Search Results (320)

High-density central business districts (CBDs) often appear highly walkable because they combine transit accessibility, functional density and active frontages. Yet their pedestrian environments may lose usability under routine disturbances such as crowding, e-bike encroachment, blind-path obstruction and effective-width erosion. This study reframes walkability as baseline pedestrian capacity and everyday resilience as the ability of that capacity to remain safe, continuous, inclusive and comfortable under ordinary urban stressors. Taking Beijing Guomao as a case, we integrated a field street audit, sidewalk-width measurement, route timing, traffic-interference observation, POI-based vitality assessment and 145 valid questionnaires. The objective indicator table produced a capacity-oriented score of 0.868 on a 0–1 scale, while the perception index was 3.17/5. The gap was explained by weak disturbance-sensitive indicators: non-motorized vehicle intrusion (0.46), blind-path continuity (0.60), motor-vehicle encroachment (0.67) and acoustic comfort (0.72). Field measurements showed mean physical and effective sidewalk widths of 3.62 m and 2.36 m, respectively. The mean section-level width loss was 30.9%, while the maximum loss of 88.2% occurred at one severely obstructed section, where the effective width was 0.50 m. The findings suggest that CBD pedestrian improvement should shift from facility provision to operational resilience through width recovery, micromobility governance, barrier-free continuity and last-mile route integration. Full article

Background: Emergency services in urban areas are overcrowded due to a rise in mild-to-moderate acuity consultations, and physician-led home visits are less common. In response, a home-based urgent care model in an urban setting (Docadom) was developed. Consultation requests via a dedicated mobile application or phone call are triaged by a trained emergency nurse. Physicians travel to the patient via an electric cargo bike that has storage for medical equipment. During home visits, physicians perform testing/diagnosis and advanced procedures (e.g., intravenous medication delivery) and prescribe treatment (if needed). This descriptive analysis reports activities during the first 12 months of Docadom. Methods: Data from all patients seen during the first 12 months of Docadom activity (1 May 2023–30 April 2024) were analysed. Outcomes analysed included: age, sex, diagnosis, and whether the patient was referred to the hospital. Patient satisfaction (from 1 [worst] to 5 [best]) is also reported. Each outcome was analysed in two subgroups based on patient age (<75 or ≥75 years) because the Swiss health insurance system distinguishes between these two age groups, using Wilcoxon or chi-square tests as appropriate. Results: A total of 1736 patients requested a consultation (66% female; median age 70 years [interquartile range 36, 84]; 43% aged ≥75 years). The five most frequent clinical presentations were: ear, nose and throat infection, epistaxis and bronchitis (25.7%); soft tissue trauma (7.8%); acute cervical or lower back pain syndrome (5.6%); gastroenteritis and dehydration (5.0%); and cancer and general decline in the elderly (4.6%). Only 4.7% of the patients were referred to the hospital. The mean satisfaction score was 4.97 (response rate: 207/422 patients [49%] who requested a consultation via the app). Conclusions: These data highlight the feasibility and acceptability of a home-based urgent care model in an urban setting. The service effectively addressed a wide range of acute conditions, especially in elderly patients. The low hospital referral rate and high patient satisfaction are encouraging, but as a single-arm descriptive analysis without post-consultation outcome data or a comparator group, this study cannot establish clinical safety or an effect on emergency department use; these questions require a future comparative study. Full article

E-cargo bikes have emerged as a promising solution for sustainable urban mobility and last-mile logistics. However, their structural design must ensure durability and safety under demanding cargo transport and daily operating conditions. This study evaluates the structural performance of three single-track E-cargo bike frame typologies, Urban, Long John and Long Tail, using finite element analysis under fatigue and impact loading conditions derived from EN 15194:2020 and EN 17860-2:2024. Numerical models of aluminum 6061-T6 frames were developed to simulate cyclic pedaling, horizontal, seat-post and vertical cargo loading forces, together with falling-frame and falling-mass impact tests. Structural performance was assessed through fatigue life, stress distribution, damage initiation, plastic strain and permanent wheelbase deformation. The Urban and Long John frames satisfied the adopted fatigue-life requirements, whereas the Long Tail frame failed the vertical loading-area fatigue test with a predicted fatigue life of 5.22 × 10⁴ cycles, below the required 2 × 10⁵ cycles. The maximum von Mises stresses during the falling-frame impact test reached 384 MPa, 326 MPa and 356 MPa for the Urban, Long John and Long Tail frames, respectively, while the corresponding permanent wheelbase deformations remained limited to 2.07 mm, 1.97 mm, and 1.43 mm, all below the acceptance criterion. These results highlight the influence of frame geometry and cargo location on structural behavior and support future frame optimization. Full article

