bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Danish National Database on Assistive Technology
Authors: Lyhne Thomas
Published: February 2025

Objective. To present the Danish National Database on Assistive Technology (The Danish AT Database) and its impact in the context of the Assistive Technology service delivery system in Denmark. Main content Grants for assistive technology products are provided by the public authorities under the Social Services Act, the Health Act, the Education Act and others. Under the terms of the Social Services Act, the municipalities provide grants for assistive technology products and consumer goods for persons with long-term mental or physical disability, if the assistive technology product or consumer good can relieve the long-term effects of the disability to a great extent, facilitate day-to-day home life to a great extent, or is necessary to allow the person in question to carry out a job. Besides providing grants for assistive technology the municipality shall ensure the availability of free advice for persons with physical or mental disabilities, which implies advice on choosing assistive devices as well as directions for their use. In Denmark there is no complete list of the assistive technology or consumer goods that can be provided by grants, but information on most products being provided are found in the Danish AT Database. The Danish AT Database is designed to provide information on assistive technology products and associated information for end-users and their relatives, case-managers, health-care professionals, manufacturers, suppliers, policy makers and researchers. The database provides detailed information about a vast number of assistive technology products available from Danish suppliers, contact information on suppliers and manufacturers, news, literature references, links to other information systems in the field of assistive technology, a forum for user-to-user information and debate, and references to principal rulings in relation to appeals about the allocation of assistive devices or home adaptations in accordance with the Social Services Act. The product information in the database is updated online by Danish suppliers and validated by an editorial team at the Danish Centre for Assistive Technology.
Assistive Technology Quality Assurance and the RESNA Certification Program
Authors: Weisman Gerald  , Weber Anjali
Published: February 2025

Objective. RESNA, the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America, is an interdisciplinary association of people with a common interest in technology and disability. RESNA's purpose is to improve the potential of people with disabilities to achieve their goals through the use of technology. RESNA serves that purpose by promoting research, development, education, advocacy, and provision of technology, and it does this by supporting the people engaged in these activities.
Health care and technology: a new approach to education and applied research
Authors: van Hoof J.  , Overdiep R.A.  , Cox C.M.M.  , Weymans M.L.L.  , Peeraer L.J.
Published: February 2025

Transitions in health care and the increasing pace at which technological innovations emerge, have led to new professional approach at the crossroads of health care and technology. In order to adequately deal with these transition processes and challenges before future professionals access the labour market, Fontys University of Applied Sciences is in a transition to combining education with interdisciplinary practice-based research. Fontys UAS is launching a new centre of expertise in Health Care and Technology, which is a new approach compared to existing educational structures. The new centre is presented as an example of how new initiatives in the field of education and research at the intersection of care and technology can be shaped.
Teaching accessibility and design for all in engineering and architecture degrees: a practical directory of lesson plans
Authors: Guasch Daniel  , Dotras Pilar  , Llinares Montserrat  , Alvarez Maria
Published: February 2025

Objective. The objective of this directory is to facilitate, to lecturers, the incorporation of accessibility and design for all issues in teaching curriculum for engineering and architecture degrees.
A Quality Indicators Framework for effective AT service delivery
Authors: Samant Deepti  , Meera Adya  , Babirad Jurgen  , Scherer Marcia
Published: February 2025

Objective. Despite initiatives promoting research and development, financing, and distribution programs for assistive technology (AT), people with diverse disabilities still experience a critical gap in awareness and acquisition of suitable technology products. The nature of significant barriers to the effective use of AT service delivery has been the subject of considerable speculation, but has not been well researched. There is a lack of scientifically rigorous research on which specific elements of AT service delivery achieve improved employment outcomes with efficient management of costs, and why. Additionally, service providers lack an evidence-based and validated framework to internally examine their own service delivery processes, policies, and practices and assess their effectiveness in generating successful employment and other participation outcomes for consumers.
Assistive technologies and other solutions for independence: cost or investment?
Authors: Bensi Nicolo  , Bitelli Claudio  , Hoogerwerf Evert-Jan
Published: February 2025

Objective. Services that aim at bridging the gap between end user needs-expectations and available assistive technologies as part of wider solutions for greater independence and social participation of people with disabilities, have to cope with transformations in society. Welfare policies, population trends, changing cultural awareness and economic restrictions are constantly challenging both models and practices of service delivery in Assistive Technology (AT). This is becoming increasingly clear now that in many European countries responsible authorities have to cut back expenditure, reducing what was considered a right and putting at risk the wellbeing of frail parts of the population. There is evidence that AT leads to important social benefits, but can AT also lead to reduced social costs?
Assistive Technology for Persons with Psychiatric Disabilities – Accessibility and Cost-benefit
Authors: Dahlin Erika  , Rydén Monica
Published: February 2025

