerably change the security environment in the South Caucasus. The best alternative to maintain stability in the South Caucasus is regional integration. However, as a result of the unresolved conflicts, markedly different foreign-policy perspectives, and diverse security perceptions of the three post-Soviet states, the South Caucasus has come to be seen as a “broken region.” This paper deals with the political and security issues that significantly overshadow sub-regional, regional and inter-regional relations and examines the key obstacles to forging closer relations with regional players.
Illusive Regional Cooperation: The Case of the South Caucasus
Authors: Novikova Gayane
Published: February 2025

Regional cooperation is mainly defined by the correlation of political forces within a given region, the depth of existing contradictions between the main actors in that area, and the level of intervention by non-regional actors. One of the main conditions for the successful realization of cooperation is identifying threats and risks common for regional states and expressing readiness to jointly overcome existing problems for the sake of creating a favorable environment for cooperation.
Economics of Natural Resources and Transition in Southern Caucasus
Authors: Ibadoglu Gubad
Published: February 2025

This review paper will first explore the overall contemporary state of developments in South Caucasus countries. Providing the overall assessment of both economic and political transformations on the basis of cross-country situation analysis, it serves the need to identify the role of economic factors with regard to security in the South Caucasus. The security might be at risk of being further undermined in response to the continued global financial crisis and therefore, the paper is an attempt to foresee the potential threats and suggest a relevant course of actions in the South Caucasus.
Australians' Attitudes toward Culturally Similar and Culturally Dissimilar Migrants
Authors: Boldero Jennifer  , Whelan Jennifer
Published: February 2025

The objective of this chapter is to examine some of the factors that are associated with Australians' attitudes toward culturally similar and culturally dissimilar migrants, including those who are humanitarian migrants (i.e., asylum seekers and refugees). To do this, we set the scene in which migration occurs by briefly discussing the history of immigration to Australia and recent local events that may have influenced Australians' attitudes toward migrants. We then review past Australian research that indicates that Australians' attitudes toward migrants from different cultural backgrounds (e.g., migrants from the Middle East) or with different skills (e.g., well-educated migrants) are not the same and that these are likely predicted by individual difference factors. Finally, we discuss the results of our recent study that examined whether Australians form different discrete homogeneous groups (i.e., latent classes), based on their attitudes toward these migrant groups and the factors associated with latent class membership.
The Influence of Identification with Terrorism on the Integration Process: The Case of French Gendarmes with a Migrant Origin
Authors: Prud'homme Dorothée
Published: February 2025

This contribution focuses on the findings of a two-year qualitative empirical fieldwork carried out on the French Gendarmerie. It was possible to explore the motivation of the young descendants of immigrants to enter the French military police, the career path they envisage within this institution, the advantages or obstacles their perceived differences present for their engagement, and the racial discrimination some of them endure within a Republican institution based on equal treatment principle
Model-Based Testing
Authors: Timmer Mark  , Brinksma Ed  , Stoelinga Mariëlle
Published: February 2025

This paper provides a comprehensive introduction to a framework for formal testing using labelled transition systems, based on an extension and reformulation of the ioco theory introduced by Tretmans. We introduce the underlying models needed to specify the requirements, and formalise the notion of test cases. We discuss conformance, and in particular the conformance relation ioco. For this relation we prove several interesting properties, and we provide algorithms to derive test cases (either in batches, or on the fly).
Formal Verification
Authors: Harrison John
Published: February 2025

These lectures are intended to give a broad overview of the most important formal verification techniques. These methods are applicable to hardware, software, protocols etc. and even to checking proofs in pure mathematics, though I will emphasize the applications to verification. Since other lecturers will cover some of the topics in more detail (in particular model checking), my lectures will cover mainly the material on deductive theorem proving, which in any case is my special area of interest. The arrangement of material in these notes is roughly in order of logical complexity, starting with methods for propositional logic and leading up to general theorem proving, then finishing with a description of my own theorem proving program ‘HOL Light’ and an extended case study on the verification of a floating-point square root algorithm used by Intel.
Combinatorial Optimization in VLSI Design
Authors: Held Stephan  , Korte Bernhard  , Rautenbach Dieter  , Vygen Jens
Published: February 2025