Electric scooters (e-scooters) and electric bicycles (e-bikes) are established urban micromobility modes, and children and adolescents form a growing share of riders. This narrative review synthesises peer-reviewed evidence on e-scooter and e-bike injuries in patients aged 18 years or younger, covering epidemiology, mechanisms, injury patterns, clinical outcomes, comparisons with conventional devices, and prevention. Each source was classified as dedicated paediatric evidence, mixed-age evidence with extractable paediatric results, adult or mixed-age evidence used only for context, or an adult-dominated systematic review, so that the basis of every claim is explicit. The reported burden has risen across national surveillance data and single-centre series, and one population-adjusted analysis found injury rates increasing by 293% for e-bikes and by 88% for powered scooters between 2019 and 2022. Most studies lack exposure denominators, so exposure-adjusted paediatric risk remains poorly quantified and rising counts cannot be equated with rising risk. Injuries affect adolescent boys disproportionately and peak at ages 11 to 14 years. Extremity and soft-tissue injuries predominate, while a clinically important minority sustain traumatic brain injury, craniofacial and dental trauma, or severe multisystem injury. Low helmet use and higher device speeds are consistently associated with more severe outcomes, although observational designs cannot establish causal effects and device type is confounded with rider age and road exposure in every available paediatric comparison. Powered devices are associated with greater severity than non-powered counterparts. Speed limitation and helmet promotion appear promising, but paediatric-specific effectiveness evidence remains limited. Prospective paediatric research incorporating exposure denominators is the priority. Full article

The development of suspension systems for urban micro-mobility vehicles, such as bicycles and e-bikes, requires balancing effective road filtering with structural simplicity. Traditional solutions, such as telescopic forks and rear shock absorbers, face significant challenges related to weight, bulk, and mechanical complexity, which increase production and maintenance costs. The integration of in-wheel motors into wheel hubs further complicates the design by increasing unsprung mass and vertical vibrations, negatively affecting ride comfort. The In-Wheel Suspension (IWS) system offers an innovative solution by incorporating elastic and damping elements directly into the wheel rim, eliminating the need for frame modifications and reducing overall weight. This study proposes an integrated approach to optimising the internal geometries of IWS elastic elements, using structural analyses with LS-Dyna and dynamic simulations in the Simulink environment for comfort assessment. Results demonstrate that optimising the geometry of spokes and rims significantly reduces stiffness variations and self-induced vibrations, with enhancements in ride comfort and resistance to fatigue. The optimized IWS design minimises discomfort peaks at critical speeds and improves vibration attenuation. However, the high average stiffness limits filtering performance at speeds above 10 km/h. While IWS systems represent a promising alternative to traditional suspensions due to their advantages in weight reduction, compactness, and construction simplicity, further improvements—such as the use of composite materials and alternative geometries—are necessary to further increase comfort and to ensure structural resistance to variable loads. Full article

Growing interest in sustainable urban mobility has intensified research into the factors shaping the adoption of smart bicycle technologies, yet cross-national comparative evidence remains scarce. This study examines user perceptions, mobility habits and willingness to adopt innovative e-bike technologies in Italy and Poland through a structured questionnaire grounded in the Bicycle Smartness Level (BSL) framework. Descriptive statistics and inferential tests were applied to identify exploratory differences between the two survey samples across mobility behavior, perceived barriers, technology utility and willingness to pay. Results reveal that, in these samples, Italian respondents display stronger car dependency and rate safety-related cycling barriers (traffic hazards, lack of infrastructure and road user insecurity) significantly higher than Polish respondents do. In contrast, respondents in the Polish sample attribute significantly greater utility to comfort and performance-oriented smart technologies such as monitoring systems and adaptive gear shifting. In both samples, willingness to pay a price premium converges in the €0–200 range and navigation and safety technologies are universally valued. These descriptive and exploratory findings suggest that smart cycling adoption pathways may differ across contexts: in the Italian sample, perceived road safety and infrastructure gaps appear to be central barriers, whereas in the Polish sample affordability emerges as a particularly relevant condition for adoption, with implications for policy aligned with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 and the EU Declaration on Cycling. Full article

