OJS (University of Applied Sciences Velika Gorica)
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CROalertNet – System architecture
No full textThis paper expands on the previously presented idea for a new information system – CROalertNet. CROalertNet is a multi-platform, multi-module information system designed to use mobile devices to assist civilians during crisis events and which is capable of maintaining a basic degree of functionality in offline mode, which is the expected state during a major crisis event. Our previous work described the need for such an information system and presented, in detail, the idea of a single module – a bomb shelter location mobile application. The previously presented module is a small part of the whole system and in this paper, we expand on the system by proposing the architecture of the CROalertNet information system. A fully developed CROalertNet system would greatly enhance communication capabilities during crises and enable civilians access to vital information even when communication channels (such as mobile networks) break down or function in a reduced capacity due to network congestion
From innovation to accountability: Legal dimensions of AI-powered robots in EU medicine
No full textIntroduction
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) - powered robots into healthcare systems is transforming the landscape of medical practice by enhancing diagnostic accuracy, operational efficiency, and patient-specific treatment. These systems, which combine advanced algorithms with robotic capabilities, have the potential to minimize human error, streamline clinical workflows, and improve treatment outcomes. However, this technological evolution brings significant legal, ethical, and regulatory challenges, particularly within the European Union (EU), where existing legal frameworks struggle to keep pace with rapid AI developments.
The complexity of AI ecosystems—comprising developers, manufacturers, software designers, and healthcare operators—complicates the attribution of legal responsibility when adverse outcomes arise. Furthermore, the opacity of AI systems, often described as the “black box” problem, makes it difficult to determine causality in cases of harm, thereby challenging conventional legal principles based on fault and intent. These issues raise pressing questions about liability distribution, accountability, and risk management in the context of medical AI.
This paper focuses on how the EU is responding to these challenges through its evolving legal instruments. It examines how liability is—or should be—allocated among various stakeholders and considers how legal clarity can promote safer, more transparent AI adoption in medicine. In doing so, the paper addresses the crucial need for harmonized legislation that upholds patient safety without stifling innovation.
Methodology
The study employs a qualitative, interdisciplinary approach to examine liability issues associated with AI-powered robots in healthcare. Legal analysis is conducted using primary sources such as the Artificial Intelligence Act, AI Liability Directive (now revoked), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and Medical Devices Regulation (MDR). These are supplemented by academic literature, short survey, expert interviews, regulatory guidelines, media reports, and official EU communications.
A comparative analysis is also conducted to assess how other jurisdictions approach liability for autonomous systems, helping to identify best practices that could inform EU-level harmonization. Case examples and real-world incidents are used to illustrate gaps between theoretical frameworks and practical implementation. Particular attention is given to how different stakeholders—healthcare providers, software developers, and manufacturers—share or evade liability under current legislation.
The methodology emphasizes the interplay between law, medicine, and technology, aiming to generate holistic recommendations grounded in the operational realities of clinical environments.
Main Results
The study identifies several structural and conceptual shortcomings within the European Union’s current liability framework as it applies to AI-powered robots in medicine. One of the key issues is the unclear distribution of liability. Present legal models often place the burden of responsibility primarily on healthcare professionals, without adequately considering the broader network of stakeholders involved in the development, design, and operation of AI systems. This narrow attribution of fault does not reflect the collaborative and distributed nature of AI deployment, and it may hinder innovation by exposing clinicians to disproportionate legal risk.
Another significant challenge is the so-called "black box" problem, which refers to the opaque and often inscrutable decision-making processes of AI systems. This lack of transparency complicates efforts to determine the cause of medical errors or adverse events, thereby undermining accountability. In legal systems that rely on principles of causation and foreseeability, such opacity introduces considerable ambiguity and weakens the effectiveness of traditional liability mechanisms.
The findings also reveal persistent fragmentation and inconsistencies within the legal landscape. Although the EU has introduced important legislative initiatives such as the AI Act and now revoked the AI Liability Directive, these frameworks still leave unresolved issues related to autonomous decision-making, unexpected system malfunctions, and regulatory discrepancies across member states. These inconsistencies pose obstacles to the coherent and safe deployment of AI technologies in cross-border healthcare contexts.
Data protection and cybersecurity present further areas of concern. The use of AI in healthcare involves the processing of vast amounts of sensitive personal data, which must comply with the GDPR. However, current safeguards are not always sufficient or uniformly applied, raising questions about data integrity, privacy, and the security of AI systems operating in clinical environments.