VLSI design is probably the most fascinating application area of combinatorial optimization. Virtually all classical combinatorial optimization problems, and many new ones, occur naturally as subtasks. Due to the rapid technological development and major theoretical advances the mathematics of VLSI design has changed significantly over the last ten to twenty years. This survey paper gives an up-to-date account on the key problems in layout and timing closure. It also presents the main mathematical ideas used in a set of algorithms called BonnTools, which are used to design many of the most complex integrated circuits in industry.
Georgian Organized Crime in Europe. Structure, Links and Areas of Activity
Authors: Kupatadze Alexander
Published: February 2025

Georgia is famous for its large contribution to the community of professional criminals, i.e. criminal leaders with “high status” in criminal world. Although relatively new in Europe, Georgian organized crime has already matured into a serious problem for the law enforcers of some Western European countries, where they run important trafficking channels in drugs, stolen cars and humans among others. The criminal connections with the Russian mafia had already been established in Soviet prisons, and accompagnied the movement of the Russian mafia westwards with the collapse of the Berlin Wall. More recently (2202 & 2004), two major crackdowns on professional criminals in Georgia resulted into their migration, the majority to Russia while a smaller percentage went to Europe and United States. Empirical evidences suggest that operational and strategic links are highly likely between Georgian groups and criminal groups from Russia, Ukraine, Baltic States and other countries of former Soviet Union. However, Georgian crime groups are different from Russian crime groups, since they are mainly build on family and close friendship relationships, what makes them difficult to penetrate, also hiding under false passports and identifications. Thieves in law have distributed the territory, such as in European capitals, of their activities among themselves in influence areas or areas of operation, being responsible for all criminal activities in his area. Those main areas of operation of Georgian crime groups in Europe are France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Belgium, Spain and Anstria about which some cases of detected significant organized crime groups are presented.
Turkey and Illegal Migrations
Authors: Arslantaş Ali
Published: February 2025

Because of economic problems, political conflicts, and regional instabilities in the last thirty years, there has been a tendency for immigration especially from Africa, South America, Middle Asia, and Middle East. This process made countries define these movements as illegal migration, a fast growing problem that also affected Turkey mainly as transit country toward Western Europe, but also as target. Some immigration policies of the European countries encourage people to migrate into their countries because they are offering monetary aids to immigrants and accept asylum seekers without proper investigation. Yearly immigrant quotas of European countries make them a center of attraction and encourage people to immigrate. Not punishing illegal immigrants because of their entrance into the country illegally make precautions to prevent illegal immigrants useless, some countries solving this problem by providing later legal status to those whose status is illegal. Turkey is mostly a transit country because of its geographical location; because borders are difficult to control and because Turkey is the most democratic country in the region, while regimes changes and regional wars occurred in the countries located at the East and Southeast of the country. Corruption and gap in the authority of the governments, as well as economic problems make also people ready to fly away. It happens that illegal immigration organizations present Turkish people who are trying to migrate to European countries illegally as considered as terrorists in Turkey, in order to faster their acceptance. PKK/KONGRA-GEL terrorist groups provide security and false documents for the groups trafficking human beings from Asia and Middle East, and get a certain amount of share for each person transported. They also control such activities in Northern Iraq. Turkey is effectively arresting the traffickers, and intercepting the illegal immigrants, but international cooperation remains vital.
Commission for Establishing of Property Acquired from Criminal Activities
Authors: Kouchlev Stoyan
Published: February 2025

Not only direct prosecution of sectorial criminal activities such as trade in human beings, but also indirect ones such as prosecution of money laundering, gives a decisive contribution to the fight against criminal networks, as the profit is the driving force of such activities.
Behaviour Monitoring and Interpretation
Authors: Gottfried Björn  , Aghajan Hamid K.
Published: February 2025

The notion of well-being has been treated in as diverse disciplines as engineering, sociology, and philosophy. This volume offers a perspective to the latest trends in research and development in well-being of humans across a subset of the involved disciplines. This introductory chapter provides an overview of the subsequent chapters and discusses the challenges shaping the future research agenda for technologies that support well-being.
Tracking Systems for Multiple Smart Home Residents
Authors: Crandall Aaron S.  , Cook Diane J.
Published: February 2025