Background: Despite a growing awareness of the obvious disadvantages of car travel for drivers (e.g., cost and health) and society (e.g., external costs and infrastructure maintenance), commuting by car to work is the prevailing mode of transport in the UK. Methods: A digital model of work and home locations in England and Wales using OSRM was created to compare the effective accessibility of e-bikes and cars for those working in an office five days a week. This accessibility metric is extended by the effective speed concept. The latter accounts for time spent travelling alongside the time spent working to offset commuting costs. Results: s-pedelecs offer, in various settings, the highest effective accessibility scores. Commuting by car is only advisable for individuals with a higher wage and time availability. If only the variable cost of the car commute is considered, then driving becomes the most expedient choice for many. Conclusions: Commuting by car is undoubtedly the fastest option for wealthy individuals. Whereas those less affluent in terms of time and money may opt for an e-bike, as commuting by car may not yield the commonly anticipated savings. Full article

Mobility hubs promise to reduce car dependence and make multimodal travel work in practice, yet behavioural evidence remains limited when hub improvements coexist with easier car access. This article examines the tension at Rome Trastevere, an urban rail node that gradually acquires mobility-hub functions while facing improved parking access near Piazza della Radio. The empirical analysis combines a pilot survey of 83 users with an on-site stated preference survey of 204 valid respondents. The stated preference instrument uses a route-based feasible-choice design with nine choice sets per experiment: respondents evaluate alternatives among bikes, walking, e-scooters, e-mopeds, public transport, private cars, and shared cars under variations in travel time, travel cost, and search time. The paper estimates a multinomial logit model in Apollo and uses sample enumeration, supported by Monte Carlo simulation, to assess four parking and shared-mobility scenarios and produce confidence intervals around predicted probabilities. Results show that users respond to time, monetary cost, and search friction in coherent and policy-relevant ways. Setting the car parking search time to zero increases predicted car probability only marginally, by about 0.9% relative to the baseline. By contrast, a EUR 1/h increase in parking cost reduces predicted car probability by about 14.7%, while a EUR 1.5/h increase reduces it by about 22.4%. A coordinated scenario combining higher parking cost and lower shared-mode search time produces the lowest predicted car probability and strengthens e-scooter and e-moped alternatives, while public transport remains the dominant option. Findings indicate that parking pricing steers behaviour more clearly than parking convenience destabilizes it in the tested range. The paper shows that mobility-hub performance depends on coordinated access management, including parking regulation, shared-service reliability, and legible multimodal transfer. Full article

Open-cathode Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) are a promising technology for increasing the endurance of small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), ground robots, e-bikes, and light electric vehicles. However, their performance under realistic operating conditions is strongly influenced by rapid variations in load, temperature, and ambient pressure, which are often neglected in design-oriented or quasi-steady-state analyses. This study experimentally investigates a 1 kW open-cathode PEMFC system, including its balance of plant and a passive supercapacitor buffer, under a representative UAV flight power profile. Steady-state and dynamic tests were conducted to assess polarization characteristics, thermal behavior, parasitic power consumption, and hydrogen utilization. Results revealed significant thermal inertia and hysteresis effects during load transients, causing voltage deviations from steady-state performance and stabilization times exceeding 90 s. The supercapacitor effectively reduced stack current ramp rates, although some high-frequency oscillations remained. Under flight-representative conditions, the system achieved stable operation with average voltaic efficiency ranging from 55.3% to 60.7% and net efficiency ranging from 50.2% to 54.2%. Auxiliary components had a measurable impact on overall performance: cooling fans accounted for 2–6% of stack power during steady operation and approximately 2.5% of total mission energy, while hydrogen purge losses can significantly reduce vehicle endurance. The findings demonstrate the importance of energy-based performance assessment, including auxiliary loads and purge losses, to obtain realistic estimates of efficiency and endurance in dynamic PEMFC-powered applications. Full article

