1,721,090 research outputs found
Sustainable Development Targets and Local Participation in Minor Deprived Communities
No full textThis book is a deliverable of C27 Cost Action "Sustainable Development Policies for Minor Deprived Urban Communities". The Action tackles the problem of minor deprived communities’ protection and rehabilitation and is geared to sustainable development. The main objective of the Action is to explore, assess and improve the different policy options geared to sustainable development that are open to small deprived communities. This book has been published with the contribution of COST, which is an intergovernmental framework for European Cooperation in Science and Technology, allowing the coordination of nationally-funded research on a European level.
The goal of COST is to ensure that Europe holds a strong position in the field of scientific and technical research for peaceful purposes, by increasing European cooperation and interaction in this field. This research initiative makes it possible for the various national facilities, institutes, universities and private industry to work jointly on a wide range of Research and Development (R&D) activities.
The contents were discussed during the following three meetings organized by COST C27 Action "Sustainable Development Policies for Minor Deprived Urban Communities" in Prague, Sundsvall and Brescia. The contributions underwent a peer review procedure by the Management Committee of the COST C27 Action
Suburban Collective Transit and Land Use: a methodological approach
No full textIn the context of sustainable mobility great attention should be paid not only to urban mobility issues but also to suburban and interurban travels: an efficient collective transit service may represent an alternative to cars for these types of movements. Integrated approaches gathering urban planning and transport management can help in lowering individualized traffic volumes and in increasing collective transit usage. An assessment of the existing transit network and of its catchment areas may be a first step to investigate the relationship between the demand and the supply of collective transit facilities: a focus on land uses can help in providing this first as-sessment.
How can accessibility to collective transit be evaluated? Is it possible to link the suburban collective passenger transit network with land uses, in order to analyse the spatial efficiency of bus stops? The present paper aims at linking the location of existing bus stops with the sur-rounding land uses, with a focus on the case study of the Province of Brescia, which is one of the most dynamic realities of northern Italy. Using a land use geographical database it is possible to select land uses which, more than others, are able to attract or to generate potential transit users: residential units, public (and of public interest) facilities and productive in-frastructures. The area served by the transit service can be estimated as the surface that people can reach from each stop by walking. To a first approximation, an influence radius of 450 m, corresponding to a walking distance of about 10 minutes from each stop, may be chosen and mapped using a GIS software. Then the assessment can be performed calculating the proportion of different land uses covered by the transit service (and by difference the proportion of land uses that are at the moment not served by transit facilities). Furthermore, through an observation of the less covered catchment areas it is possible to detect the less useful bus stops, which in case of a reorganization of the lines may be taken off without generating disa-greements.
The paper doesn’t represent an exhaustive overview of all the accessibility issues related to collective transit but may be seen as a starting point from which further analysis can be developed
FORCE-OPTIMIZED MONOLITHIC PNEUNETS SOFT ACTUATORS: DESIGN, SIMULATION AND CHARACTERIZATION
No full textThis study investigates the design, simulation, and characterization of force-optimized, monolithic, PneuNets-based soft actuators for applications in robotics and rehabilitation. Building on previous work, the research explores the optimization of actuator geometry through Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations and experimental validation. By refining the actuator’s geometry, particularly regarding chamber count and structural elements, the study aims to improve force output and efficiency while maintaining a simple, cost-effective design process. The elastomer Dragon Skin 30 was selected for its favorable mechanical properties, ensuring high deformation tolerance and efficient force control. The optimization process involved a detailed analysis of force and stress distribution using FEM, followed by actuator fabrication and testing. The results indicate that increasing the number of chambers enhances force output, with a maximum tip force of 1.2 N achieved in the final design. A comparison between the initial and final designs revealed significant improvements in force generation, thereby validating the FEM model as a reliable tool for actuator design. The study concludes that the optimized actuator design offers a promising solution for flexible and efficient soft actuators, suitable for rehabilitation and other delicate manipulation tasks