Once a smart home system moves to a multi-resident situation, it becomes significantly more important that individuals are tracked in some manner. By tracking individuals the events received from the sensor platform can then be separated into different streams and acted on independently by other tools within the smart home system. This process improves activity detection, history building and personalized interaction with the intelligent space.
Electron Microscopic 3D Reconstruction Analysis of Amyloid Deposits in 3xTg-AD Mice and Aged Canines
Authors: Nuntagij Paworn  , Kotchabhakdi Naiphinich  , Torp Reidun
Published: February 2025

Little is known about how amyloid-β (Aβ) is deposited in relation to the complex ultrastructure of the brain. Here we combined serial section immunoelectron microscopy with 3D reconstruction to elucidate the spatial relationship between Aβ deposits and ultrastructurally identified cellular compartments. The analysis was performed in a transgenic mouse model with mutant presenilin-1, and mutant amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) and tau transgenes (3xTg-AD mice) and in aged dogs that develop Aβ plaques spontaneously. Reconstructions based on serial ultrathin sections of hippocampus (mice) or neocortex (dogs) that had been immunolabeled with Aβ (Aβ1–42) antibodies showed that the organization of extracellular Aβ deposits is more complex than anticipated from light microscopic analyses. In both species, deposits were tightly associated with plasma membranes of pyramidal cell bodies and major dendrites. The deposits typically consisted of thin sheets as well as slender tendrils that climbed along the large caliber dendritic stems of pyramidal neurons. No preferential association was observed between Aβ deposits and thin dendritic branches or spines, nor was there any evidence of preferential accumulation of Aβ around synaptic contacts or glial processes. Our data suggest that plaque formation is a precisely orchestrated process that involves specialized domains of dendrosomatic plasma membranes.
“Huys” – a New Automated System for Current Seismic Hazard Assessment
Authors: Petrosyan Hrachya M.
Published: February 2025

Expert systems for current seismic hazard assessment (CSHA) are ensuring successful assessments. The new automated system, “Huys”, for CSHA was developed at the NSSP. At present the zone S of current seismic hazard, and its time interval Δt for earthquakes with Mmax≥M≥3.5, are defined by “Huys”. The value of Mmaxfor S zone is defined through seismological data. The “Huys” software is a self-educational program with everyday data acquisition. Retrospective testing of the “Huys” software for the 8 seismic events with M≥3.7 that occurred in Armenia in 1993-2007, resulted in good coincidence of distances between the epicentres of tested earthquakes and computed zones of current seismic hazard, as well as between computed times of earthquakes and the actual time. Maximum magnitude Mmaxwas defined through seismological methods.
A Complex System (“KIANK”) for Estimating the State of Natural Disaster Geodynamics
Authors: Gevorgyan Rudolf G.  , Akhverdyan Leon A.
Published: February 2025

During recent decades the number of emergencies caused by nature has tended to grow worldwide. The sharp growth in population density, urbanization and intensive industrialization, particularly in the developing countries, increases the population's vulnerability to a greater extent. Several countries experience devastating consequences of natural disasters over quite a long time span, consuming a significant part of the national budget. Human efforts are directed mainly at the minimization of the destructive consequences of natural disasters. It is obvious that the successful solution of the above-mentioned arduous socio-economic and scientific-technical problem is closely related to the possibility of developing reliable methods of forecasting natural disasters.
Assessing Hazards and Risks from Hydro-Meteorological Phenomena in the Republic of Armenia
Authors: Boynagryan V.R.  , Stepanyan V.E.
Published: February 2025

The increase in destructive capacity and frequency of dangerous hydrometeorological phenomena, as well as the resultant economic damage, is marked. It is concluded that the recent activity of these phenomena in Armenia, and all over the world, is connected with a certain natural rhythm which is displayed by a global rise in climatic temperature and its consequences.
Environmental Problems of Radiation and Chemical Environmental Pollution: Monitoring Controls and Mechanisms for Safety Measurements
Authors: Bagiyan Valeri  , Gasparyan Arayik  , Movsesyan Armen
Published: February 2025

