This paper presents the design an study of a DSRC/sub-6 GHz Koch fractal antenna single, two and four elements integrated with metamaterial structures, are proposed for the C-V2X and IEEE 802.11p/V2X. The design of automotive antenna is a challenging task due to the degradation of the MIMO antenna performance because of mutual coupling and cause spectral regrowth. Initially, a single antenna exhibits very good performance at 5.9 GHz. Subsequently, two elements and four MIMO elements were designed and analyzed which are placed orthogonally at the corner of the substrate introducing a diversity polarization. Meanwhile, to overcome the mutual coupling effects and improve the isolation between the radiating elements, two new different shaped left-handed metamaterials based on broadside and electrically coupled square split-ring resonator (SRR) with negative permeability and negative permittivity are suggested and their reflection properties are analyzed. However, the performances of various MIMO antenna configurations are investigated before and after inserting the metamaterial structures to assess the potential enhancements achieved. Finally, a further investigation concentrates on the effects of these metamaterial structures on the MIMO antenna radiation pattern and surface current density. In summary, the study demonstrated through simulations and measurements that the suggested MIMO antenna configurations, with the integration of metamaterial structures, exhibit improved performance, achieving a mutual coupling of -45 dB and demonstrating good MIMO diversity attributes.

Computation of the broadband antenna impedance behavior requires the wideband lumped equivalent circuit. This work aims to provide a comprehensive study of broadband antenna equivalent circuit models over broad frequency ranges for Internet of Things (IoT) applications using multiple approaches. The first approach is a Foster approximation, which is based on the antenna-simulated scattering parameters and impedance data. The second concerns a vector-fitting fitting approximation, which is based on the antenna-simulated impedance/admittance data. The studied antenna is modeled based on the radiating element’s geometry and the multifractal slots, in addition to the DGS (Defected Ground Plane) effects. Applying these techniques, wideband lumped equivalent circuits of the antenna have been computed which are in good agreement with measurement data. These models could be useful for the enhancement of the performance of a broadband antenna and its systematic design as well as offering the advantage of saving computation time for full-wave simulations and facilitating the solution of problems that have both an electromagnetic part as well as a circuit part. For further analysis, the Gaussian pulse has been generated to drive a time-domain analysis of the current and power response waveforms antenna behavior under load.

Background: Numerous user-related psychological dimensions can significantly influence the dynamics between humans and robots. For developers and researchers, it is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of the psychometric properties of the available instruments used to assess these dimensions as they indicate the reliability and validity of the assessment. Objective: This study aims to provide a systematic review of the instruments available for assessing the psychological aspects of the relationship between people and social and domestic robots, offering a summary of their psychometric properties and the quality of the evidence. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines across different databases: Scopus, PubMed, and IEEE Xplore. The search strategy encompassed studies meeting the following inclusion criteria: (1) the instrument could assess psychological dimensions related to social and domestic robots, including attitudes, beliefs, opinions, feelings, and perceptions; (2) the study focused on validating the instrument; (3) the study evaluated the psychometric properties of the instrument; (4) the study underwent peer review; and (5) the study was in English. Studies focusing on industrial robots, rescue robots, or robotic arms or those primarily concerned with technology validation or measuring anthropomorphism were excluded. Independent reviewers extracted instrument properties and the methodological quality of their evidence following the Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments guidelines. Results: From 3828 identified records, the search strategy yielded 34 (0.89%) articles that validated and examined the psychometric properties of 27 instruments designed to assess individuals’ psychological dimensions in relation to social and domestic robots. These instruments encompass a broad spectrum of psychological dimensions. While most studies predominantly focused on structural validity (24/27, 89%) and internal consistency (26/27, 96%), consideration of other psychometric properties was frequently inconsistent or absent. No instrument evaluated measurement error and responsiveness despite their significance in the clinical context. Most of the instruments (17/27, 63%) were targeted at both adults and older adults (aged ≥18 years). There was a limited number of instruments specifically designed for children, older adults, and health care contexts. Conclusions: Given the strong interest in assessing psychological dimensions in the human-robot relationship, there is a need to develop new instruments using more rigorous methodologies and consider a broader range of psychometric properties. This is essential to ensure the creation of reliable and valid measures for assessing people’s psychological dimensions regarding social and domestic robots. Among its limitations, this review included instruments applicable to both social and domestic robots while excluding those for other specific types of robots (eg, industrial robots).

Background: Population aging affects society, with a profound impact on daily activities for those of a low socioeconomic status and with motor impairments. Social assistive robots (SARs) and monitoring technologies can improve older adults’ well-being by assisting with and monitoring home activities. Objective: This study explored the opinions and needs of older adults, including those with motor difficulties and of a low socioeconomic status, regarding SARs and monitoring technologies at home to promote daily activities and reduce sedentary behaviors. Methods: A mixed methods approach was used, with 31 older adults divided into 3 groups: those of a low socioeconomic status, those with motor difficulties, and healthy individuals. Focus groups were conducted, and they were analyzed using thematic analysis. Perceived mental and physical well-being were assessed using the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey, and attitudes toward robots were evaluated using the Multidimensional Robot Attitude Scale. Results: The results identified 14 themes in four key areas: (1) technology use for supporting daily activities and reducing sedentary behaviors, (2) perceived barriers, (3) suggestions and preferences, and (4) actual home technology use. Lower perceived physical well-being was associated with higher levels of familiarity, interest, perceived utility, and control related to SARs. Lower perceived psychological well-being was linked to a more negative attitude, increased concerns about environmental fit, and a preference for less variety. Notably, older adults from the low–socioeconomic status group perceived less control over SARs, whereas older adults with motor difficulties expressed higher perceived utility compared to other groups, as well as higher familiarity and interest compared to the low–socioeconomic status group. Conclusions: Participants indicated that SARs and monitoring technologies could help reduce sedentary behaviors by assisting in the management of daily activities. The results are discussed in the context of these outcomes and the implementation of SARs and monitoring technologies at home. This study highlights the importance of considering the functional and socioeconomic characteristics of older adults as future users of SARs and monitoring technologies to promote widespread adoption and improve well-being within this population.

Typical 3D integrated circuit structures based on through-silicon vias (TSVs) are complicated to study and analyze. Therefore, it seems important to find some methods to investigate them. In this paper, a method is proposed to model and compute the time-domain coupling noise in 3D Integrated Circuit (3D-IC) based on TSVs. It is based on the numerical inversion Laplace transform (NILT) method and the chain matrices. The method is validated using some experimental results and the Pspice and Matlab tools. The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed technique and the noise is analyzed in several cases. It is found that TSV noise coupling is affected by different factors such as source characteristics, horizontal interconnections, and the type of Inputs and Outputs (I/O) drivers.