Dynamic travel information strategies in advance traveler information systems and their effect on route choices along highways

Advance Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) inform drivers about traffic incidences and expected travel times/ delays en-route. An online computer study was conducted in Qatar to investigate drivers' willingness to divert to an alternative route given changes in expected travel conditions. Respondents’ route choices were queried after exposure for 6 seconds to varying display strategies. The results from a binary logistic regression and a stated preference survey showed that delay times and displayed colors on a Graphical Route Information Panel (GRIP) effectively influence drivers to take the alternative route, while total travel times were preferred for Variable Message Signs (VMS)

mHealth system for the early detection of infectious diseases using biomedical signals

Latin American Congress on Automation and Robotics LACAR 2019, 30/10/2019-01/11/2019, Cali, Colombia.Detection at an early stage of an infection is a major clinical challenge. An infection that is not diagnosed in time can not only seriously affect the health of the infected patient, but also spread and initiate a contagious approach towards other people. This paper deals with mHealth system for medical care and pre-diagnosis. The developed mHealth system use an Android App that collects physiological signals from the patients with a portable and easy-to-use sensors kit. The focus of the work is put on being able to build a low-cost system that using a very small amounts of data (one set record per patient and day). The processed data are uploaded to an online database to train a clinical decision support system to automatically diagnose infections. The mHealth system may be operated by the same personnel on site not requiring to be medical or computational skilled at all. The implementation takes five kinds of measures simultaneously (Electrodermal Activity, Body Temperature, Blood Pressure, Heart Beat Rate and Oxygen Saturation (SPO2)). A real implementation has been tested and results confirm that the sampling process can be done very fast and steadily Finally, the App usability was tested, showing a fast learning curve and no significant differences are observable in learning time by people with different skills or age. These usability factors are key for the mHealth system success

Analysis of Barriers to the Deployment of Health Information Systems: a Stakeholder Perspective

© 2018 The Author(s). This paper argues that the cross-analysis of barriers with stakeholders provides a richer picture than analyzing the barriers on their own, as most of the literature in this area does. To test this hypothesis, we used the data from 33 interviews across 19 different types of stakeholders that were involved in a telemedicine system for the Chronically-ill Patient. Our findings show encouraging results. For instance, it was found that the group of stakeholders who are directly related to the governance and policy-making identified most of the barriers. This finding may imply that this group is more aware of the challenges when implementing HIS, or it may suggest that this group poses more resistance due to the current economic and Organizational models in health care. It was also found that some barriers are cited by all stakeholders whereas others not, suggesting that some barriers may be more relevant than others

Assessment of the Traffic Enforcement Strategies Impact on Emission Reduction and Air Quality

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that globally 3.7 million deaths were attributable to ambient air pollution (AAP) in 2012. Traffic congestion is one of the significant sources of air pollutants Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) are advanced technologies that have been used widely in large cities. They have a potential impact on reducing traffic congestion and then improving environmental quality. Many countries have targeted urban policy traffic enforcement strategies that are ITSbased on improving traffic emission and air quality. Because each strategy has a different impact level, the strategy that positively impacts location and traffic conditions might negatively impact under different conditions. Also, the authorities that take the decision which strategies could be implemented. Therefore, this paper aims to evaluate the potential impact of traffic enforcement strategies on reducing traffic emissions and improving air quality. In our study, three typical traffic enforcement strategies were evaluated: a traffic management regulation for speed limit changes, route changing, and fleet composition changes. The impact of these strategies on air quality was evaluated through evaluating the traffic air quality changes brought by these strategies against a baseline (Base Case) scenario. The results indicate that the impact of these strategies on increasing environmental quality is not always positive. The reduction of CO was the highest in the speed restriction scenario (25.6%) than other scenarios. While reducing the reduction of PM10 was less in speed restriction scenario (25.6%) than other scenarios. The findings can help the decision makers implement the best strategy to reduce traffic emission under different situations

Assessment of the Traffic Enforcement Strategies Impact on Emission Reduction and Air Quality

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that globally 3.7 million deaths were attributable to ambient air pollution (AAP) in 2012. Traffic congestion is one of the significant sources of air pollutants Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) are advanced technologies that have been used widely in large cities. They have a potential impact on reducing traffic congestion and then improving environmental quality. Many countries have targeted urban policy traffic enforcement strategies that are ITSbased on improving traffic emission and air quality. Because each strategy has a different impact level, the strategy that positively impacts location and traffic conditions might negatively impact under different conditions. Also, the authorities that take the decision which strategies could be implemented. Therefore, this paper aims to evaluate the potential impact of traffic enforcement strategies on reducing traffic emissions and improving air quality. In our study, three typical traffic enforcement strategies were evaluated: a traffic management regulation for speed limit changes, route changing, and fleet composition changes. The impact of these strategies on air quality was evaluated through evaluating the traffic air quality changes brought by these strategies against a baseline (Base Case) scenario. The results indicate that the impact of these strategies on increasing environmental quality is not always positive. The reduction of CO was the highest in the speed restriction scenario (25.6%) than other scenarios. While reducing the reduction of PM10 was less in speed restriction scenario (25.6%) than other scenarios. The findings can help the decision makers implement the best strategy to reduce traffic emission under different situations

Adaptive ACK: A novel intrusion detection system to mitigate intended packet dropping in MANETs