The 21stcentury is characterised by a tendency of annual increases in technogenic accidents. The growth of the population and urbanization of rural areas without corresponding planning, is fraught with potential emergency situations and risks of ecological damage. The analysis of foreign and domestic experience shows that high technogenic and ecological risks originate from radiation and chemical accidents. The problems of monitoring controls relate to, for example, the timely indication of chemical and radiating pollution, and carrying out appropriate laboratory research. In regard to water pollution, particularly by the mining and process industries, there are serious deficiencies in monitoring ecological damage. It is necessary to develop strategic targets that will enable the early detection and the control of radiating and chemical dangers, as well as enable the formation of forces for reacting to emergency situations, all equipped with the modern equipment. This paper shows the results of activities by bodies such as the Ministry of Emergency Situations of RA, and other state structures in the field, on the decrease in social and economic risks to the environment from the mass of pollution by harmful radioactive and chemical compounds. Great attention is given to all-round comprehension of the developed domestic situation and the development of adequate measures and protective actions for maintenance of the vital interests of the population and preservation of quality of environment.
Methods of Decreasing Washout Risks for the Zangezur Copper Molybdenum Enterprise Tailings Dumps
Authors: Manukyan Levon A.
Published: February 2025

This paper is dedicated to the actual problem of the mudflow protection of the closed-down tailing dumps in the Republic of Armenia. Statistical data are held for the mudflow originating in the gorge of the river Vokhchi where three tailings dumps are now formed. The author designed the hydrographs of the storm high water of 0.001% frequency for the river Vokhchi ranges on the territory of tailings dump location. It is pointed out that now the total throughput capacity of the three water discharge tunnels of the large tailings dumps is lower than 30%. The methods of protecting closed-down tailings dumps against powerful mudflow streams, and high water levels of lower frequency, by varying the nature of the exploitation of the existing water discharge tunnels, No l, 2 and 3, of the tailings dump, and by constructing other engineering links, are designed in this paper.
Methods of Population Warning and Communication in the Case of Landslips
Authors: Strungaru Ştefan-Adrian  , Toma Alexandru  , Toma Ovidiu
Published: February 2025

Chain-reaction communication is a way to teach a large number of people in a short time to interact in the case of landslips as zonal and regional disasters.
Assistance in Raising Population Awareness and Preparedness in Zones Affected by Industrial Emergencies
Authors: Sahakyan K.
Published: February 2025

Along with rehabilitation of various industries, Armenia takes steps to reduce their adverse impact on environment and human health. For that purpose a series of national laws has been adopted and a number of international conventions ratified. In 1996 Armenia ratified UN ECC “Convention on Trans-boundary effects of Industrial Accidents” (1992, Helsinki), and Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Trans-boundary Context (Espoo, 1991). Besides, a number of legal documents and environmental conventions regulating issues related to public awareness-raising and public participation in decision making process have been adopted. The project was funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety of Germany and was aimed at implementation of the Helsinki Convention Provisions. The RA Ministry of Nature Protection was the project coordinator and JINJ Ltd. engineering-consulting company was responsible for the project implementation. The project duration was one year and was implemented at “Mego Gold” Ltd. under “Global Gold Mining” company (functioning in mining sector and mainly engaged in gold mines study and exploitation), considering the plant tailing pit as the main facility.
Opportunities for using World Wide Web Platforms as Knowledge-Transfer Systems in the Disaster Management Process
Authors: Lobiuc Andrei  , Toma Alexandru  , Toma Ovidiu
Published: February 2025

There is currently no faster growing, wider-exposure and information storage capacity platform than the Internet. Next to mobile telephones in terms of communication speed, the Internet stands out as a vital tool for handling data on past and future disasters. While it is up to researchers and research equipment to actually predict some emergency situations, the only way to efficiently avoid natural and, especially, man-made long-term disasters, is to disseminate knowledge about them in a manner that ensures reception and feed-back. The question is how the World Wide Web could play a key role in avoiding what could otherwise be unpredictable.
Future Concepts in Defence Against Nuclear/Radiological Terrorism
Authors: Kibaroglu Mustafa  , Gurzel Aylin
Published: February 2025