Background: Recreational motorized vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), dirt and motor bikes, snowmobiles, and e-scooters, are an increasingly recognized source of severe trauma among children. Adult provincial data from Alberta demonstrate high morbidity, mortality, and more than $6 million in acute care costs from ATV-related injuries over a decade; however, pediatric injury patterns remain under-characterized despite rising exposure. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of pediatric patients presenting with major trauma (Injury Severity Score > 12) to the Stollery Children’s Hospital between December 2019 and June 2023. Recreational motorized vehicle-related cases were analyzed for demographics, injury mechanisms, injury severity, hospital resource utilization, and clinical outcomes. Available Abbreviated Injury Scale data were reviewed descriptively for a subset of ATV-related injuries. Results: Of 345 pediatric major trauma cases, 55 (16%) involved recreational motorized vehicles, accounting for 17% of major blunt trauma presentations. ATVs were the most common mechanism (58%), followed by dirt/motor bikes (23.6%), snowmobiles (14.5%), and e-scooters (3.6%). Patients were predominantly male (72.7%) with a mean age of 13.1 years. Operative intervention was required in 58.2% of cases, 30.9% required pediatric intensive care unit admission, and mortality was 5.5%. Helmet status was incompletely documented; only 36.4% of patients were recorded as wearing helmets. Children from rural regions accounted for 43.6% of injuries. In the ATV subset with available AIS data, head, facial, and extremity injuries were most common, and all patients sustained at least one serious injury (AIS ≥ 3). Conclusions: Recreational motorized vehicles represent a substantial and preventable cause of severe pediatric trauma in Alberta. When contextualized with adult provincial data demonstrating significant mortality and healthcare costs, these findings support strengthened injury-prevention strategies, improved safety enforcement, and evidence-informed policy approaches. Full article

This paper conducts an experimental study to develop a response strategy for lithium-ion battery fires. Guided by the principle of “first control, then extinguish”, the strategy integrates a lithium-ion battery-specific fire-controlling blanket with castable fire-extinguishing agents. Both fire tests of e-bikes and lithium-ion batteries are conducted. From e-bike fire tests, the feasibility of rescuers conducting close-range disposal of LIB (lithium-ion battery) fires is analyzed from three perspectives, i.e., fire evolution stage, battery splashing and high temperature. The results indicate a high risk of fire spread, as well as a strong likelihood of human injury caused by flying LIB debris and extremely hot gases. Subsequently, the fire-controlling capability of the fire blanket is validated. It not only blocks splashing batteries and jet flames, reducing combustion intensity, but also offers a safe way for personnel to operate the portable fire extinguishers. Through two castable extinguishing agents tested, the perfluorohexanone-based agent outperforms the water-based alternative. The reasons are as follows. First, perfluorohexanone evaporates easily in the low-temperature, confined environment created by the fire blanket. Second, it possesses both physical and chemical fire-extinguishing capabilities, ultimately delivering a more potent combustion suppression effect. Full article

This narrative review synthesizes existing literature on outdoor physical activity and youth well-being, with mountain biking considered as an illustrative example of a high-engagement, nature-based activity. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple academic databases, including Academic Search Complete, MEDLINE, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL Plus, SocINDEX, ERIC, and additional hand searches in Google Scholar and Web of Science. Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed using an iterative thematic approach. Three primary themes emerged: resilience, mood and emotional well-being, and social connectedness. Across studies, outdoor physical activity was associated with improvements in self-efficacy, stress reduction, and peer relationships. However, most studies examined outdoor activity broadly, with limited evidence specific to mountain biking. While prior literature suggests that biological and psychosocial processes (e.g., engagement with nature, social interaction, and perceived competence) may underlie these associations, these mechanisms were not directly tested in most included studies. Findings should therefore be interpreted as indicative of associations rather than causal effects. Overall, outdoor physical activity represents a promising, accessible approach for supporting youth well-being. Future research should further examine activity-specific impacts, including mountain biking, and prioritize longitudinal and experimental designs to better understand mechanisms and long-term outcomes. Full article

