ABSTRACT
Digital twins (DTs) technology has recently gained attention within the research community due to its potential to help build sustainable smart cities. However, there is a gap in the literature: currently no unified model for city services has been proposed that can guarantee interoperability across cities, capture each city's unique characteristics, and act as a base for modeling digital twins. This research aims to fill that gap. In this work, we propose the DT-DNA model in which we design a city services digital twin, with the goal of reflecting the real state of development of a city's services towards enhancing its citizens' quality of life (QoL). As it was designed using ISO 37120, one of the leading international standards for city services, the model guarantees interoperability and allows for easy comparison of services within and across cities. In order to test our model, we built DT-DNA sequences of services in both Quebec City and Boston and then used a DNA alignment tool to determine the matching percentage between them. Results show that the DT-DNA sequences of services in both cities are 46.5% identical. Ground truth comparisons show a similar result, which provides a preliminary proof-of-concept for the applicability of the proposed model and framework. These results also imply that one city performs better than the other. Therefore, we propose an algorithm to compare cities based on the proposed DT-DNA and, using Boston and Quebec City as a case study, demonstrate that Boston has better services towards enhancing QoL for its citizens.
Subject(s)
DNA , Quality of Life , CitiesABSTRACT
Executive function and motor control deficits adversely affect gait performance with age, but the neural correlates underlying this interaction during stair climbing remains unclear. Twenty older adults (72.7 ± 6.9 years) completed single tasks: standing and responding to a response time task (SC), ascending or descending stairs (SMup, SMdown); and a dual-task: responding while ascending or descending stairs (DTup, DTdown). Prefrontal hemodynamic response changes (∆HbO2, ∆HbR) were examined using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), gait speed was measured using in-shoe smart insoles, and vocal response time and accuracy were recorded. Findings revealed increased ∆HbO2 (p = 0.020) and slower response times (p < 0.001) during dual- versus single tasks. ∆HbR (p = 0.549), accuracy (p = 0.135) and gait speed (p = 0.475) were not significantly different between tasks or stair climbing conditions. ∆HbO2 and response time findings suggest that executive processes are less efficient during dual-tasks. These findings, in addition to gait speed and accuracy maintenance, may provide insights into the neural changes that precede performance declines. To capture the subtle differences between stair ascent and descent and extend our understanding of the neural correlates of stair climbing in older adults, future studies should examine more difficult cognitive tasks.