Since the September 11 attacks, the international community has realized that terrorist groups exist with the intent, and the capacity to some extent, to inflict deaths on a massive scale, which may be by using Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), namely biological, chemical or nuclear weapons. In addition, the use of a “dirty bomb”-a radiological weapon-would be a much easier option for the non-state actors.
The Prevention of CBRN Terrorism
Authors: Peša Martin
Published: February 2025

The entire spectrum of threats caused by terrorists is vast, therefore this paper is focused on CBRN threats only. These issues have been frequently described in various documents but despite this, it might be beneficial to recall some general facts. Furthermore, although the main effort should be focused on nuclear and radiological issues, it could be worthwhile to mention some elementary points associated with the entire WMD family, principally due to the similarity of how to respond to them and especially because chemical and biological threats are usually assumed to be more probable. According to a WMD commission finding, there are three main categories of threat which are valid for all WMD varieties: from existing weapons, from their spread to additional states (proliferation), and from their possible acquisition or use by terrorists.
The Final FRR Components
Authors: Groothuizen Theo J.J.  , Rist Atilla  , Van Weeren Marja H.  , Dekker Dries  , De Bruin Renate  , Molenbroek Johan F.M.
Published: February 2025

The design challenge within the Friendly Rest Room project has been to anticipate the needs of individual users, in particular older persons and people with disabilities, and to combine this with serving the needs of a far less specific audience, of secondary users (e.g. caretakers, cleaning personnel) and even tertiary users (e.g. facility managers). From start it was clear that the participating project partners did not all share the same view and expectations about how to approach the big design challenge to and about the exact process to follow. The first exploration of the use of a rest room by older or disabled users and additional statistics on accidents showed that many problems occur while entering the rest room, moving through the rest room and while preparing for toileting. The design team focused strongly on finding feasible solutions aimed to improve physical safety and the perception of safety. Ergonomic variables related to the use of a rest room played a central role. For that, the design team explored the use of a rest room by the target user groups and analysed the relation between functions in the rest room and potential user problems and risks. Based on those findings, it was proposed to distinguish three functional areas in a rest room: the access, the transfer and the toilet area. In 3 and later in 5 countries prototypes were built and tested. Finally the integrated version was user tested in a nursing home in Vienna during 3 months. The resulted knowledge was disseminated in a conference, in this book and several conference papers and a in a commercial version produced by Clear Solution, Debrecen Hungary.
Elderly and People with Disabilities - Limitations in their Everyday Life
Authors: Sourtzi Panayota  , Menezello Terezinha
Published: February 2025

The proportion of older people (65+) in the population is increasing steadily worldwide due to longer life expectancy and decreasing birth rates. The ageing population often presents with chronic diseases that result into limitations in the activities of daily living. People with disabilities, either congenital or acquired, also face various degrees of limitations and need some form of assistance. Disabilities in general and limitations that are common in old age, including epidemiological data, are discussed. Indubitably, the need for adapting the living environment of this population becomes apparent. Three case studies with older people and people with disabilities in different situations are presented as examples of adaptation of the bathroom area. Concrete solutions that have been proposed with respect to their limitations and the way they successfully solved their problems by means of home adaptations using mostly low-tech solutions are described. Overall, these three cases encompass typical situations encountered by aging and disabled persons.
Concept, Setting up and First Results from a Real Life Installation of an Improved Toilet System at a Care Institution in Austria
Authors: Gentile Nadia  , Dayé Christian  , Edelmayer Georg  , Egger de Campo Marianne  , Mayer Peter  , Panek Paul  , Schlathau Robert
Published: February 2025

The last phase of the Friendly Rest Room (FRR)-project was explicitly dedicated to the validation of the conceptual and technical solutions developed within the preceding years. Validation in this context means to assess whether the project has reached its objectives. As FRR is a project within the Quality of Life Programme, the main objective was to contribute to an enhancement of the quality of life of old people (and people with disabilities). In order to be able to investigate whether the quality of life of the target group could be improved by the toilet system developed within the FRR-project, a prototype must be set up in an adequate context, i.e., in an area where, in contrast to a laboratory situation, a ‘normal’ use is possible. This chapter describes the concept and the setting up of a real life installation of an improved toilet system which was carried out at a day care centre in Vienna, Austria. Furthermore, first results from this validation phase (29 primary users and 12 secondary users carried out 316 toilet sessions over a period of two months) are reported. It could be shown that the new toilet system increases safety and autonomy from point of view of primary and secondary users and that the toilet was more than well accepted in the day to day practice of the day care centre.
Biomechanical Aspects of Defecation with Implications for the Height of the Toilet
Authors: Snijders Chris J.  , Molenbroek Johan F.M.  , Plante Rozemarijn A.
Published: February 2025