Unlike infrastructure wireless networks, mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) is an infrastructureless network where self-configuring mobile nodes connected by wireless links. Because of its decentralized property, these nodes relay on each other to store and forward packets. Most of the proposed MANET protocols assume cooperative behavior among its nodes. However, some nodes may exhibit different behaviors such as selfish. Thus, misbehaving nodes can disrupt the network operation and affect the network availability by refusing to cooperate to route packets due to their selfish or malicious behavior. Towards this end, this paper proposes a novel intrusion detection system. An adaptive acknowledgment scheme (AACK) is proposed to detect and exclude such misbehaving nodes. This scheme is developed to overcome watchdog weaknesses due to collisions and limited transmission power. To demonstrate the performance of our proposed scheme, simulation experiments are performed. The simulation results show that AACK scheme provides better network performance with less overhead than some existing DSR-based systems such TWOACK and Watchdog

Expanding the analysis scope of a MATSim transport simulation by integrating the FEATHERS activity-based demand model

MATSim is an agent-based transport simulation model. In contrast to a pure dynamic traffic assignment (DTA) model, MATSim is more an agent-based transport than simulation model. which In contrast to a pure dynamic assignment model, can react to choice dimensions route choice, is the only choice treated traffic by a typical DTA. (DTA) Simulating the MATSim mobility can to more choice dimensions than during route choice, which the only choice treated by a represent typical DTA. the mobility and react activity participation of individuals the whole day, is MATSim can additionally mode Simulating choice, departure time and activity participation individuals during the whole day, in MATSim can additionally represent This mode choice, time choice, and other decisions of and is, therefore, policy-sensitive terms of these choice dimensions. allows for departure the analysis of choice, and other decisions and is, therefore, policy-sensitive in terms of these choice dimensions. This allows for the analysis of a wide scope of policies. MATSim can, however, not model the choice of the sequence of activity participation nor the choice of a activity wide scope of policies. MATSim can, however, not model choice part of the of activity participation nor of participation as such. Also, choices of locations are not the typically of sequence the modeling scope. Interventions into the the choice transport activity participation such. Also, choices of locations typically part changes of the modeling scope. Interventions into the transport and land-use systems as may, however, be substantial such are that not they can effect in behavior in terms of these choices. To allow and land-use systems may, however, be substantial such that they can effect changes in behavior in terms of these choices. allow for the assessment of such reactions, the FEATHERS activity-based demand model is coupled with MATSim. This paper To explores for the assessment such reactions, the FEATHERS activity-based demand model is of coupled with MATSim. This paper explores different options of of integration and describes the development steps of the integration FEATHERS and MATSim. different options of integration and describes the development steps of the integration of FEATHERS and MATSim

Impact of the geometric field of view on drivers’ speed perception and lateral position in driving simulators

Driving simulators have become an effective tool in road safety research. In recent years, the validity of simulators raised debates concerning the extant to which driving in the simulator resembles driving in the reality. Different types of driving simulators with different characteristics have been developed to study driver behavior, however, the fidelity and reliability of such systems are questionable if no proper validation is conducted. Regarding the visual aspect, the fidelity of the simulators can be assessed based on the field of view of the simulator screens. Drivers' speed perception and lateral position were compared for two different geometric field of view (GFOV) angles (i.e., 60 and 135 degrees). Results from the ANOVA tests showed that drivers highly underestimate their driving speed while driving for the condition with 60 degrees of GFOV compared to the condition with 135 degrees of GFOV. Furthermore, drivers drove closer to the real-world situations in the condition with 135 degree of GFOV compared to the condition with 60 degree. Results of this study suggest that, using incorrect GFOV for any simulator would generate biased results in speed and lateral position. Therefore, a proper calibration criterion of the GFOV for the simulators is essential. This study recommends using a scale factor (GFOV/FOV) of 1.00 for virtual environment offered by the simulation scenarios such as GFOV of 135 degree for simulators having three screens with 135 degree of field of view (FOV). Abstract Driving simulators have become an effective tool in road safety research. In recent years, the validity of simulators raised debates concerning the extant to which driving in the simulator resembles driving in the reality. Different types of driving simulators with different characteristics have been developed to study driver behavior, however, the fidelity and reliability of such systems are questionable if no proper validation is conducted. Regarding the visual aspect, the fidelity of the simulators can be assessed based on the field of view of the simulator screens. Drivers' speed perception and lateral position were compared for two different geometric field of view (GFOV) angles (i.e., 60 and 135 degrees). Results from the ANOVA tests showed that drivers highly underestimate their driving speed while driving for the condition with 60 degrees of GFOV compared to the condition with 135 degrees of GFOV. Furthermore, drivers drove closer to the real-world situations in the condition with 135 degree of GFOV compared to the condition with 60 degree. Results of this study suggest that, using incorrect GFOV for any simulator would generate biased results in speed and lateral position. Therefore, a proper calibration criterion of the GFOV for the simulators is essential. This study recommends using a scale factor (GFOV/FOV) of 1.00 for virtual environment offered by the simulation scenarios such as GFOV of 135 degree for simulators having three screens with 135 degree of field of view (FOV).This publication was made possible by the NPRP award [NPRP 9-360-2-150] from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of Qatar Foundation). The statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the author[s