Persons with psychiatric disabilities are often assumed to lack capacity to take charge and make decisions concerning their own lives. Assistive technology can form one part of the rehabilitation process for this group. The devices are intended to give a feeling of security and independence in day-to-day life for the individual and assist in increasing participation in society. To investigate accessibility to assistive technology for persons with psychiatric disabilities a web-based questionnaire was sent to each of Sweden's county councils and regions (totally 22). Questions were asked about the availability of assistive technology for persons with cognitive decline. To also define the cost and the benefit of assistive technology a cost-benefit analysis was implemented. The cost-benefit assessment was based on information from existing studies and from interviews. The results showed that persons with psychiatric disabilities are the group with least accessibility to assistive technology. Moreover, it is apparent that the cost of assistive technology after eighteen months is offset by real cost savings for municipal and county councils and a reduced need for support from closely related persons and relatives. Together, the studies reported here show that persons with psychiatric disabilities do not have access to assistive technology to the extent they need although it is beneficial with assistive technology for this group. Most of the people interviewed in the cost-benefit study are of the opinion that only one tenth of the target group have assistive devices. The vision is that access to assistive technology should be as good for persons with psychiatric disabilities as for persons with other disabilities. Effects which should be expected are that day-to-day tasks become easier, which can lead to an improved quality of life for users and a reduced need for help from society and relatives. Access to assistive technology may also result in individuals starting to study, finding employment and retaining or increasing the hours of employment that they have.
User costs in the field of assistive technology – results from a case study
Authors: Mindegaard Peter
Published: February 2025

In October 2008 a principle ruling affirmed that Electronic-motor-driven wheelchairs with manual steering (EWM) must be regarded a consumer good, and not an assistive aid. The decision was very controversial, and was followed by much discussion in the media, as it can be seen as a showdown with normal Danish practice, where AT are provided free of charge. Regarding the decision, from now on the applying citizen has to pay half of the price for the EWM. To study the consequences of the decision, a case study was made in the municipality of Odense. The results from the study shows, that there are an almost constantly number of applying citizens. But in the period from 2007 to 2010 increasingly more citizens avoid to make use of the appropriation, especially due to economically reasons. Therefore it is predicted, that the decision, confirmed by The National Social Appeals Board, may threaten to give increased inequality in reason to health.
Learning Through Play With a Robot Companion
Authors: Marti Patrizia  , Iacono Iolanda
Published: February 2025

In this paper we present an exploratory study conducted in a primary school concerning the use of a robot companion designed to support children with special needs in achieving educational objectives through play. IROMEC is a mobile robotic platform developed to become a social mediator encouraging children with distinct levels of disabilities to discover a range of different play styles. In fact children with disabilities are often prevented from playing due to their impairment. This limitation can seriously hamper their future development. Four children with different levels of disabilities, from cognitive disabilities to motor impairments, joined the study. The main aim of the research was to investigate the effectiveness of the robot in supporting the achievement of educational objectives in five developmental areas: Sensory, Communication and Interaction, Social and Emotional, Cognitive and Motor. Different methods were used to collect the data in order to evaluate the improvement of the children. The preliminary results obtained from the analysis are encouraging in terms of learning and enjoyment for children. We recorded some remarkable changes in terms of development for all the children and most of the improvements have been observed in the motor development area. Playing with IROMEC was an amazing and pleasurable experience for them since they could play a major role in the game and act as equal partners among their peers.
Empirical Identification of Text Simplification Strategies for Reading-Impaired People
Authors: Bautista Susana  , León Carlos  , Hervás Raquel  , Gervás Pablo
Published: February 2025

Objective. The way in which information is written or presented can exclude many people, especially those who have problems to read, write or understand. However, the process of simplifying texts by hand is extremely time and effort consuming so any attempts to automate part of this process can leverage the access to information. The final objective of this research is the development of an automatic system that eases the process of text adaptation for reading-impaired people.
KLM model and older people with cognitive impairment
Authors: Vella Frédéric  , Vigouroux Nadine
Published: February 2025

In this paper, the older people with and without cognitive impairment realized a task. It consisted in putting virtually a sugar in a coffee with a mouse. We calculated the task time on three interaction techniques. This time was compared to the theoretical total time of the KLM model (Keystroke Level Model). This model decomposes user interaction into elementary actions (physical, cognitive or perceptual). It also allows to do some studies on use of innovative interfaces. The results showed that KLM model was not adapted to the older people with cognitive impairment. The more severe cognitive impairment is, the more the model must be adapted.
Research on Flashlights for Nighttime Walking by Individuals with Visual Impairment
Authors: Kitayama Ichiro  , Omori Kiyohiro  , Sugimoto Yoshimi
Published: February 2025