Study Design: Questionnaire on impairments, biomechanics of posture and anthropometrics of seating height. Objective: To question the suitability of a higher toilet for the elderly. Methods: The first study is a verbal inquiry held among fourteen elderly of which twelve were living independently in a care institute and two needed help for daily activities. This chapter is a selection of aspects related to toilet height. The second study deals with biomechanics of pelvic floor geometry in relation to sitting posture with in vitro and in vivo measurements. The third study was an analysis of anthropometric data for the determination of the optimal range of adjustable toilet height. Conclusions: Increase of height above the standard seems to be detrimental for defecation because of increase of hip angle and reduction of postural mobility. For standing up firm foot contact is a prerequisite which requires a toilet at popliteal height. Herewith hand grips in front of the impaired should be a basic convenience.
Designing for Older People's Experience of Bathing
Authors: Boess Stella U.
Published: February 2025

Design work was done for the interior of an assisted bathroom in a sheltered housing complex for older people in England. The study included initial research with potential users, the design work and an evaluation of the design outcomes with actual users. An analysis is presented of the extent to which the outcomes of the design work contributed to the enhancement of well-being of users. Conclusions are drawn on a useful approach to the design of assistive environments. Firstly, an integrative perspective should be adopted that considers various stakeholder needs and integrates them in a desirable overall impression. Secondly, designers should regard assistive technology from the users' perspective, including a critical view on it. And thirdly, designers should take what can be observed from users as a point of departure, and then project their own ideas of what is desirable over that situation, towards proposals that go beyond what already exists.
Anthropometrical Aspects of a Friendly Rest Room
Authors: Molenbroek Johan F.M.  , De Bruin Renate
Published: February 2025

To give an impression of the aspects involved in the study of body spaces in toilet environment. There are only a few anthropometrical sources about elderly and disabled people. For the purpose of toilet environment this is even rarer. First a new measurement study was prepared within the consortium to fill the gap. But after reconsideration of the time, budget and available human resources the plan was changed in using existing resources in close relation with observational studies. The data from the Geron-project (1993-1998) in Delft have mainly been used as a basic source of raw data. This seemed very relevant for this project and as a next step this knowledge was completed with the quantified usage studies done within the FRR-project in the laboratory at TU Delft but also at a selection of sheltered homes in the Netherlands. To set up an anthropometric study within a consortium of partners in different countries seems only possible if the main goal of the budget is to study anthropometry like in the Caesar-project. If as in this FRR-project anthropometry is only one of the aspects - though an important aspect - within the product development project, then it is better to integrate existing raw data with the results of observational research continuously during the development process.
Plea for Use of Lowered Toilet for All
Authors: Musch Pamela  , Den Hartog Maarten
Published: February 2025

The posture of squatting is biomechanically considered a healthier posture than the western toilet posture. For the western population, squatting proves to be a difficult and uncomfortable experience. By lowering the seat and combining it with point and foot support, a more comfortable squatting posture is created. In this article the lower point support posture is analysed and visualised in anatomical and ergonomic sense. Furthermore, the expectation is expressed that the lower point-supported toilet concept will prevent problems with constipation, safety and hygiene. It is probable that after experienced use the (more flexible) elderly user will be able to use the toilet longer and more independently, albeit with some special adaptations. A plea for further research on and investigation into the preventive function of a lower point-supported toilet concept is expressed. Some solutions for further development are discussed in order to improve this toilet concept for the elderly user. The lower point-supported toilet concept presented in this article should be tested and developed further and should be regarded as a first step towards a preventive and healthy toilet for every adult, the elderly included.
User-Driven Research – How to Integrate Users' Needs and Expectations in a Research Project
Authors: Dayé Christian  , Egger de Campo Marianne
Published: February 2025

