Proposal of a methodology for accessibility projects on urban roads and places / Proposta de uma metodologia para projetos de acessibilidade em estradas e lugares urbanos

A study of the current accessibility legislation was carried out in order to obtain a clear assessment of the physical aspects of an urban region, given the importance of accessible spaces for integration of the general people, based on the survey of the positive and negative points of roads and public places. From these studies, a systematization of activities was proposed to favor design interventions and corrections in accordance with the ABNT Technical Standards. The methodology is composed by identification e register files of the accessibility conditions, the analysis of post-occupation assessment carried out, postposed by the elaboration of an architectural-landscape-urban project. The main objective of eliminating architectural barriers, promoting safety and movement without interferences, in addition to optimizing of urban place use is completed.

Automated Curb Recognition and Negotiation for Robotic Wheelchairs

Common electric powered wheelchairs cannot safely negotiate architectural barriers (i.e., curbs) which could injure the user and damage the wheelchair. Robotic wheelchairs have been developed to address this issue; however, proper alignment performed by the user is needed prior to negotiating curbs. Users with physical and/or sensory impairments may find it challenging to negotiate such barriers. Hence, a Curb Recognition and Negotiation (CRN) system was developed to increase user’s speed and safety when negotiating a curb. This article describes the CRN system which combines an existing curb negotiation application of a mobility enhancement robot (MEBot) and a plane extraction algorithm called Polylidar3D to recognize curb characteristics and automatically approach and negotiate curbs. The accuracy and reliability of the CRN system were evaluated to detect an engineered curb with known height and 15 starting positions in controlled conditions. The CRN system successfully recognized curbs at 14 out of 15 starting positions and correctly determined the height and distance for the MEBot to travel towards the curb. While the MEBot curb alignment was 1.5 ± 4.4°, the curb ascending was executed safely. The findings provide support for the implementation of a robotic wheelchair to increase speed and reduce human error when negotiating curbs and improve accessibility.

Proposal for Modernisation of Large Block System Buildings (Lbs) - Facades – Lublin University of Technology

The over 40-years-old housing stock from the industrialized mass housing era is today functionally deficient and does not meet the current needs of residents. In particular, there are numerous architectural barriers, the systems are worn and obsolete, and the number of housing types is very limited. Examples of the modernization of multi-story residential buildings (the article presents those from Russia and Ukraine) confirm that this problem is universal, and a significant improvement of the building’s. utility value can be achieved through a relatively small modification of the building fabric: precast concrete structures of the buildings prove to be flexible enough to accommodate deep changes. The authors present a concept of modernization of a building erected in a “large block” system, typical for the Polish housing of the 1970s in many cities. The case study concerns a particular building located in Lublin in one of the large housing estates – the concept of its modernization is compatible with the local spatial development plan, the proposed solutions are architecturally coherent and technically feasible.

Association of the mobility level of critically ill adult patients with the success of extubation: protocol for a cohort study

IntroductionSeveral factors contribute to the reduction of the mobility in ICU), such as the use of sedatives, severity, invasive devices, acute clinical instability, lack of resources, the culture of immobility, architectural barriers and the own weakness developed in the ICU. The need for ventilatory support is common in most of patients, and weaning from mechanical ventilation (MV) is an arduous process that requires the commitment of the entire team. Instruments that objectively assess the mobility of patients admitted to the ICU can be useful to identify the existence or not of an association between mobility and prognosis.ObjectiveTo estimate the association between the level of mobility and successful extubation.Methods and analysisProspective cohort study with the beginning of follow-up when the patient completes 24 hours of invasive MV in the ICU and ends on the date the patient’s hospital discharge. Adult patients (≥18 years old) admitted to the ICU will be included in the first invasive MV event in this hospitalisation. Patients should be independently able to mobilise before current hospital admission. Predictor variables will be collected (age, sex, body mass index, Simplified Acute Physiological Score III (SAPS III), ICU admission type: clinic, elective or emergency surgery postoperative, Charlson Index, number of physiotherapists per patient in each ICU, use of sedation, vasoactive drugs and neuromuscular blocker, ICU mobility scale, time of invasive MV, ICU admission and hospital admission, and outcome. The primary outcome is the result of extubation (success or failure).Ethics and disseminationThis study was approved by the Ethics Committee, certificate number 92878218.1.0000.5505. The protocol was registered on the Registro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clínicos (ReBEC) (registration number RBR-8k4f68). The results will be published in specialised journals and disseminated to the medical society and the general public.