The study emphasizes the critical importance of explainable and trustworthy AI. Legal responsibility is closely tied to a system’s ability to provide transparent and interpretable outputs. Without sufficient explainability, healthcare professionals and patients may struggle to understand or contest AI-generated decisions, thereby weakening trust and complicating liability assessments. Aligning AI systems with GDPR principles and medical standards for informed consent requires technical and legal mechanisms that promote system transparency and accountability.
In response to these challenges, the paper proposes a shared liability model that reflects the collaborative nature of AI development and use. This model envisions a more balanced distribution of responsibility among developers, manufacturers, healthcare institutions, and end-users. It is supported by the introduction of updated insurance schemes and risk management strategies tailored to the unique characteristics of AI ecosystems. Such a model could foster legal clarity while promoting innovation and ensuring patient safety
Military service – purpose, importance and challenges
No full textSecurity is a feeling, a state, the absence of an immediate threat to an individual and society. Nowadays, security is an increasingly frequently mentioned concept, regardless of how we define security, there is rarely an individual who will not highlight security as one of the priorities for normal life, work, and the functioning of society. On the other hand, few people ask themselves what is needed to achieve security, so that we as a society can be safe. The armed forces are a state organization primarily intended to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state, deter potential aggression, in short, the primary task of the army is the ability to conduct armed combat, i.e. to wage war. As the security paradigm has changed throughout history, the armed forces have also undergone certain forms of transformation, primarily increasing professionalization in terms of staffing. Military service has traditionally been present in the vast majority of European countries, and after the end of the Cold War, security assessments have tended to indicate that there will no longer be a major conventional conflict in Europe and that there is an increasing trend towards low-intensity conflicts, i.e. that mass conventional armed forces are not needed. Events related primarily to the Ukrainian crisis are re-analyzing and redefining military doctrines, which also affected the Republic of Croatia. The paper seeks to provide an overview of 3 units: 1) Conceptual definition and clear definition of what is related to military service; 2) Analysis of military service from multiple aspects (security, socioeconomic, social, motivational); 3) Systematic approach to building a state security system, elements that need to be taken into account, and clearly declaring existing challenges
Food security in the context of environmental risks: Public perception assessment
Get PDFFactors such as climate change, changes in plant and animal life, and the spread of diseases have an increasing impact on food production, which can lead to serious consequences for food security. The paper explores the complex issues of food security in relation to environmental impacts and associated risks. Through an analysis of various environmental challenges, such as climate change and environmental pollution, the paper explores the associated risks and potential consequences for food systems. Additionally, it investigates the increased risks of disease spread, contamination of food by chemicals and microorganisms, and the depletion of essential resources for food production. Furthermore, this paper presents the outcomes of a survey aimed at understanding and analyzing public perceptions of food security within the context of environmental risks. Through the analysis of citizens' perceptions, it investigates how people perceive these risks and what their attitudes and concerns are. According to the research results, the majority of respondents are aware of environmental pollution and its impact on food security. Almost all respondents believe that environmental risks affect food security, and that pollution affects food quality, with almost 50% of respondents changing their food and beverage consumption habits due to concerns about environmental risks and noticing changes in the quality and availability of certain foods
Personal and Mutual Protection of Citizens in the Local Community
Get PDFAnalyzing the data on extraordinary events that marked the past decade in Zadar County, the necessity of increased communication and strengthening of awareness of all the county residents about the risks with which we live and share the living space has been established. New challenges for the local community conditioned by extreme weather phenomena, as well as the increase in the consequences of known risks to human life, material and cultural assets, agriculture, plant and animal life, represent the necessity of intensifying the cooperation of the Civil Protection Directorate with all levels of those legally obliged to establish civil protection. In this context, we will briefly focus on emergency events in Zadar County in the period from 2014 to 2024 as a reference period of 10 years in which a significant number of emergency events occurred. Emergency events confirm the necessity of the continuous efforts of the Civil Protection Directorate to prepare the local community for potential risks and reduce the risk of disasters through preventive and preparatory activities. In most of the analyzed emergency events, the civil protection system was activated through the activities of the civil protection headquarters and its work contributed to a timely response and elimination of the consequences of the emergency event. It is necessary to think about the self-sufficiency of the local community in responding to the consequences caused by emergency situations. Can the local community, using exclusively the operational forces of the civil protection system, provide a quick and effective response in the area of its territorial jurisdiction? Are the available human capacities of the operational forces sufficient? Is there an interest among citizens in participating in activities in response to emergency events? This professional paper will provide answers to the previously raised questions by analyzing the state of the available operational forces and reactions to emergency events in the observed area. At the same time, it is intended to draw attention to the importance of knowing the risks and dangers and the procedures for citizens to behave in emergency situations. Ultimately, the aim of the paper is to explain the importance of implementing citizen education, which is continuously carried out by the Civil Protection Directorate, with the aim of raising awareness and reducing disaster risk, i.e. strengthening the resilience of the local community