Within the FRR-project, user involvement was understood as a core task of researchers, designers and developers in the consortium, urging them strongly to justify their decisions with comments and expectations from potential users. What distinguishes our research structure from most other approaches to user involvement is the fact that, from the very beginning, primary and secondary users as well as representatives from the ethical review team had a say in structuring the research procedures and choosing the appropriate methods. Not only design decisions, but also research decisions were agreed with user representatives. In order to achieve that in an effective manner, we relied on a structure that combined continuous and specialized ways of collaboration with the user. This way of structuring user-driven research developed within the FRR-project constitutes an approach that could be used as a model for similar research projects, especially for those involving vulnerable users.
The FRR-Questionnaire – Assessing Who Needs What Where
Authors: Dayé Christian
Published: February 2025

A questionnaire measuring difficulties with toileting and users preferred solutions was developed as part of the User Needs Research Design. It was disseminated in five European countries. This questionnaire was conceived as building a bridge between technological and non-technological aspects of toileting. In this paper, the most relevant outcomes of this questionnaire will be reported. In the beginning the general characteristics of the sample will be described, thus providing background knowledge for the interpretation of results. The purpose of using this questionnaire was threefold. First, it delivered quantified insights into the need for new technology in this area by assessing the extent to which the lack of usable toilets de facto reduces the quality of life of elderly and disabled persons, therefore justifying the effort spent in the development of innovative solutions. Second, it assessed the frequency of various difficulties with toileting and the acceptance of proposed solutions and assisting devices, thus guaranteeing a development process steered by users towards an AT (assistive technology) device that allows for an improved quality of life. And third, the questionnaire gave an insight into cultural differences with toileting throughout Europe, thus ensuring that AT products developed in this area in the future can offer tailored solutions.
Computer Based Information Gathering
Authors: Alm Norman  , Morrison Kenny  , Gregor Peter  , Hine Nick  , Joel Sian  , Hands Katrina  , Van Weeren Marja H.
Published: February 2025

Toilets and toilet habits are perceived as a taboo subject that people may be reluctant or embarrassed to talk openly about. In the past, appropriately designed Computer Based Interviews have been shown to encourage more honest answers to sensitive questions than other forms of interview, and can be more interesting and engaging that filling out a paper questionnaire. This chapter presents Dundee University's role within the Friendly Restroom project which was primarily to provide Computer Based Interviews and other computer-based requirements gathering tools to be used to elicit toileting requirements of elderly people. Dundee University also investigated the feasibility of using Virtual Reality technologies, such as 3D environments and 360 degree panoramas, to support this information and requirements gathering.
Report of Japanese Conference for the Advancement of Assistive and Rehabilitation Technology, held in Niigata, Japan 2008 (23rd JCAART 2008)
Authors: Ohnabe Hisaichi  , Agarie Yukio  , Otsuka Hiroshi  , Kasuya Saki
Published: February 2025

This is the report of the 23rd Japanese Conference on the Advancement of Assistive and Rehabilitation Technology in Niigata 2008 (The 23rd JCAART 2008) and “Flying Wheelchair International and Interactive Repair Technique Conference” which were held on 8/27-8/29 at Toki (ibis) Messe for the first time in Niigata with a theme “QOL for All” (QOL4All).
24-Hour Records of Daily Activity for Persons with Severe Physical Disabilities and Demands of Assistive Devices
Authors: Maruoka Toshinori  , Inoue Takenobu  , Mori Koichi
Published: February 2025

In order to develop and make widely available assistive devices for persons with severe physical disabilities, understanding their needs is crucial. However previous surveys limited to interviews and questionnaires might not reflect their needs properly or fully. Here we report the results of 24-hour monitoring of daily activities and assisted activities for 3 persons with severe physical disabilities to better understand their actual needs of assistive technology objectively. The results showed that two of the participants with severer disabilities spent more time to keep their health levels than persons without disabilities and needed more assists to gather information and to communicate. Gathering information and communicating with telephones, televisions and computers were most of these two participants' social activities. One of them desired for assistive technology to help them more than others keep privacy in these activities. The other participant used a communication aid and mostly satisfied with the status quo, even with the severest handicap of the three. The results suggests that, in spite of the use of public support and availability of certain assistive devices, the demands for developing and distributing new assistive devices still exists in terms of better support, of ADL, of easier maintenance of health, and of more independence in gathering information and communication, for persons with severe physical disabilities.
Development of the working chair that eases standing and sitting safely for patients with rheumatism
Authors: Nakamura Toshiya  , Hashizume Tsutomu
Published: February 2025