Objective. The objective of this research was to determine the spotlight brightness and width specifications needed for a flashlight used by individuals with visual impairment.
e-ESPOIR: a user-friendly web-based tool for disability evaluation
Authors: Rybarczyk Yves  , Rybarczyk Pierre  , Oliveira Nuno  , Vernay Didier
Published: February 2025

e-Espoir (www.espoir-handi.com) is a web-based database aimed at the evaluation of physically disabled people. The tool is designed to be used on the client's side by health care specialists and patients, through two distinct interfaces. Differing from previous projects, the platform implements a user-friendly application easily customizable by the user. The system's plasticity intends to ensure a strategic evaluation according to the specific impairments and needs of each handicapped person. The user interface is mainly composed by pictogram-based questionnaires and dynamic forms to permit an intuitive utilization even for non-specialist people. The objective of this work is to improve the management of the multidisciplinary health care cooperative network and promote an active involvement of the patient, by allowing the self-evaluation.
Representing Interaction Knowledge and Capability Demands in models of Assistive Technology Systems
Authors: Gilligan John  , Smith Peter
Published: February 2025

Objective: To present a representation scheme for representing interaction knowledge in Assistive Technology Systems.
A Passive NFC Analog Scale for Electronically Capturing Subjective Parameters in the Frame of Patient Remote Monitoring and AAL Applications
Authors: Schmid Gernot  , Bammer Manfred  , Cecil Stefan  , Lamedschwandner Kurt  , Fuxreiter Thomas  , Oberleitner Andreas
Published: February 2025

Objective: Currently, capturing and quantifying subjective health relevant data, such as pain, pain-profiles, well-being, etc., is routinely done by visual analog scales, i.e., the patient rates by associating the considered parameter with a numerical value, e.g., between 0 and 10. In most cases this is still done, on a paper-pencil basis, requiring wasteful (manual) post-processing and at the same time being susceptible to errors. In order to overcome these problems, an analog scale integrated into a smart NFC transponder has been developed.
GUIDE: Creating Accessible TV Applications
Authors: Duarte Carlos  , Langdon Pat  , Jung Christoph  , Coelho Jose  , Biswas Pradipta  , Hamisu Pascal
Published: February 2025

Objective. In this paper we describe a novel adaptive accessibility framework for Hybrid TV platforms and the user-centred approach that is being used in its design. It integrates various types of user interface (UI) technologies, supports multimodal interaction, performs adaptation to individual needs and limitations of elderly users, and uses virtual user simulation for efficient UI testing in the design process.
Challenging the Implementation of eAccessibility in the Information Society: The eAccess+ Network
Authors: Miesenberger Klaus  , Crombie David  , Petrie Helen  , A Velasco Carlos  , Velleman Eric
Published: February 2025

Objective. This paper presents the work of the eAccess+ network. The network intends to involve stakeholders along their product value chain to implement eAccessibility, and particularly those who did not show interest in taking up eAccessibility thus far. The paper outlines the approach taken to foster the implementation of eAccessibility. As eAccessibility by nature is a broad field, the network focuses on selected aspects of a) web accessibility, b) accessible convergent communications and accessible digital audio-visual systems and c) self-service terminals (SSTs) and devices for banking and financial services, public transport, tourism, cultural heritage and e-government.
The Use and Non-use of Assistive Technology in Italy: Preliminary Data
Authors: Federici Stefano  , Borsci Simone
Published: February 2025

Purpose. The present pilot study aims to analyse the relationship between the reasons of assistive technology (AT) use/non-use and the levels of user satisfaction of Italian users/patients in order to identify which features better predict AT non-use in the Italian Territorial Health Service Providers (THSPs) AT assessment process.
Usercommunities for innovation of assistive technology. Results from a demonstrations project about User-driven innovation.
Authors: Jensen Lilly  , Jordansen Inger Kirk  , Sejer Jakobsen Henning  , Spure Jeppe  , Simonsen John  , Nielsen Peter
Published: February 2025

Objectives. The project HandiVision “User driven innovation – better assistive technology for people with disability” ran 2008-2010. The objectives of the project were to involve users and professionals in development of new and better assistive technology by finding and systematizing new methods for user-driven innovation (BDI).
Investigating the Success Factors of Expert Users to Inform Device Development
Authors: Judge Simon  , Clarke Zoë  , Hawley Mark S.
Published: February 2025

