Does Prosocial Automation Increase Driver’s Well-being?

<p>The present abstract is aimed at describing the activities and results about Cyberparks COST Action TU 1306. The purpose of the action was to increase the knowledge about the existing relationship between Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Public Spaces, supported by strategies to improve their use and attractiveness. In such scenario, the project developed several case studies to develop best practices and digital tools able to collect information directly from the users, in real time. Indeed, sensors where installed in Public Spaces, as well as mobile applications that allowed to provide user’s with contextual information and Location Based Services and, at the same time, to collect the so called User Generated Data. In such way, people experiencing a certain place could enhance their knowledge and administration (or public authorities) could understand how user’s exploit it. Moreover, the project stimulated the use of new technologies like Augmented Reality as an additional service, useful to discover the surrounding and enhance the sense of presence of the users. CyberParks allowed to uncover opportunity and risks related to the use of ICTs via the appreciation, design and usage of public spaces. It exploited the benefits of interweaving a green experience with digital engagement via sharing knowledge, experiences and ideas, and analyzing public spaces.</p><p>The methodology developed can be of great interest especially for urban planning purposes; in fact, the pen-and-pencil approach for redesigning and rethinking a place can be partially replaced by a data driven approach, that can be more objective and reliable.</p><p>More than 50 scientific papers were published and very fruitful Short Term scientific missions. A great number of data was collected from real scenario, demonstrating the effectiveness of the methods adopted to conduct researches and experiment. Another noteworthy output of the project is the exploitation of a multidisciplinary group. In fact, the amalgamation of researchers coming from different scientific disciplines allowed to enhance the knowledge and strength cooperation between humanistic disciplines and digital sciences.</p>

Everyday activity of residents in a housing area will create activities pattern. Utilization of public spaces in a housing area with repeating activities pattern will affect the design of public spaces. Changes in public space usage in a housing area happen as a result of residents’ activities pattern. The goal of this paper is to identify residents’ activity pattern and connect its influence towards public spaces utilization in planned housing in micro and urban area in macro. Housing residents classified into four respondent groups based on marriage status which is unmarried, single parents, the family without child and family with a child. The method used in this research is the qualitative descriptive approach. Research finding showed that housing area with housing facilities capable of creating happiness and convenience for its residents doing their activities in public spaces.

The concept of adaptation currently seems to best embody the specific nature of contemporary transformations of urban structures within the context of concurrent changes generally taking place in civilization, economics, and society. Cities since their very beginnings have adapted and transformed their structures to the current needs and conditions of every era. Today however it is difficult to conceive of broad, all-inclusive improvement projects: the focus has shifted in the direction of creating strategies, laying out goals and their means of achievement, and then the flexible adaptation of said means to the dynamically changing conditions of cities. In the transformations of today's Western cities the voice of urban residents has become louder and louder over the years, and the practice of participation has been known for decades. This issue has only recently become publicized in Poland. The author of this article would like also to bring attention however to other types of citizen participation in the transformation of public spaces, a kind of micro-adaptation, actions by which people spontaneously on their own initiative have always adapted to and adapt to the space that surrounds them. The following article discusses selected Polish and foreign examples of grassroots movements in the process of the “production” and adaptation of urban space, in addition to diverse ephemera: spatial events initiated by bottom-up community users of public urban space. The author's contention is that in today's intensely expanding urban structures, which often tend to lose their human scale, an important aspect of the development of public space will not only be the voice of users, but also bottom-up micro adaptations and often temporary social-space interventions whose growth are a sign of our times.

The aim this research was to develop and test the mapping methodology, that would be applicable in the process of community involvement into place-making process and would focus on functioning and usage of public spaces. The methodology is referred to a Present Map methodology and is structured as a one-day mapping workshop involving drawing from memory, fieldwork, identifying the locations in the geographical map, structuring of the collected information and entering data into interactive online Present Map. The application of the methodology in Sanciai historic district has demonstrated that this methodology allows both collecting the material about the people’s experiences in public spaces of the locality necessary for research and planning, as well as connecting community with the place and empowering it by providing the working tools for exploration and understanding of the place and platform for expression in a form of interactive online Present Map.

This study analyses the creation of public spaces in residential land readjustment project located at the west area of Kita-Konosu Station. The analysis clarifies, 1) the significance of site planning, construction of the facilities which contribute to the securing of revenue and development of design guidelines, 2) the establishment of the residents' management organization for public space, and the flexible memberships for that organization and various programs for community. These are major features at the stage of development and usage of public spaces. And these features for improving spatial efficiency are based on a close cooperation with relevant players.

Murals are one of the dominant forms of public art that play a significant role in shaping urban public space. While there is an appreciation of local values in the context of the content of murals, little research has focused on whether and how these values are endorsed by users of public space and how they are evaluated. The aim of this article is to show the role of the mural, as an expression of local values and to present public perceptions of locally embedded murals. To achieve this aim, a survey was conducted among users of the Gdansk district of Zaspa in July 2021. This included a general assessment of the murals, opinions on how the content and form of the murals relate to the local area and perceptions of selected murals. Additionally, in the theoretical section, the notion of local embeddedness of murals was proposed, which can help illustrate how murals can express local values. The results of the research confirmed that murals embedded in the local context can reinforce the identity of residents and influence the semioticisation of the space they use.