Some patients with rheumatism cannot use ordinary working chairs, because an ordinary chair cannot accommodate the height requirements for safe and comfortable sitting/standing actions or stability during these actions. We have developed a new functional working chair that assists with standing and sitting for patients with rheumatism, like cooking for instance, allowing them to be supported or take breaks with out experiencing pain. The concept model was first developed in 2003, and then modified and tested to determine the optimum sitting posture for comfort as well as functional performance for patients with rheumatism. These test results were applied to the first prototype. The evaluation of the prototype showed that a patient with rheumatism could sit in the chair securely without pain. By adjusting the cooking and dining tables heights, the person could also cook or eat sitting in this working chair. Now we have developed a second prototype that is commercially available. We review the functions of the newly developed working chair, and the results of the usability assessment by the patients with rheumatism in this paper.
Development and Evaluation of Seated Posture Measurement Software Enabling Application of the ISO16840-1 Standard in a Clinical Setting
Authors: Handa Takashi  , Hirose Hideyuki
Published: February 2025

In the ISO16840-1 standard, “representation” of seated posture was defined, but the procedure of “how to measure” seated posture was not. The purpose of this paper is to report our work in the development of software to measure seated posture according to the ISO16840-1 standard. We evaluated the reliability of the software by using a metal model representing human seated posture and by calculating the standard deviation of within- and between-examiner measurements. We also evaluated validity by comparing our results with a contact three-dimensional measurement device. As a result, standard deviations are almost less than 2.2 degrees. Differences between the software and the contact device were less than 4.8 degrees. In conclusion, the software is practical and suited for daily clinical use.
Assistive technology for promoting self-enhancement of persons with dementia
Authors: Takezawa Tomohiro  , Inoue Takenobu  , Ishiwata Rina  , Miyanaga Kazuo  , Hoshiba Isao
Published: February 2025

Persons with dementia are likely to experience a decline in self-esteem because of the awareness of the gradual loss of cognitive functions. We have developed a device for enhancing highly positive self-perceptions (self-enhancement) of people with dementia, by assisting them to remember successful experiences. Seventy-eight Japanese adult participants recalled the experience that provides their strongest feelings of self-worth, and rated the characteristics of the experience to specify experiences that should be recorded and reviewed by the devise for promoting self-enhancement. The proportion of self-esteem memories focused on interpersonal themes was equal to the proportion of memories focused on achievement themes. Memories with direct reciprocity themes provided a stronger the sense of self than memories that involved both achievement and interpersonal themes together. This result indicated that recalling memories of direct reciprocity could enhance not only self-esteem, but also the sense of self-identity, which is weak in people with dementia.
A Swallowing-Assisted Device for Dysphagic Patients
Authors: Phukpattaranont Pornchai  , Tanthanuch Sawit  , Chetpatananondh Kanadit  , Tienmontri Surapon  , Wongkittisuksa Booncharoen  , Limsakul Chusak
Published: February 2025

We present the design and implementation of a swallowing-assisted device for disphagic patients in this paper. This device is capable of detecting a swallow signal in surface electromyography (SEMG) from a dysphagic patient, a person who has difficulty in swallowing. The sampling rate at 1000 samples/s was used in SEMG data acquisition. Each sample was collected with 16-bit resolution. Results from the real-time implementation on TMS320VC5509A demonstrate that the swallowing detection system based on the digital signal processor functions correctly. In other words, the trigger signal is appropriately generated for 1 second when the beginning point of swallowing signal is detected. When total number of swallows was 40, the system was able to detect 37 times of swallows correctly.
Building Awareness and Advocacy for QOL 4 ALL with Assignments in Health Careers Education
Authors: Miller M.E.
Published: February 2025

Active learning assignments can improve health career students' understanding, retention and application of assistive devices to the health care consumer.