Global transition toward sustainable micro-mobility is an essential aspect of Saudi Vision 2030; however, high car dependency remains a significant barrier to public health and safety targets. In this context, this study explores the factors determining the adoption of electric bicycles (e-bikes) in Al-Qunfudhah, Saudi Arabia. The present research used a convenience sampling strategy through an online survey conducted via social media and texting, utilizing a designed questionnaire of 10 sections delivered to 171 participants, alongside a 5-point Likert scale. Additionally, the scientific validation and analysis were conducted utilizing internal consistency, validity and scale reliability via statistical analysis. The findings indicated a significant intention–action disparity; while respondents demonstrate a strong psychological intention to adopt e-bikes within 12 months (an average of 3.51), real household ownership was relatively low at 11.1%. In addition, a significant 71.9% of participants use private vehicles for short-distance travel (<5 km), influenced by an average bus stop distance of 21.22 km. The hierarchy of barriers indicates infrastructure and security as the main barrier, particularly the absence of dedicated bike lanes, and concerns regarding traffic safety. In contrast, a perception of physical fitness, and interpersonal interaction behave as significant facilitators. Public health data reveals an average weekly activity of 109.77 min, significantly lower than worldwide recommendations; however, 66.7% of individuals believe e-bikes may address the difference. The statistical evaluation acknowledged the questionnaire’s robustness, with significant Pearson correlation coefficients (p < 0.01) demonstrating internal consistency validity and Cronbach’s alpha values between 0.71 and 0.88 indicating high scale reliability, demonstrating a scientifically stable framework for assessing the measured behavioral determinants. The research recommends the establishment of shaded, dedicated micro-mobility networks and the enforcement of safety regulations to promote a healthy, multi-modal urban ecosystem. Full article

In recent years, electric cargo (e-cargo) bikes have been increasingly adopted as a sustainable alternative for urban logistics and last-mile delivery, particularly in densely populated areas where traditional vehicles face traffic congestion and access limitations. This study aims to develop a representative driving cycle for e-cargo bikes based on real-world cycling data. An instrumented Long John-type e-cargo bike was used to collect naturalistic data from four different riders covering a total of 50 km along a predefined route in the city center of Florence, selected in collaboration with the Italian postal service provider (i.e., Poste Italiane) to reflect typical delivery operations. The driving cycle was generated using a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method, modeling the stochastic transitions of vehicle speed and acceleration values. The resulting driving cycle, defined as the Florence cargo bike driving cycle (FCBDC), achieved an error of 2.1% on the Speed Acceleration Probability Distribution (SAPD) root sum square difference; although minor losses in peak acceleration values were observed due to data smoothing and discretization, the synthesized driving cycle effectively reproduces the dynamic characteristics of e-cargo bike riding. While the study is limited to a single route and is equivalent to simulated postman behavior, it provides valuable insights to guide the future development and optimization of e-cargo bikes for sustainable mobility operations. Full article

The implementation of the new national electric bike (e-bike) standard has imposed stringent compliance requirements on equipment and e-bikes in the instant delivery sector, which directly affects the delivery efficiency and the work adaptability of food delivery riders. This study aims to investigate food delivery riders’ continued usage intention of e-bikes under China’s new e-bike regulation. Based on valid data collected from food delivery riders in Nanjing, this study employs ordered logit regression to examine the primary factors influencing their continued usage intention of e-bikes. The findings reveal that: (1) Male riders’ willingness to continue using e-bikes is comparatively lower, whereas older riders show a stronger intention. (2) Food delivery riders with higher incomes and those who need to replace their e-bikes show a stronger inclination to continue using them. (3) Limited e-bike options have a significant negative effect on riders’ continued usage intention, while speed limits exert no significant influence. Based on these empirical findings, corresponding policy recommendations are proposed to promote riders’ continued use of e-bikes, such as developing age-friendly delivery models, establishing an income guarantee mechanism for riders, and optimizing platform delivery time allocation. The findings could provide a theoretical basis and practical insights for policymakers and food delivery platforms to improve e-bike management policies. Full article