DEFICIÊNCIA E ENSINO SUPERIOR TECNOLÓGICO: um estudo de percepções

Objetivou-se descrever a formação profissional de uma estudante com deficiência visual, a partir da percepção da própria estudante, de seus 22 professores e dos 29 estudantes que constituíam sua sala de aula. Trata-se de um Estudo de Caso em uma Faculdade de Tecnologia. Foram utilizados três questionários compostos por perguntas abertas, dos quais os dados obtidos foram analisados por meio da Análise de Conteúdo e por eixos temáticos. Destaca-se a dificuldade de convivência com a estudante com deficiência visual quanto ao estigma da deficiência, de barreiras arquitetônicas, tecnológica, informacional, pedagógicas, atitudinais e de sua própria trajetória de vida. Na presença desses aspectos, o acesso ao Ensino Superior Tecnológico foi possível, mediante a busca pela estudante com deficiência visual em desenvolver-se, sendo um sujeito ativo na sociedade acadêmica e em seu processo de humanização.Palavras-chave: acesso ao ensino superior; educação; educação especial; educação das pessoas com deficiência.DISABILITY AND TECHNOLOGICAL HIGHER EDUCATION: a study of perceptionsAbstractThe objective was to describe the professional formation of a visually impaired student, from the perception of the student herself, her 22 teachers and the 29 students who constituted her classroom. It is a Case Study at a Faculty of Technology. Three questionnaires composed of open questions were used, from which the obtained data were analyzed through Content Analysis and thematic axes. We highlight the difficulty of living with students with visual impairment regarding the stigma of disability, architectural barriers, technological, informational, pedagogical, attitudinal and their own life trajectory. In the presence of these aspects, access to Technological Higher Education was possible through the search for the visually impaired student to develop, being an active subject in the academic society and its humanization process.Keywords: access to higher education; education; special education; education of the students with disabilities.DISCAPACIDAD Y EDUCACIÓN TECNOLÓGICA SUPERIOR: un studio de percepciones ResumenEl objetivo era describir la formación profesional de una estudiante con discapacidad visual, desde la percepción de la propia estudiante, sus 22 maestros y los 29 estudiantes que constituían su salón de clases. Es un estudio de caso en una facultad de tecnología. Se utilizaron tres cuestionarios compuestos por preguntas abiertas, de los cuales se analizaron los datos obtenidos a través de Análisis de Contenido y ejes temáticos. Destacamos la dificultad de vivir con estudiantes con discapacidad visual en relación con el estigma de la discapacidad, las barreras arquitectónicas, tecnológicas, informativas, pedagógicas, actitudinales y su propia trayectoria de vida. En presencia de estos aspectos, el acceso a la Educación Superior Tecnológica fue posible a través de la búsqueda del estudiante con discapacidad visual para desarrollarse, siendo un sujeto activo en la sociedad académica y su proceso de humanización.Palabras clave: acceso a la educación superior; educación; educación especial; educación de los discapacitados.

Classification of innovative wheelchair constructions with the option of transport via stairs

Modern transport systems are developed following universal design, considering the requirements of people with disabilities. Despite the detailed legal regulations in construction and industry, there are still many barriers, e.g., architectural barriers, making it challenging to move around in wheelchairs. Designs of wheelchairs with special capabilities provide a chance to overcome these barriers. The article aimed to present various methods of climbing stairs by wheelchairs with special abilities. The review of works was related to the research work of the scientific team from the Faculty of Transport of the Warsaw University of Technology. Against the background of other works, the author's own design solution was presented.

Urban Health: Assessment of Indoor Environment Spillovers on Health in a Distressed Urban Area of Rome

It is notable that indoor environment quality plays a crucial role in guaranteeing health, especially if we consider that people spend more than 90% of their time indoors, a percentage that increases for people on low income. This role assumes even further significance when dealing with distressed urban areas, vulnerable areas within cities that suffer from multiple deprivations. The community-based interdisciplinary research-action group of the University La Sapienza focused on a complex in the outskirts of Rome. The aim was to assess the correlations between architectural aspects of the indoor environment, socio-economic conditions, such as lifestyles and housing conditions, and eventually health outcomes. The intent of providing a comparative methodology in a context where official data is hard to find, led to the integration of social, health, and housing questionnaires with various environmental software simulations. What emerged is that underprivileged housing conditions, characterized by mold, humidity, unhealthiness, thermohygrometric discomfort, architectural barriers, and overcrowding, are often associated with recurrent pathologies linked to arthritis, respiratory diseases, and domestic accidents.

Barreiras arquitetônicas e suas implicações no contexto escolar para pessoas com deficiência física e visual em um projeto educacional / Architectural barriers and their implications in the school context for people with physical and visual disabilities in an educational project

