Imagine a special version of Alexa for travel - an interactive accessible journey planner that would greatly improve people’s mobility and willingness to travel. They learned that the single most popular item in demand amongst users with different types of disability would be a simple, smart information tool. Transportation researchers in the Netherlands recently made an important discovery by surveying disabled commuters. These are just some of the smart tech solutions that scientists are co-designing together with disabled persons in line with the EU’s Urban Mobility Framework. Solutions may involve the use of augmented reality, wearables and artificial intelligence. To rise to the challenge of universal accessibility, cities can benefit from innovative technologies that promote a barrier-free and inclusive society. And with one in five Europeans living with some form of disability, city actions are proving indispensable in order to cater to a growing need for accessibility. Indeed, Jönköping is one of many examples of European cities that are friendly to people with disabilities. From the concert hall to the matchstick museum (one of only three in the world), Jönköping’s attractions, shops, public buildings and infrastructure meet the long list of accessibility criteria. Working closely with disability organisations, city officials rolled out a wide range of initiatives to make buildings, products and environments accessible to as many people as possible.Ĭity-wide improvements include tactile maps and signage, audio descriptions, tactile paving, easy to read facilities, accessible pavements and barrier-free wheelchair access. The winner of the 2021 Access City Award, Jönköping was recognised for its inclusive and universal bottom-up approach. It is one of the most accessible cities in Europe for people with disabilities. Having equal access to technology has a profound, enabling effect for people with disabilities.ĭownload our eBook to learn how accessibility can also benefit your organization and support strategic goals.Once known for its matchstick industry, the small Swedish city of Jönköping has another claim to fame. Literally.Ī retail website does not include alt text on their product images, so a shopper who is blind cannot “see” what the images show about the laptop bag he wants to buy.īy some estimates, one in five people has a disability that affects their daily life.
Yet, those with disabilities are often left out when hardware, software, websites, and apps are designed without a thought for their needs.Ī tablet at the doctor’s office has a sign-in program that disables the pinch-to-zoom feature, making it impossible for a woman with low vision to fill out her medical history.Īn online learning portal uses automatically-generated captions on their videos, leaving a deaf student at a loss for words.
So many aspects of our lives are made easier by technology. Some of our elders remember the days when a computer filled an entire room.
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