Objective. Expert user testing is a well recognised tool within user experience and human computer interaction design. Within the domain of assistive technology device design, however, this technique seems to be little used. It is suggested that studying the ‘success factors’ of expert assistive technology device users may provide a valuable source of data to inform development of assistive technology devices. This paper presents an example of this technique, within the context of a number of studies carried out by the authors, using the example of preliminary data from a study informing the development of an innovative Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device.
Chapter 12: Multi-Agent Systems, Ontologies and Negotiation for Dynamic Service Composition in Multi-Organizational Environmental Management
Authors: Bădică Costin  , Ilie Sorin  , Kamermans Michiel  , Pavlin Gregor  , Penders Ate  , Scafeş Mihnea
Published: February 2025

This chapter discusses an efficient solution to contemporary situation assessment problems found in environmental management applications. The targeted problems are inherently complex and require processing of large quantities of heterogeneous information by using rich domain knowledge dispersed through multiple organizations. We assume a collaborative solution based on the Dynamic Process Integration Framework, which supports systematic encapsulation of processing services, including human experts. The encapsulation allows dynamic composition of heterogeneous processing services using advanced self-configuration mechanisms for optimal selection of service providers. Self-configuration is based on a framework for development of cooperative multi-issue one-to-many service negotiations. The framework allows the definition of: negotiation protocols, negotiation subjects composed of multiple negotiation issues, properties of negotiation issues, deal spaces, and utility functions of participant stakeholders. We show how this framework can be used for dynamic composition of workflows spanning multiple organizations in a disaster management information system.
Introduction: Why a Multi-faceted Approach to Radicalization?
Authors: Bal Ihsan
Published: February 2025

The purpose of this chapter is to reveal the introductory aspects of this book. This book includes the proceedings from the NATO 2010 Advanced Research Workshop (ARW 983994) on “Developing Prevention Strategies and Tactics in Countering Radicalization,” which was held in Antalya, Turkey on 7-9, December 2010.
A Policy Implementation Analysis of Money Laundering Policies: Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Terrorism Financing
Authors: Kapti Alican  , Demir Oguzhan Omer  , Uryan Yildirim
Published: February 2025

This research examines problems and gaps existing in implementation process of money laundering policies from a policy implementation perspective and provides suggestions for the effectiveness of the policy implementation. Money laundering problem emerged as a serious threat for the countries because it was recognized as the primary source to contribute terrorist financing right after 9/11. New money laundering regulations and reformations were formulated and implemented by national and international entities after 9/11 in order to exterminate the ways of terrorist financing. The US Government and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) have played major role to reform money laundering policies during this period. However, dynamic structure of globalized financial and social world produced inconsistent trends with the implementation of policies in the field by creating new gaps and threats against money laundering policies. Terrorist groups have the ability to track gaps in the systems and try to be financed with new techniques and technologies. Especially, technological improvements mitigate the process since money laundering policies are not dynamic.
An Examination of the Links between International Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime: Moving Beyond the Factual Nexus
Authors: Mylonaki Emmanouela
Published: February 2025

Transnational organized crime and terrorism have been viewed as distinct entities. However, much attention has been given in recent years on the complex linkages between the two phenomena and on the extent to which their possible merging calls for the application of a homogeneous anti-crime and anti-terror policy. The present article investigates the factual nexus between terrorism and organized crime in order to ascertain substantial similarities and differences. It moves beyond a discussion on merely the evident factual links by tracing the definitional distinctions between the two phenomena in order to question the validity of a merging ‘war on terror’ and ‘war on crime’ policy. The UK anti-terrorism and counter-organized crime is examined as a case study challenging the validity of the arguments for merging policies.
Smuggling of Nuclear Materials and the USA's Possible Response to this Threat
Authors: Cetin Hakan Cem  , Celik Ahmet
Published: February 2025

The events of 9/11 marked a turning point, and the world has entered a new era where there are highly capable global terrorist organizations acting like a single global network. In this new era, we are witnessing a new kind of arms race in which terrorist groups are racing to have nuclear weapons. The massive and instantaneous destruction of life and property that would result from detonation of a nuclear weapon makes this a priority for terrorists. Therefore, this paper aims to shed lights on the smuggling of nuclear materials and evaluates the possible response to this threat.
Automated Detection of Terrorist Web Documents using Fuzzy Lexicons with Fuzzy-based Clustering Methodology
Authors: Alalouf Nataly  , Friedman Menahem  , Last Mark
Published: February 2025

