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Found 6289 publications
Social Robots: A Retrospective Bibliometric Network Analysis
Publication Name: Technology Knowledge and Learning
Publication Date: 2026-01-01
Volume: Unknown
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Social robots are becoming increasingly prominent across various domains, yet comprehensive bibliometric studies detailing the field's development are scarce. To bridge this gap, this study conducts an extensive bibliometric and network analysis of social robot research and illustrates its dynamic evolution from 1989 to 2024. Based on 5338 publications from the Scopus database, authored by 14,693 researchers, this study highlights the most prominent scholars and influential academic articles. The analysis reveals various bibliometric networks, including citation, co-citation, and collaboration networks, as well as keyword co-occurrence networks, and presents two intellectual structure maps: a conceptual structure map and a thematic map. The findings identify five distinct growth phases in social robot research, with publication output peaking in 2021. The United States, China, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom are the most productive and collaborative countries, and the International Journal of Social Robotics is recognized as the leading publication venue. Citation and co-citation analyses indicate that Bartneck, Belpaeme, and Scassellati are central influential authors in the field. Keyword and thematic analyses reveal four primary thematic clusters: human–robot interaction and design, assistive and healthcare applications, educational and developmental uses, and AI-driven technological advancements. These insights emphasize evolving research patterns and highlight areas with strong future growth potential, particularly in healthcare and socially assistive contexts. The key trends and influential contributions presented in the paper provide critical insights for future research and practical applications in the field of social robots.
Open Access: Yes
Impact of wearable resistance training on knee and ankle joint biomechanics: Enhancing change of direction ability in football athletes
Publication Name: Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part P Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology
Publication Date: 2026-01-01
Volume: Unknown
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
This study aimed to examine the effects of wearable resistance (WR) training on change of direction ability (CODA), muscle activation patterns, and knee joint stress in athletes. Fifteen healthy male football players participated in a pre- and post-training intervention designed to target the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles to improve neuromuscular control and joint stability. Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to assess muscle activation, and finite element analysis (FEA) was applied to evaluate stress distribution in the knee joint. Following the WR training program, there was a significant reduction in knee abduction angle during the stance phase (p = 0.001), indicating enhanced joint stability. Strength in the calf muscles increased significantly, while muscle activation levels in the quadriceps (p < 0.001) and hamstrings (p = 0.007) were also elevated. Enhanced co-activation between quadriceps and hamstrings was observed, and FEA demonstrated a significant decrease in the maximal von Mises stress in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus. These findings suggest that WR training improves CODA and lower limb muscle coordination while reducing internal knee joint stress, potentially lowering the risk of ACL injuries and enhancing athletic performance.
Open Access: Yes
The long-term impact of COVID-19 on the physical activity, motor fitness, and maximum heart rate values of female university students
Publication Name: Biomedical Human Kinetics
Publication Date: 2026-01-01
Volume: 18
Issue: 1
Page Range: 12-23
Description:
Aim: This study examined the relationship between COVID-19 and the maximum heart rate (HRmax ) achieved by female university students during maximal physical effort. It also analyzed how participants’ physical activity (PA) levels and anthropometric and physiological characteristics were related to HRmax 10 months after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that COVID-19 was no longer a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Materials and methods: Eighty-two female university students aged 19.0–28.0 years (21.23 ± 1.57) were assigned to three groups: G1 – 40 healthy participants, G2 – 29 participants with confirmed COVID-19, and G3 – 13 participants previously hospitalized due to COVID-19. Body composition was evaluated by bioelectrical impedance analysis. PA was assessed with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and HRmax was measured during the 12-min Cooper test performed on a rowing ergometer. Results: Healthy students (G1 ) showed the highest PA levels, followed by groups G2 and G3 . Group G1 also exhibited more favorable body composition, with lower values of body mass, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, visceral fat, fat mass, fat-free mass, and skeletal muscle mass (p < 0.001). Maximum heart rate was highest in group G1 (175 beats per minute, bpm) and exceeded the values noted in groups G2 and G3 by 7 and 15 bpm, respectively (p = 0.028). Conclusions: Female students hospitalized due to COVID-19 had lower PA levels, reduced motor fitness, and worse body composition, which may explain their lower HRmax values observed 10 months after the pandemic.