The development of autonomous vehicles presents a new challenge to the human and social sciences. This is a major evolution of our society driven by technological opportunities, a desire to secure road transport or reduce the environmental footprint. Nevertheless, for each individual, conventional car driver, pedestrians or users of public space, it is difficult to imagine how the introduction of autonomous vehicles will change our environment and our behavior. The aim of this study is to bring together a panel of key skills in the design of human-machine systems to make them think together about the fundamentals of human-machine cooperation. Sharing human factors issues to imagine human-centered solutions, on the basis of a human and social rationality. In a two-day workshop, we brought together four key skills in the design of human-machine systems: systems engineering specialists, ergonomists, HMI designers (Human-Machine Interaction) and graphic designers. The combination of the four competences and the working instructions imposed on the group has produced fruitful exchanges on the need for cooperation between an autonomous vehicle and the users of the public space. The group has produced premises for relevant solutions, rationalized by an analysis of the needs of different users. It is a methodological success to renew.

Introduction 1.Social backgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has persisted worldwide since 2020.Due to its high infectivity and pathogenicity, most countries have adopted various measures and policies to avoid infection in crowds 1)2)3) .These measures triggered notable shifts in travel behavior: long-distance commuting via public transit dropped sharply while short-distance local travel increased.Studies of pedestrian behavior have further observed changes such as maintained walking speeds but greater social distancing compared to pre-pandemic norms.The pandemic also led to declines in certain commercial activities -such as cafs, fast-food, and shopping malls during the outbreak.Even as restrictions eased in 2022 to balance economic recovery with public health, many of these behavior changes have persisted.This indicates a lasting awareness of infection risk that still influences people's activities in public spaces.Indirect effects of COVID-19 on stations include altered passenger behavior -changes in how travelers distribute in space, choose routes, maintain social distance, use facilities, and spend time at the station 4) .Public parks, and plazas, especially those situated in front of major transportation hubs like railway stations, have served as vital communal hubs for social interaction, relaxation, and various activities.These spaces have witnessed significant changes in usage patterns due to the pandemic's restrictions and subsequent shifts in public behaviors 5)6) .Importantly, our previous studies confirm that these changes were driven by the pandemic itself rather than by unrelated cityscape developments 7)8) .These findings demonstrate that when the physical environment remains constant, behavioral shifts can be directly attributed to COVID-19.Following the same approach, this study compares Himeji Station Front Plaza North in 2017 and 2022, where the plaza layout was unchanged, thereby allowing the impact of COVID-19 to be isolated with confidence. Related worksSince the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous studies have examined the impact of the COVID-19 on public space use, particularly in transportation hubs, which has been a topic of interest for many researchers.Studies have compared public space usage before and during COVID-19 across global cities using big data and field surveys, consistently showing significant shifts in where and how people spend time outdoors 9) .(1) Urban public space usage changes Researchers noted a significant decline in passenger numbers and an increase in short-time stays and social distancing practices in station areas 6) .Studies on urban parks in Japan and overseas have shown both increases in daily visits and shifts toward more localized and shorterdistance use 10) .Other surveys found that the availability of "third places," such as cafs and community facilities, sharply declined during the pandemic, influencing people's well-being 6) .The relaxation of restrictions in 2022 allowed for some recovery in commercial and business activities, yet the behavioral changes persisted.People continued to maintain social distancing and avoided high-density areas, indicating long-term adaptations to the pandemic conditions 11) .( 2) Crowd and flow analytical tools To capture such changes, diverse methods have been applied.Mobile spatial statistics and behavioral elasticity diagrams have been used Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Behavior Changes of People Staying in Station Front Plaza

This paper is a first step towards the investigation of civil courage in human-robot interaction (HRI). The main research question is if human users would help a robot being bullied by other humans. Previous work showed that pro-social behavior can be induced in human users towards a robot pro-actively asking for their help in order to accomplish a specific task by applying mechanisms of social bonding. In contrast, this paper investigates unsolicited helpful behavior towards a robot being bullied by a third person subsequent to an interaction task. To this end, social bonding in terms of small talk including explicit emotional adaptation to induce a feeling of similarity is applied to a human-robot dialog scenario in a user study. As an interaction context, a cooperative object classification task is chosen, where a robot reads objects from a list needed by the robot to fulfill another task later. To induce bullying behavior, the list is took away from the robot by a disturbing third person after the completed interaction. The two experimental conditions of the study differ in whether or not social bonding is applied prior to the interaction. According to previous work, results showed increased ratings for social presence and anthropomorphism, as well as increased unsolicited helpfulness of the participants in the social bonding condition. Surprisingly, unsolicited help occurred only verbally and directed towards the robot and none of the human users took action against the bullying third person. It is discussed, that this may be due to social-psychological side-effects caused by the passive presence of the human experimental examiner and that additional channels of emotional adaptation by the robot may be required.