Automated and accurate detection of anomalous, terrorist documents is a desired capability among numerous nations all over the world. In this study, we have improved an algorithm [1], which deals with this detection challenge. The training part includes two stages: the first, building fuzzy lexicons and the second, constructing clusters of labeled documents using cluster analysis methodology. We assume having two collections of labeled normal and terrorist documents downloaded from normal and terrorist websites, respectively. Three separate, disjoint fuzzy lexicons and two separate sets of clusters are induced from these two collections. In this chapter, we propose a new approach for constructing the lexicons based on the ratio between keyphrase appearance in terrorist and normal documents. The keyphrases are divided into the following subsets: fuzzy normal – keyphrases that appear mainly in the normal documents, fuzzy terrorist – keyphrases that appear mainly in the terrorist documents, and common – keyphrases, which appear in both types of documents in similar frequency. In the detection stage, we combine an existing clustering-based classification method with the fuzzy lexicons. When classifying a new, incoming document, we count the amount of keyphrases in each fuzzy subset (fuzzy normal, fuzzy terrorist, and common). If the fuzzy normal subset is nonempty and the terrorist subset is empty or vice versa, the document is labeled as normal or terrorist, respectively. Otherwise the sizes of the two fuzzy subsets are compared using some threshold criteria. If a definite conclusion cannot be derived, the distances of the whole document vector from both sets of centroids are calculated to reach a final decision.
Risk Hedging in the Newsvendor Model
Authors: Okyay H. Kaan  , Karaesmen Fikri  , Özekici Süleyman
Published: February 2025

There is ample evidence that the demand for products held in an inventory system is often correlated with the returns of securities in financial markets. Therefore, the risks associated with the profit or cash flow in the inventory system can be hedged by investing in a portfolio of instruments in the financial system. In order to get insights, we take this idea to the extreme by supposing that random demand, as well as random supply, both depend “perfectly” on the price of a security in an almost arbitrary fashion. This allows one to represent the cash flow by a replicating portfolio of derivative securities and bonds. Thus, the value of the cash flow needs to be determined in terms of the prices of these financial instruments. The decisions of the inventory manager are therefore based on this pricing mechanism. In particular, in a complete market with some risk-neutral martingale measure that yields no arbitrage opportunities, the expected value of the cash flow should be determined using this measure. We discuss these issues in the context of a single period newsvendor model with random demand and supply.
A New Approach to Identify and Analyze Multi-leveled Risks: Extension of the Fuzzy FMEA Method
Authors: Badreddine Ahmed  , Ben Amor Nahla  , Ben Romdhane Taieb
Published: February 2025

The evolution of the current industrial context and the increasing of competition pressure led the companies to adopt new concepts of management. In this context, we have recently proposed an integrated management system including Quality, Environment and Safety management systems [1] using the risk management as an integration factor. This paper proposes an implementation of the most important part of the plan phase, consisting in analyzing and selecting the most critical risks regarding all QSE objectives. To this end we propose to adapt the well known risk management approach Fuzzy Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) in order to define for each risk a multi-leveled Risk Priority Number relative to different QSE objectives. Then, to select the most critical risks we propose to use a multicriteria approach which is the Analytic Hierarchical Process (AHP) in order to take into consideration the different values relative to each risk.
Evidential Risk Graph Model for Determining Safety Integrity Level
Authors: Ben Yaghlane Boutheina  , Simon Christophe  , Ben Hariz Narjes
Published: February 2025

Risk analysis becomes very important especially with the increase of risk accidents in the industrial fields. In this context, we present in this paper a new approach based on belief functions theory for determining the safety integrity level of a safety instrumented system. This approach consists on collecting data from expert opinions by eliciting judgements using a qualitative method, dividing them in groups using the k-means algorithm and aggregating them by applying a hierarchical method. The output of the data collecting process will be integrated into a risk evaluation model in order to get the safety integrity level. As an evaluation method we proposed a new generalized risk graph named Evidential Risk Graph which is able to deal with imperfect data modeled with the belief functions theory.
A Framework for Modeling Network Risk
Authors: Signori Daniele  , Gençay Ramazan
Published: February 2025

The complexity of the financial system is increasing at an accelerating pace. This evolution is driven not only by technology but also by business practices. For example, as risk managers reach out for different exposures in the pursuit of diversification, the financial network becomes more tangles. The ensuing uncertainty has been indicated as one of the causes that aggravated the global financial crises. In this talk, we will cover some recent results on the econometrics of networks and describe an empirical framework for quantifying network risk.
Calibration of Customer Risk Scoring via Classification Techniques for Money Laundering Prevention
Authors: Özçelik M. Hamdi  , Tosun Tuğba  , Eldemir Emel  , İncaz M. Tolga
Published: February 2025

Financial frauds are one of the important security issues for the banks. On the other hand, money laundering is closely related with such frauds. Banks should score every customer and every transaction for the detection of such financial crimes. These scoring systems need calibration of their parameters if they are based on expert opinions. We have compared the money laundering risk score of customers using previously identified money laundering data and utilized classification techniques. We have also introduced new performance metrics for the performance of classifiers.
Asset Management System: Risk Analysis in Portfolio Selection using Fuzzy Logic
Authors: Petreska Biljana  , Kolemisevska Gugulovska Tatjana  , Dimirovski Georgi
Published: February 2025