Implementation of Green Computing in Increasing ICT Security
Get PDFGreen computing encompasses practices and technologies aimed at reducing the negative impact of ICT on the natural environment. The goal is to optimize energy performance, reduce carbon emissions, increase resource efficiency, and promote responsible disposal of electronic waste. All of this includes a wide range of activities, from the design of energy-efficient hardware components and the development of software that minimizes energy consumption, to the implementation of sustainable data center management strategies and the recycling of electronic devices. This paper describes the basics of green computing and the importance of its application for increasing ICT security
Mathematical Models in Different Potential Crisis Situations
Get PDFAccording to the Danish mathematician Ole Skovsmose, there are at least three connections between mathematics and crises: mathematics picturing a crisis, mathematics constituting a crisis and mathematics formatting a crisis. In this paper we explain and further explore the three relationships of mathematics and crisis in disease spread and cyber security. Regarding mathematical models, the emphasis is on differential equations which we explain in simple language and show how they are connected to our reality by the use of concrete examples in economics, epidemiology (disease spread) and climate change. Altogether, the aim of this paper is to show and convey to the wider audience how mathematics and crisis are connected and how mathematics, through differential equations, embodies relationships, dynamics and changes of the objects from different areas of the real world, with an emphasis on crises situations
Water crisis and security challenges in the era of climate change
Get PDFThe water crisis and climate change are global issues affecting billions of lives on Earth. Extreme weather conditions such as heatwaves, floods, hurricanes, and droughts, resulting from climate change, lead to the extinction of plant and animal species. All these changes drastically alter the supply and quality of drinking water, crucial for agriculture, human consumption, industrial production, and nature conservation. When the supply of drinking or technical water exceeds demand, a water crisis occurs. Hunger, conflicts, diseases, and migrations are possible outcomes of such a crisis. To better cope with climate change and water crises, measures need to be taken at all levels of government, from local to national, as well as internationally. The paper explores the connection between climate change and water crisis and how global warming, precipitation changes, and extreme weather conditions shape the availability and quality of water, especially in arid regions. Special emphasis is placed on the necessity of adaptation and efficient water resource management to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on water supply, agriculture, ecosystems, and human health. Through concrete examples from different parts of the world, current challenges and approaches to addressing the water crisis in the context of increasingly pronounced climate change are investigated
Cultural and communication differences in the context of illegal migration in Southeastern Europe
Get PDFA large part of Southern and Eastern Europe, including Croatia and its neighbouring countries, encountered the first major migration crisis in the second half of 2015. Migrants, predominantly from the Middle East, most often travelled via the so-called Mediterranean migration routes through Italy, Spain, and Greece, as well as by land from Turkey, then across the Balkans towards the wealthier Western Europe.
Various sources provided different information about the refugee routes, as well as the behaviour of refugees and their lives and survival in refugee camps. People's knowledge about refugees from the east is mostly based on their prejudices. It is precisely on such prejudices that attitudes and opinions about migrants arriving via perilous routes were formed. Migrants left and continue to leave their homes driven by wars or the inability to provide a living for themselves, which is often on the brink of poverty. Many have lost their lives in the waters of the Mediterranean in their quest to reach a promised land somewhere in Western or Northern Europe.
This paper aims to explore how cultural and communication differences affected their adaptation to the people and countries they arrived in and how significant the cultural and other differences are between, so to speak, them and us
Climate change in Europe: How to adapt our higher education curricula and involve the students – Learn4Green project
Get PDFIn response to the need to incorporate environmental and sustainability issues into higher education curricula, four European higher education institutions decided to combine their competences to build five ECTS international, collaborative, and multidisciplinary online course modules focusing on environment, sustainability, and health (energy crisis, analysis methods in the field of environment, green smart factories).The four partner institutions received an Erasmus+ subvention for a three-year period to develop an online course. These higher education institutions are Brussels-Brabant University College (Belgium), University of Applied Sciences Velika Gorica, (Croatia), Polytechnico Institut – Coimbra (Portugal) and Tartu Health Care College – Tartu (Estonia).The course's objective is to foster students' interest and develop the scientific, technological, and socio-political foundations in the fields of environment, sustainability, and health as well as communication, English language and crisis management skills. The project closely aligns with the European Strategy on Multilingualism and broader EU policies promoting foreign language learning and soft skills development. The teachers and students worked together in a co-construction way, using a situated learning environment. The process involved the teachers and students in a co-construction way, through a situated learning environment. This paper aims to present the methodology and partial results after one year, based on both quantitative and qualitative indicators