Open Access: Yes
Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans Policies and Implementation in Europe: Evidence from Vienna, Thessaloniki, Terrassa, Budapest, and York
Publication Name: Local and Urban Governance
Publication Date: 2026-01-01
Volume: Part F1352
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: 203-226
Description:
This chapter delves into the urban planning framework, with a particular focus on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) implemented across Europe. These strategic documents, encouraged by the European Commission (EC) aim to enhance transport sustainability, reduce environmental impacts, and improve citizens’ quality of life by tackling challenges like congestion, air and noise pollution, climate change, road safety, and parking issues. However, the customization of SUMPs to fit each city’s unique context presents challenges in standardizing and comparing the effectiveness of implemented measures. This study examines Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) from various European cities over the past decade, with a particular focus on Eastern and Central European countries to highlight best practices and strategies, using Budapest as a case study to validate the effect of infrastructure coverage on public transport usage. The findings reveal that while governments prioritize strategies, there is a poor tracking of regional key performance indicators, with much data being reported at a national level. The quantitative analysis in Budapest faces challenges due to limited historical data; however, the linear regression model shows a correlation between infrastructure and passenger kilometers. By comparing urban measures and their outcomes, this research aims to provide policymakers and urban planners with actionable insights on the most effective interventions for promoting sustainable mobility, offering guidelines for future variables analysis.
Open Access: Yes
Exploring the Adoption of AI Hearing Care: A Mixed Methods Investigation Using DEMATEL and Thematic Analysis
Publication Name: Journal of Global Information Management
Publication Date: 2026-01-01
Volume: 34
Issue: 1
Page Range: 1-33
Description:
This paper explores the key enablers driving clinical adoption of AI-enabled audiology tools. Despite rapid technological maturity, real-world uptake remains uneven. Using a three-phase mixed-methods design, the authors identified and prioritised adoption drivers. Phase I involved a targeted literature scan (1991–2025), yielding 21 candidate factors. Phase II refined these through interviews with audiologists, physicians, engineers, and health-IT managers, distilling 10 core drivers. Phase III applied a decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory survey with 27 clinicians, revealing a causal chain where data accuracy, real-time analytics, and seamless integration enhance workflow efficiency, clinician confidence, and patient personalisation. Robust technical support and structured training further amplify adoption. Cluster analysis grouped drivers into technological, human-capital, and process domains, suggesting distinct tactical interventions. This study provides the first domain-specific causal influence map for AI adoption in hearing healthcare.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.4018/JGIM.405162
Machine Learning Prediction of Pavement Macrotexture from 3D Laser-Scanning Data
Publication Name: Applied Sciences Switzerland
Publication Date: 2026-01-01
Volume: 16
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Featured Applications: Pavement texture evaluation using a traditional sand patch method, 3D laser scanning, and machine learning algorithms. Pavement macrotexture, quantified by mean texture depth (MTD) and mean profile depth (MPD), is a critical parameter for road safety and performance. The traditional sand patch test is labor-intensive and slow, creating a bottleneck for modern pavement management systems. Accurately translating the rich point cloud data into reliable MTD values using the 3D scanning method remains a challenge, with current methods often relying on oversimplified correlations. This research addresses this gap by developing and validating a novel machine learning framework to predict MTD and MPD directly from high-resolution 3D laser scans. A comprehensive dataset of 127 pavement samples was created, combining traditional sand patch measurements with detailed 3D point clouds. From these point clouds, 27 distinct surface features spanning statistical, spatial, spectral, and geometric domains were developed. Six machine learning algorithms, consisting of Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, Support Vector Regression, k-Nearest Neighbor, Artificial Neural Networks, and Linear Regression, were implemented. The results demonstrate that the ensemble-based Random Forest model achieved superior performance, predicting MTD with an R2 of 0.941 and a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.067 mm, representing a 56% improvement in accuracy over traditional digital correlation methods. Model interpretation via SHAP analysis identified root mean square height (Sq) and surface skewness (Ssk) as the most influential features.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3390/app16010500
Empowering resilience: celebrating and accelerating women’s transformative contributions to plant abiotic stress research (2010–2025)
Publication Name: Frontiers in Plant Science
Publication Date: 2026-01-01
Volume: 17
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The growing incidence of abiotic stresses ranging from soil salinity and prolonged drought to increasingly frequent temperature extremes continues to challenge global agriculture and jeopardize food security. As these pressures intensify under a changing climate, the demand for resilient crop systems and deeper biological understanding is greater than ever. Over the past decade and a half (2010–2025), women scientists have played a pivotal yet often under-recognized role in advancing plant abiotic stress research. Their contributions span a wide scientific spectrum, from elucidating redox-based signaling networks and stress-responsive physiological pathways to pioneering multi-omics approaches and developing innovative biotechnological tools aimed at improving crop tolerance. This review synthesizes the scientific progress achieved through research efforts led by women as first authors, corresponding authors, or principal investigators, highlighting exemplary studies and emerging themes that have shaped the field. Alongside these accomplishments, the review addresses persistent structural and institutional barriers that limit women’s participation in STEM, particularly within plant sciences, and evaluates global initiatives designed to promote equity and inclusion in research environments. By integrating scientific advances with social and institutional perspectives, the review outlines a strategic roadmap to support and amplify innovation driven by women scientists, including as leaders in research teamsin plant stress biology. Ultimately, fostering gender equity in this discipline is more than an ethical responsibility it is a necessary foundation for building sustainable, climate-resilient agricultural systems for the future.