Portfolio selection for strategic asset management is a crucial activity in many organizations. This activity is a rather complex process that involves a variety decision making situations in a very volatile and unpredictable environment. Main objective of asset management is through trading with financial instruments to maximize profit of the organization. With the ongoing globalization process and rapid development of networked computer information system, the platform where financial market is conducted becomes a large scale system of interconnected entities. Therefore in decision making process, many factors should be considered, indicated as risks, which affect the financial asset dynamics, especially those which simultaneously exhibit phenomena of randomness, uncertainty and vagueness. The source of these factors is not required and connected only with the nature of the system, but seriously should be taken in consideration deliberate actions that can disrupt the behavior of the system even functioning of the whole organization. In focus in this paper are deliberate actions (threats) and how to diminish their influence. An approach is suggested, where the primary basis should be an adaptive model for the key part of the system that is prone to threats, in this case model for portfolio selection. As input i.e. adaptive variable, we propose to use the output of a fuzzy inference system. In modeling of fuzzy inference system, a possibility is given to involve in decision making process. The risks rising from the nature of the system and deliberate actions by both human nature and from attacks on computer networks in which the asset management system is conducted.
Linear and Nonlinear Kernel Based Pattern Recognition: From Theory to Financial Practice
Authors: Van Gestel Tony  , Baesens Bart
Published: February 2025

Standard linear models are very easily readable, but have limited model flexibility. Advanced neural network models and kernel-based learning techniques are less straightforward to interpret but can capture more complex multivariate non-linear relations. Whereas more flexible models may be appealing because of the higher learning capacity, it is more challenging to control the generalization capacity and avoid overfitting using, e.g., Bayesian inference or model complexity criteria. In financial practice, it is important to consider the prediction capacity combined with the element of model risk, inherent in so-called black box models. Model combinations using linear and kernel models and rule extraction techniques are used to combine kernel models with higher performance and limit model risk. The approach is illustrated with practical case studies.
Biometric Monitoring of Behaviour
Authors: Drosou Anastasios  , Tzovaras Dimitrios
Published: February 2025

This chapter presents a novel framework for dynamic biometric monitoring of behaviour towards user authentication, utilizing dynamic and static anthropometric information. The recognition of the performed activity is based on Generalized Radon transforms that are applied on spatiotemporal motion templates. User authentication is performed exploiting the behavioural variations between different users, regardless of small variations in the interaction setting. The upper body limb anthropometric information is extracted for each user and an attributed body-related graph structure framework is employed for the detection of static biometric features of important discrimination power. Finally, a quality factor based on ergonomic criteria evaluates the recognition capacity of each activity. Experimental validation illustrates that the proposed approach for integrating static anthropometric features and activity-related recognition, advances significantly the authentication performance. In this concept, a series of possible applications of the proposed system is also presented.
Adaptive Neck Support for Wellbeing During Air Travel
Authors: Tan CheeFai  , Chen Wei  , Rauterberg Matthias
Published: February 2025

Air travel is becoming increasingly more accessible to people both through the availability of low cost flights. Health problems may arise due to anxiety and unfamiliarity with airport departure procedures prior to flying, whilst during the air travel, problems may arise as a result of the food served on board, differences in the environmental conditions inside the cabin, the risk of cross-infection from fellow passengers, seat position, posture adopted and duration of the flight. These can be further compounded by changes in time zones and meal times, which may continue to affect an individual's health long after arrival at the final destination. The aircraft passenger comfort depends on different features and the environment during air travel. Seat comfort is a subjective issue because it is the customer who makes the final determination and customer evaluations are based on their opinions having experienced the seat. The aircraft passenger seat has an important role to play in fulfilling the passenger comfort expectations. The seat is one of the important features in the passenger aircraft and is the place where the passenger spends most of time during air travel. This chapter describes the development of adaptive neck support system to improve the wellbeing experience during air travel for economy class aircraft passenger. Design concept, prototyping, system implementation, experimental testing and design evaluation in an aircraft cabin simulator developed at Eindhoven University of Technology will be presented in the chapter.
AAL in Cardiac Rehabilitation
Authors: Müller Frerk  , Lipprandt Myriam  , Eichelberg Marco  , Helmer Axel  , Busch Clemens  , Willemsen Detlev  , Hein Andreas
Published: February 2025

