Background and Challenges

Public transport is becoming increasingly popular. Passengers cite a variety of reasons for switching from private cars to public transport, including rising fuel prices, the ability to use travel time productively, increasingly fast connections, and technological innovations that have made public transport more convenient.

While large parts of the population benefit from these improvements, people with disabilities continue to face significant challenges. These include physical barriers such as broken or missing elevators, the absence of tactile guidance systems, and poorly designed encounter stops and stations. There are sensory barriers, such as a lack of audio announcements, information provided only visually or displays with insufficient contrast. In addition, neurodivergent people may face cognitive and psychological challenges, particularly complex transfer procedures can be a considerable source of stress.

Aims and Approach

The aim of the EMIU project is to make public transport more attractive and accessible for people with special needs. To achieve this, we make use of Home Assistant (https://www.home-assistant.io), a well-established open-source platform for automated control of devices in smart homes. Home Assistant can process a wide range of real-time data from different sources at home in tandem with publicly available information such as departure data, railway network disruptions, elevator outages, and weather data.

Building on Home Assistant’s core functionalities, we develop a proactive auditory and visual mobility assistant and evaluate it through a pilot study. Various customizable methods of delivering information, such as light- or text-based notifications for people with hearing impairments and voice output for people with visual impairments, are intended to help users obtain relevant information early while at home and to travel more safely, with less stress, and with fewer barriers while on the move via their smartphones.

Methods

Research activities, as well as an analysis of the current situation and user needs, will be carried out to strengthen the project team’s expertise in accessibility and to gain a deeper understanding of Home Assistant’s capabilities. Subsequently, a prototype of the mobility assistant will be designed, developed, and tested. The prototype will make use of data provided by Mobility Partners Austria (MVO). Future users will be involved in evaluating the prototype’s suitability for everyday use and its user-friendliness. Following a successful evaluation, the project results will be presented to the public.

Results

Within the project, we develop a prototype tool designed specifically to improve access to public transport services for people with special needs. The tool opens up new avenues, and demonstrates how the mobility transition can become more inclusive and user-centered. Moreover, it is intended to inspire mobility providers to further expand and improve their services.