Open Access: Yes
An examination of environmental disclosure practices in the non-profit sector: do UK NGOs walk the green talk?
Publication Name: Journal of Public Budgeting Accounting and Financial Management
Publication Date: 2026-01-01
Volume: Unknown
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: 1-28
Description:
Purpose – Drawing on legitimacy theory, this study examines whether UK NGOs have improved the quality and quantity of their environmental disclosures over a decade, in line with societal expectations for transparency and accountability. Design/methodology/approach – We conducted a manual content analysis of annual reports from 35 leading UK NGOs, comparing environmental disclosures from 2013 to 2023. Drawing on established literature, we identified relevant keywords to assess disclosure quality. Consistent with prior studies, disclosure quality was coded into four categories: narrative (NAR), numerical (NUM), policy/targets (P/T) and operational activities (OA). Each disclosure was further classified as internally or externally oriented. To evaluate changes over time, we applied t-tests to examine the statistical significance of variations in disclosure patterns. The analysis compared hand-collected data from 2013 with matched data from 2023. This approach enabled a robust assessment of periodic shifts in environmental reporting practices within the UK NGO sector. Findings – Results show a significant increase in both the volume and quality of environmental disclosures over time. Numerical and operational disclosures, deemed to be of higher quality, rose more than narrative and policy disclosures. Internal-facing disclosures also grew to a higher degree, compared to external-facing, highlighting NGOs' commitment to organisational environmental accountability. Originality/value – This study provides the first evidence that over the passage of time, NGOs, like publicly listed firms, are adopting high-quality environmental reporting practices. It advances legitimacy theory and contributes to the understanding of NGO accountability.
Open Access: Yes
Regulation, Taxation, and Resources: Unpacking Greenhouse Gas Emission Drivers Across G7 Economies
Publication Name: Thunderbird International Business Review
Publication Date: 2026-01-01
Volume: Unknown
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Advanced economies are under growing pressure to downscale greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions without undermining growth, yet G7 (Group of Seven) nations, representing almost 10% of the world's population, still generate one quarter of global GHGs. We have investigated the G7's GHG emission problem from 2000 to 2020, by integrating macroeconomic and environmental panel data to determine how stricter environmental policies, higher green tax revenue, resource dependency, trade openness, and globalization can reduce the G7's emission problem. We applied second-generation panel estimators alongside a state-of-the-art quantile-based robust model, called the method of moment quantile regression (MMQR), and employed a two-step generalized method of moments (GMM) to address the endogeneity concern. In doing so, we found the following three findings. First, tougher regulations and higher environmental tax yields are consistently associated with reducing the GHG emissions, with the effect intensifying in all regimes. Second, resource dependence remains a stubborn emission amplifier across the entire distribution. Third, the role of trade and globalization is minimal, sometimes insignificant, referring to the fact that the policy and structural factors dominate trade and integration effects. Policy pathways for the G7 thus focus on (i) synchronizing environmental policy stringency targets to strict carbon-pricing floors, (ii) recycling environmental tax revenue and implementing green globalization with cross-border trade to accelerate clean-tech diffusion, and (iii) deploying resource diversification to neutralize resource rent-driven lock-ins. Our policy mix can help wealthy, integrated economies translate fiscal and regulatory leverage into a rapid and equitable solution to reduce GHG emissions.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.1002/tie.70095