Individually adapted physical exercise training under medical supervision is an important building block in the rehabilitation and secondary prevention for patients with cardiovascular diseases. Ambient assisted living technology permits such training to be carried out in the familiar home environment while at the same time reducing the risk of an adverse cardiovascular event. Against this background this article describes the requirements of a system for cardiac tele-rehabilitation at home and in particular discusses the components controlling a training session, which needs to recognize critical patient states through a continuous monitoring of vital signs and react accordingly. Furthermore, the health related data collected during such exercise training sessions provides useful information for patient care. Results need to be made available to the cardiologist responsible for follow-up e.g. in the form of structured training reports. The challenges involved in integrating data acquired at home with the professional healthcare IT infrastructure based on vendor-independent medical IT standards are also discussed.
Electronic-Early Warning Scorecard: An Intelligent Context Aware Decision Making Approach for Patient Monitoring
Authors: O'Kane Tom  , O'Donoghue John  , Gallagher Joe  , Aftab A.  , Casey Aveline  , Courtney Garry
Published: February 2025

It is now well established that many patients in hospital can suddenly become acutely ill but experience delayed recognition of their physiological deterioration resulting in late referral to critical care, or in some cases death. In recent years there has been significant growth in the use of scorecards to assist with the detection of increasing patient morbidity, but even though a scorecard may be well-constructed and its parameters carefully chosen, the usefulness of any scorecard is only as good as the accuracy and timeliness of the data that is used to populate it.
Terrorism Overview: History and Causes
Authors: Sütalan Zeynep
Published: February 2025

Terrorism has been on the world scene for ages. It is not something new or unaccustomed. Terrorism breeds in any environment it can. Thus, it is hard to identify one specific cause or just a few that result in terrorism. Different types of terrorism in different cases can derive from different causes. Despite the difficulty in identifying causes of terrorism, a comprehensive approach towards the political, social and economic environment where terrorism is likely to flourish may result in fruitful outcomes for combating terrorism. Within this context, this article aims to provide a general framework for understanding the history and causes of terrorism rather than proposing methods to cope with them.
Defense Against Improvised Explosive Devices
Authors: Charvat Julian
Published: February 2025

This paper discusses the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Cycle and looks at the points of exploitation for security forces in defeating IED networks. It will consider the basic modus operandi of a terrorist organization setting an IED. It will not consider the practical elements of IEDs themselves and will remain at the unclassified level. It is a summary of the COE DAT CIED Course and the conclusions drawn from it.
The Role of Intelligence in Countering Terrorism
Authors: Akdoğan Ömer  , Kulpcu Oğuz
Published: February 2025

This study emphasizes the role and importance of intelligence in countering terrorism and demonstrates the requirements of modern intelligence in combating terrorism. This study also demonstrates the increasing threat from global terrorism and the new challenge which the intelligence community faces today. This article shows that the absolute successes against terrorism require strong intelligence capabilities, intelligence fusion and international intelligence cooperation. Finally, this paper tries to give some advice on how good intelligence should be provided and used.
Behavior of Magnetoacoustic Emission on Cold-rolled Fe-Cu Alloy with Thermal Aging
Authors: Kikuchi Hiroaki  , Matsumura Kotaro  , Ara Katsuyuki  , Kamada Yasuhiro  , Kobayashi Satoru
Published: February 2025

The behaviors of magnetoacoustic emission (MAE) on cold-rolled and thermally aged Fe-Cu model alloy were investigated. The rms voltage of MAE increases with increasing reduction ratio before thermal aging due to the increase in dislocation density. As to thermal aging, the significant changes were not found on the behaviors for the undeformed specimen. This indicates the morphological change of copper precipitation has no strong effect to the interaction between domain walls and their pinning sites. On the other hand, the rms decreases when aging time elapses for the cold-rolled specimen at first, and then increases in aging over 103minutes. These behaviors can be explained on the basis of the microstructure changes including dislocations and copper precipitation.
Comparison of two multilayer transducers for impulse eddy current testing system
Authors: Chady Tomasz  , Frankowski Paweł
Published: February 2025

This paper presents a new electromagnetic Printed Circuit Board (PCB) transducers, which are powered from the Impulse Eddy Current (IEC) system. The system enables tests with very short currents impulses. Therefore, the frequency spectrum of the excitation signal is very wide. It creates opportunity to achieve similar advantages as multi-frequency system. The PCB transducers have been designed to identify flaws located in the thin test specimen made of Inconel, which is widely used in chemical, nuclear and aerospace industries.
Field computations of inductive sensors with various shapes for semi-analytical ECT simulation
Authors: Reboud Christophe  , Theodoulidis Theodoros
Published: February 2025

A semi-analytical approach is proposed for the rapid calculation of electromagnetic fields induced in a planar stratified media by inductive sensors with complex shapes. Theoretical aspects of the method and new shapes modelled are presented, then comparisons of results obtained in classical cases with reference data are discussed. Finally, an application of this development to the simulation of eddy current testing with a semi-analytical model is detailed.
Shape reconstruction of corroded objects from limited view scattered data in frequency domain
Authors: Gantala Gopal  , Krishnamurthy C.V.  , Balasubramaniam Krishnan  , Ganesan N.
Published: February 2025