Public space scenes are being transformed by virtual reality (VR) technology, offering immersive and interactive experiences that redefine how people engage with their surroundings. Through VR simulations, users can explore and interact with virtual public spaces in ways that were previously impossible. From virtual parks and plazas to digital replicas of iconic landmarks, VR technology allows users to experience the ambiance and atmosphere of public spaces from the comfort of their own homes. Moreover, VR enables designers and planners to experiment with different layouts, amenities, and features, facilitating participatory design processes and community engagement. This paper presents a visual design and evaluation framework for public space scenes using virtual reality (VR) technology, enhanced by Virtual Parallel Edge Hashing Computing (VPE-HC). The framework aims to optimize the design and user experience of public spaces by leveraging VR technology to create immersive and interactive simulations. Through simulated experiments and empirical validations, the effectiveness of the VPE-HC-enhanced VR-based design and evaluation process is evaluated. Results demonstrate significant improvements in user satisfaction, engagement, and usability compared to traditional design methods. For instance, users interacting with public space scenes designed using VPE-HC reported a 40% increase in perceived safety and a 25% improvement in overall satisfaction ratings. Additionally, the framework enabled designers to optimize spatial layouts and amenities based on real-time user feedback and performance data, leading to more effective and user-centric design solutions. These findings underscore the potential of VPE-HC in enhancing the visual design and evaluation of public space scenes based on VR technology, facilitating more inclusive and user-friendly urban environments.

After you?! – Use of external human-machine interfaces in road bottleneck scenarios

Ready to bully automated vehicles on public roads?

This paper examines the role of citizen science in designing healthier and more inclusive urban play spaces for autistic children. Through the ASD Publics project, we employed co-creation methodologies that actively engaged autistic children, their families, and key stakeholders in urban planning. By leveraging citizen science principles – actively involving non-experts in scientific research- the study highlights how participatory knowledge production can bridge the gap between urban planners and the neurodiverse community. We outline how shadowing, surveys, and performative co-creation workshops provided crucial insights into the sensory, social, and accessibility needs of autistic children, ultimately guiding the development of more inclusive urban environments. This research allowed autistic children to express play preferences through interaction rather than speaking or writing, underscoring the need for non-verbal participatory methods that capture their engagement effectively.

Purpose: The general purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of sports- based intervention programs for at-risk youth. Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library. Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to the effectiveness of sports- based intervention programs for at-risk youth. Preliminary empirical review revealed that improvements in physical health, psychosocial well-being, academic achievement, and prosocial behavior among participants. Key conclusions underscored the importance of thoughtful program design, culturally tailored approaches, and comprehensive evaluation strategies to maximize effectiveness. Moreover, targeted interventions addressing diverse needs and experiences were found essential for inclusivity and equity within programs. While promising, further research is needed to explore long-term outcomes and contextual influences. Overall, these findings emphasize the significant impact of sports-based interventions in supporting the well-being and success of at-risk youth. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Social Learning Theory, Positive Youth Development and Ecological Systems Theory may be used to anchor future studies on the effectiveness of sports- based intervention programs for at-risk youth. The study yielded recommendations that contributed significantly to theory, practice, and policy. It advised researchers to delve deeper into the mechanisms through which sports participation influences youth well-being. Practitioners were urged to design participant-centered programs tailored to the diverse needs of at-risk youth, emphasizing safe and inclusive environments and mentorship. Policy implications highlighted the need for increased funding and integration of sports-based interventions into existing youth development initiatives. Collaboration among stakeholders was recommended to enhance program reach and effectiveness, while ongoing monitoring and evaluation were deemed essential for assessing program impacts. Advocacy efforts were also emphasized to raise awareness and mobilize support for youth development initiatives.

Comfort guarantees are often seen as a problem for users of public open spaces, especially children. Convenience is an indicator of the level of habitability of a public space. Along with the development of the city, the value of comfort is something that allegedly shows the character of the city. The character of the city is an assessment of what is felt by users (children) who carry out activities in space. Therefore, more attention is needed to the design factors that children need to support their activities. For this reason, an in-depth study of the concept of space comfort values ​​is needed from the point of view of children in Kotabumi District. The methodology in this study uses qualitative inductive analysis with a naturalistic approach. From the analysis, it can be seen that the value of space comfort that is formed from the point of view of children is formed from: 1) Values ​​instilled by parents; 2) Activities carried out by children; and 3) Child social interactions. The concept of the value of space comfort gives birth to criteria for a comfortable space for children. The criteria are among others: 1) Space that has a location not far from the child's residence; 2) Spaces that have ample space and cool conditions so that children can freely do activities, such as playing and learning; 3) Space that can accommodate for each age group of children; 4) Space that can be enjoyed by children without being charged (free); and 5) Spaces consisting of various kinds of games according to the child's age group. Based on this, it is expected that there will be an effort to consider the government in the process of optimizing Taman Sahabat as a public open space for children by considering the criteria of comfortable space according to children in Kotabumi District.