Introdução: A educação fomenta a formação das pessoas. Por tal significância, o contexto escolar deve oferecer oportunidades igualitárias. Sendo a Tecnologia Assistiva uma disciplina multiprofissional, a Terapia Ocupacional a utiliza de modo a tornar o espaço escolar menos excludente para Pessoas com Deficiência. Objetivo: Objetivou-se identificar barreiras arquitetônicas para pessoas com deficiência física e visual em um projeto educacional. Esse artigo cunhou-se durante o Estágio Curricular do Curso de Terapia Ocupacional da Universidade do Estado do Pará no contexto educacional, em uma instituição social situada na cidade de Belém-PA. Método: Trata-se de um estudo de caso de natureza descritiva, abordagem qualitativa e procedimentos documentais, utilizando registros produzidos através de diário de campo e relatórios como fonte de dados. Estruturou-se em três fases: preparação para ida à campo; observação do lócus; identificação de demandas, utilizando o Manual de Acessibilidade Espacial para Escolas: o direito à escola acessível! como parâmetro. Diante disto, o ambiente analisado foi composto por: rua em frente à escola; portão da escola à porta de entrada; recepção e salas de atendimento; corredores; escadas e rampas; salas de aula; biblioteca; auditório; sanitários; refeitório; e espaço destinado ao lazer. Resultados: Constatou-se que alguns equipamentos, espaços e alternativas à acessibilidade eram ausentes no local, dificultando a inclusão escolar. Reconhecer as barreiras arquitetônicas abre diálogo à inclusão de pessoas com deficiência em espaços educacionais, pois favorece reflexões e ações voltadas à acessibilidade e à garantia de direitos neste contexto. Conclusão: Nesse sentido, a Terapia Ocupacional pode contribuir na promoção das ocupações, em estratégias adaptativas e mudanças arquitetônicas.Palavras-Chave: Terapia Ocupacional. Educação. Acessibilidade Arquitetônica.AbstractIntroduction: Education fosters the training of individuals. For such significance, the school context must offer equal opportunities. As Assistive Technology is a multidisciplinary discipline, Occupational Therapy uses it in order to make the school space less exclusive for People with Disabilities. Objective: The objective was to identify architectural barriers for people with physical and visual disabilities in an educational project located in the city of Belém-Pa. This article was coined during the Curricular Internship of the Occupational Therapy Course at Pará State University in the educational context, in a social institution located in that municipality. Method: This is a case study of a descriptive nature, qualitative approach and documentary procedures, using records produced through field diaries and reports as a data source. It was structured in three phases: preparation for going to the field; observation of the locus; identification of demands, using the Spatial Accessibility Manual for Schools: The right to accessible school! as a parameter. Given this, the analysis of the environment was composed by: street in front of the school; school gate to the entrance door; reception and reception rooms; runners; stairs and ramps; classrooms; library; auditorium; Sanitary; refectory; and space for leisure. Results: It was found that some equipment, spaces and alternatives to accessibility were absent in the place, making inclusion difficult. Recognizing architectural barriers opens a dialogue to guarantee the rights to education for people with physical and visual disabilities. Conclusion: Therefore, Occupational Therapy in the school environment plays an important role in promoting occupations and adaptive strategies.Keywords: Occupational therapy. Education. Architectural Accessibility ResumenIntroducción: La educación fomenta la formación de las personas. Para tal trascendencia, el contexto escolar debe ofrecer igualdad de oportunidades. Dado que la Tecnología de Asistencia es una disciplina multidisciplinaria, la Terapia Ocupacional la utiliza para hacer que el espacio escolar sea menos exclusivo para las Personas con Discapacidad. Objetivo: El objetivo fue identificar barreras arquitectónicas para personas con discapacidad física y visual en un proyecto educativo ubicado en la ciudad de Belém-Pa. Este artículo fue acuñado durante la Pasantía Curricular del Curso de Terapia Ocupacional de la Universidad Estatal de Pará en el contexto educativo, en una institución social ubicada en ese municipio. Metodo: Se trata de un estudio de caso de carácter descriptivo, enfoque cualitativo y procedimientos documentales, utilizando como fuente de datos registros producidos a través de diarios e informes de campo. Se estructuró en tres fases: preparación para la salida al campo; observación del locus; identificación de demandas, utilizando el Manual de Accesibilidad Espacial para Escuelas: ¡El derecho a la escuela accesible! como parámetro. Ante esto, el análisis del entorno estuvo compuesto por: calle frente a la escuela; puerta de la escuela a la puerta de entrada; salas de recepción y recepción; corredores escaleras y rampas; salas de clase; biblioteca; sala; Sanitario; refectorio; y espacio para el ocio. Resultados: Se encontró que algunos equipamientos, espacios y alternativas de accesibilidad estaban ausentes en el lugar, lo que dificultaba la inclusión. Reconocer las barreras arquitectónicas abre un diálogo para garantizar los derechos a la educación de las personas con discapacidad física y visual. Conclusión: Por lo tanto, la Terapia Ocupacional en el entorno escolar juega un papel importante en la promoción de ocupaciones y estrategias adaptativas.Palabras clave: Terapia ocupacional. Educación. Accesibilidad Arquitectónica.

A NURSERY BUILDING AS A SPACE WITH VARIABLE FILLING IN ADAPTATION TO CURRENT NEEDS. IMPORTING AND INTERACTING UNITS

Steve Jobs said that future should not be sought in official and main trends in the development of technical thought but in niche projects, experimental solutions that are not a part of „mainstream”; in ideas that are not obvious and seem absurd or illogical at first glance. Do the wish to prove that the impossible is within our reach let the design conditions change and adjust the direction of creative thinking so that they meet the expectations of clients and inverstors. The purpose of this paper is to attract attention to the necessity of changing the way nursery buildings are perceived and imagined – as space limited by permanent architectural barriers in which typical processes of cyclical character and didactic activities in linear schemes occur.