The problem of reconstructing the shape of a 2-D Perfect Electric Conductor (PEC) cylinder from limited view scattered near-field data is considered in the frequency domain. Firstly a modified T-matrix method is proposed for direct scattering problem, which uses the concept of 2-D analogue of T-matrix method to obtain the surface currents and Fast Fourier transforms to speed up the computations. Substantial enhancement in the computation speed is seen compared to the classical T-matrix method. The inverse scattering problem is formulated as a non-linear optimization problem that seeks to minimize the difference between measured data and the simulated data. The proposed inverse methodology is applied for (a) the determination of whether a cylinder is corroded or not, and (b) the shape reconstruction of corroded cylinder over a range of size parameters using Transverse Electric (TE) and Transverse Magnetic (TM) polarization. Synthetic data generated from commercial package (COMSOL) representing pulse-echo mode, of ground penetrating radar (GPR) experiment, is used in lieu of measured data. To exploit the information of scattered TE and TM fields, the inverse problem is formulated using multi-objective optimization. Numerical results over a wide range of size parameter (ka) values show that error in reconstruction are within 0.5% in the range of 1.2<ka<2.8. Further, reconstruction appears to be better with TE than TM polarization.
Real-time non-destructive inspection of stress-induced anisotropy using Magnetic Barkhausen Noise
Authors: Caldas-Morgan Manuel  , Padovese Linilson
Published: February 2025

One of the goals of the steel-based industrial applications is the detection of the mechanical stress state of steel structures. The mechanical tensile stress modifies the magnetic anisotropy in ferromagnetic materials. This fact can be used to detect changes in the stress state of the material using magnetic inspection methods. The Magnetic Barkhausen Noise is one of the most sensitive magnetic non-destructive methods to the presence of applied stress. The present work presents a method for the real-time detection of dynamic changes of the stress field of samples under variable applied tension. The method involves the detection of biaxial applied stress distributions.
Counterterrorism and Perspectives on Cultural Competency and Representation
Authors: Benavides Abraham David  , Alhumaid Saleh M.  , Quainoo Emmanuel D.
Published: February 2025

The following chapter first looks at the complicated issue of terrorism and presents a number of scholarly definitions in an attempt to better understand this phenomenon. Next we look at the concept of counterterrorism and then specifically look at a number of counterterrorism techniques that have been used in the past to combat this particular threat. At this point, we discuss possible reasons for terrorism and consider the theory of cultural competency and that of representation as a vehicle to counter terrorist threats. Finally, we look at the Kurdish people in Turkey as a type of case study to understand how the ideas of cultural competency and representation, could be included as part of a counterterrorism policy both in Turkey and abroad.
Enhancing Counter-Terrorism Strategies Through Visual Storytelling Techniques and Community-Empowered Ethnographies
Authors: Arlikatti Sudha  , Levin Melinda
Published: February 2025

Risk perception and risk communication literature document how people make decisions to protect themselves and their communities against natural and manmade threats. In this paper the authors introduce the ideas of employing visual and other storytelling techniques and the sharing of community empowered ethnographies as a means of enhancing counter terrorism strategies and risk communication amongst ethnically diverse communities. It is important to note that historically the therapeutic or altruistic communities that lead to increased mutual support functions amongst victims and others are not an anomaly, but a rule. It is believed that proactive and empowered communities will lead to sustainable altruistic behaviors, which typically emerge only for a short time during the traumatic, post-disaster or post-conflict emergency response periods, but soon dissipate. This is vital if we expect multi-ethnic communities to work together in protecting themselves and fighting terrorism as part of their responsibilities of sharing threat, being prepared and exhibiting resilience.
Understanding Radicalization in Europe: Clusters and Narratives
Authors: Sirseloudi Matenia
Published: February 2025

Following an account of jihad-inspired terrorist attacks carried out and foiled in Europe in recent years, in this paper we shall outline and define the task of radicalization research as a recently established aspect of terrorism prevention. A number of findings regarding radicalizing factors will be presented clustered around the categories individual vulnerability, the situation in the current country of residence, the profile of the Islamist movement and conflict-related developments in places of reference for collective identity and the contextualization of these factors in the narrative of Jihad.
The Effect of the Extreme Ethnic Nationalism on the Growth of the Terrorism in Russia
Authors: Fedorenko Vladimir
Published: February 2025

Since the collapse of Soviet Union, terrorism and extreme ethnic nationalism have become very serious problems in Russia. This paper discusses the interconnection between terrorism originating from the North Caucasus region and extreme nationalism and proposes solutions on how to counter terrorism through eradication of radical nationalism.