Analyzing the Criticalities of Public Spaces to Promote Sustainable Mobility
Full text linkThe massive spread of private cars has led to the progressive reduction of public space quality. Public space is one of the city components necessary to give life to the city itself and should have the characteristics of quality, safety, and accessibility. With a view to the sustainable development of the urban environment, these needs should be met through targeted interventions, with particular attention to the integration between urban planning and mobility. Therefore, in this paper, we study the urban regeneration of public space in favor of sustainable mobility. A methodology for the definition of the cognitive framework in urban regeneration processes is proposed. The methodology is based on three different strongly interconnected phases: the first phase is the analysis of the urban context, the second is the analysis of the perception of space by the user, while the third and final phase proposes some preparatory solutions for the subsequent design phase. The technical analyzes are based on observations on the site, measurements, and the use of thematic maps. On the contrary, the perception phase is based on the direct involvement of citizens through a survey. The methodology is applied to the case study of the San Bartolomeo district of the city of Brescia. The results show a connection between the technical characteristics of the road and the perception of space by the users. Furthermore, they are useful for the design of a public space weighted to the needs encountering
Gli effetti delle previsioni urbanistiche sulla rigenerazione urbana diffusa. Il caso di Brescia
No full textObiettivo del presente lavoro è quello di indagare gli effetti che l’attuazione delle previsioni urbanistiche
può avere in termini di rigenerazione diffusa, partendo dal caso studio della città di Brescia, che nell’ultimo
quinquennio è stata interessata da numerose trasformazioni dell’assetto urbanistico. Trasformazioni che
hanno in qualche misura segnato l’uscita dalla crisi che nell’ultimo decennio ha colpito pesantemente il
mercato immobiliare. In queste trasformazioni urbanistiche, che interessano per la gran parte aree di
proprietà privata, e solo in misura minore aree di proprietà comunale, l’iniziativa arriva da soggetti privati,
ma il comune assume un fondamentale ruolo di regia nello sviluppo e nell’attuazione dell’intervento, e
soprattutto nel definire le prestazioni pubbliche attese e, di conseguenza, le opere di urbanizzazione primaria
e secondaria da prevedere nelle convenzioni urbanistiche dei piani attuativi.
Le trasformazioni che interessano le aree private, unitamente alle opere di urbanizzazione da esse
originate, raggiungono così il duplice effetto di recuperare le aree dismesse e degradate, e rigenerare lo
spazio pubblico adiacente, attraverso un’azione di rammendo del tessuto urbano consolidato, anche mediante
l’inserimento di servizi che possono aumentare la vitalità di alcune parti dei quartieri, e generando così
l’effetto sociale di rafforzare il senso di comunità e favorire l’integrazione.
Questo lavoro presenta una metodologia di analisi che, partendo dalla disamina delle delibere assunte
negli ultimi 5 anni dal Settore Urbanistica del Comune di Brescia, mette in relazione trasformazioni
urbanistiche e qualità dello spazio pubblico. La metodologia si basa sull’utilizzo di un software GIS, che
consente di mappare, categorizzare e quantificare le trasformazioni, con la finalità di costruire una base
informativa che permetta nel tempo di monitorare gli effetti delle trasformazioni urbanistiche sulla
dimensione socio-economica oltre che sulla qualità dello spazio urbano
Hybrid Soft-Rigid Robotic System for Hand Rehabilitation
No full textThis article proposes the design and development of a cost-effective hand rehabilitation system based on the principle of mirror therapy, and a hybrid soft-rigid structure. The developed system uses mirror therapy, by focusing on cortical reorganization to improve the recovery of hand movements. The system integrates a sensory glove on the healthy hand equipped with bending sensors to detect finger movements. Two different types of bending sensors (one of which is a soft sensor) were considered and compared, and the sensors were extensively characterized. The movements of the healthy hand, detected by the sensing glove, control an exoskeleton-like rehabilitation glove worn on the affected hand. The presented rehabilitation glove contains 3D-printed components with compliant flexural hinges that are actuated by electric servomotors and wires. The extension of the fingers is active (for the hand opening), and the finger flexion is mixed passive/active, thanks to the flexural hinges. The finger interface ensures a customized fit. The modular design of the system facilitates adjustments and optimizations. This cost-effective hand rehabilitation system offers a promising approach to improving motor recovery through mirror therapy for patients with various hand problems, including rehabilitation at home through a low-cost personalized device
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