We get into an Uber car, and the driver passes by the Kremlin walls, guided by GPS. At the end of the ride, the bill turns out to be three times as expensive than usual. What is the matter? We check the route, and the screen shows that we travelled to an airport outside of Moscow. Impossible. We look again: the moment we approached the Kremlin, our location automatically jumped to Vnukovo. As we learned later, this was caused by a GPS fence set up to confuse and disorient aerial sensors, preventing unwanted drone flyovers.
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Light profoundly impacts many aspects of human physiology and behaviour, including the synchronization of the circadian clock, the production of melatonin, and cognition. These effects of light, termed the non-visual effects of light, have been primarily investigated in laboratory settings, where light intensity, spectrum and timing can be carefully controlled to draw associations with physiological outcomes of interest. Recently, the increasing availability of wearable light loggers has opened the possibility of studying personal light exposure in free-living conditions where people engage in activities of daily living, yielding findings associating aspects of light exposure and health outcomes, supporting the importance of adequate light exposure at appropriate times for human health. However, comprehensive protocols capturing environmental (e.g., geographical location, season, climate, photoperiod) and individual factors (e.g., culture, personal habits, behaviour, commute type, profession) contributing to the measured light exposure are currently lacking. Here, we present a protocol that combines smartphone-based experience sampling (experience sampling implementing Karolinska Sleepiness Scale, KSS ratings) and high-quality light exposure data collection at three body sites (near-corneal plane between the two eyes mounted on spectacle, neck-worn pendant/badge, and wrist-worn watch-like design) to capture daily factors related to individuals’ light exposure. We will implement the protocol in an international multi-centre study to investigate the environmental and socio-cultural factors influencing light exposure patterns in Germany, Ghana, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey (minimum n = 15, target n = 30 per site, minimum n = 90, target n = 180 across all sites). With the resulting dataset, lifestyle and context-specific factors that contribute to healthy light exposure will be identified. This information is essential in designing effective public health interventions.
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Geospatial technologies have the potential to transform the lives of older adults by providing them with necessary tools to navigate their local communities, access services, connect with others, and access valuable information. However, the usability and accessibility of such technologies often fall short of the needs of older adults. Many existing geospatial tools are not designed with the needs and preferences of older adults in mind; this can lead to usability challenges and limit their usage. This paper explores a participatory approach in developing an inclusive geodata-collection tool that is specifically tailored to older users’ needs. The paper also highlights the importance of incorporating user-centered design principles, participatory design methods, and accessibility guidelines throughout the entire geodata-tool-development process. It also emphasizes the need for ongoing user engagement and feedback in order to ensure that the tool remains relevant and usable in the evolving digital landscape. This participatory approach has resulted in a tool that is easy to use and accessible for older adults; it is available in various languages, thus ensuring that the elderly can actively participate in the prototype’s creation and contribute to the collection of the geospatial information that reflects their lived experiences and needs.
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