Decision analysis support for evaluating transmission risk of COVID-19 in places where people gather

Background: The coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has presented an unprecedented public health challenge. Prior to vaccination, non-pharmaceutical interventions, including closures, were necessary to help control the epidemic. With the arrival of variants of concern and insufficient population vaccination coverage, ongoing evaluation of transmission risk in settings and the use of non-pharmaceutical interventions are necessary to help control the epidemic. This study aimed to produce a framework for evaluating transmission risk in settings where individuals gather and inform decision-making. Methods: A multi-criteria decision analysis process was used to structure the framework. Fifteen criteria were identified as important to consider for COVID-19 transmission risk based on the literature. This list was ranked by experts and then categorized. The analysis was structured by the consensus list of criteria and relative positioning of each criteria within the list to produce sets of factors to consider when assessing transmission risk at gatherings. Results: Fifteen experts from across Canada participated in ranking the criteria. Strong consensus was found on the relative importance of criteria and this relative consensus was used to create four categories: critical (3 criteria); important (6 criteria); good to consider (5 criteria); and if time permits (1 criterion). Conclusion: The resulting consensus list and categories constitutes a set of important elements that can be applied to any setting as an objective and transparent framework to assess transmission risk in the venue. In conjunction with further consideration of the local epidemiology of COVID-19, an overall risk of transmission assessment can be established and uniformly implemented.

Relative positioning of UWB tags with deferred ranging

The aim of the work is to develop relative navigation systems based on ultrawideband signals. In a relative navigation system, measurements are transmitted not to the base station, but to mobile subscribers who solve the navigation problem. The work of the network with the SDS-TWR distance measurement protocol is shown and a method for reducing the load in the network of devices is proposed, in which delayed distance measurements are used.

Investigation of localization accuracy in UWB relative ranging system

The hybrid combination of a traditional positioning system with fixed reference points and a relative positioning system based on the relative position of network subscribers on the basis of measuring the distances between them increases the availability of the positioning system for moving objects in harsh environment and the accuracy of their positioning. Depending on the operating conditions, the cascade measurement of the distances between the nodes expands the working area with an acceptable positioning accuracy with the same number of fixed anchors.