Skip to content

Cities Unlocked

Be inspired

We estimate that 4 million people will be living with sight loss in the UK by 2050. We need to better understand the problem from the individuals' perspective and identify integrated solutions to make cities enjoyable for everyone.

Challenge

Watch our short films and find out more about the everyday challenges of people with sight loss and the remarkable ways which they are forced to overcome them.

Demonstrator

Discover how we developed, trialled and tested our 3D soundscape technology on a route from Reading to London.

Opportunities

Learn about the emerging opportunities for city planners, architects, technologists and policy makers the world over.

51 articles

Topics: Find, Hear, See
Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. TfL travel support card

TfL’s Travel Support Card is customisable through entering one’s specific details regarding the help required. This could be a…

Read the full article

Topics: Planning, See
Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. Ian Hamilton/232 Studios Colourblind Tube Map

232 Studios won a TfL competition that aimed to improve navigation information accessibility for colour blind people. The developed maps…

Read the full article

Topics: Find, Planning, Touch
Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. Tacmap tactile interactive wayfinding device

This design proposes a device that stores pre-set tactile personal routes that are accessed through a levelling display interface. The user…

Read the full article

Topics: Explore, See
Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, concept. Keiichi Matsuda augmented city 3D

As part of his master-thesis, Keiichi Matsuda created a video that illustrates how we may experience our physical environment in the future…

Read the full article

Topics: Touch
Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. Thimble smart finger glove

Thimble was created as a concept within the Industrial Design Programme at the University of Washington School of Arts. It’s a…

Read the full article

Topics: Explore, Hear, See, Touch
Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. Touch sight camera for the blind

The touch sight camera was designed to give blind and partially sighted users the opportunity to record their memories. The user holds the…

Read the full article

Topics: Hear, Interact
Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. Sound producing piano staircase

The piano staircase is an interactive landscape that was implemented to encourage people to use the stairs instead of the lift and the…

Read the full article

Topics: Hear
Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. Payment 4 ALL facilitates card payments

Spanish company Redsys Servicios de Procesamiento is working to implement a sound code that works with Point of Sale systems and…

Read the full article

Topics: Hear, See
Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. Visual and acoustic information on public buses in Madrid

This project led to the installation of visual and audio information devices that help the visually impaired and the hearing impaired…

Read the full article

Topics: Hear
Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. Barclay’s talking ATMs

Before the introduction of Talking ATM’s, blind and visually impaired customers were not able to use an ATM independently. Prompted…

Read the full article

Topics: Interact
Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. Ataturk obstacle-free airport

Ataturk Airport, managed and operated by TAV Istanbul, received the “Obstacle-Free Airport” Certificate for its extensive work…

Read the full article

Topics: Interact
Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. Timebanking exchange of time and services

Timebanking is an exchange ‘currency’. People ‘deposit’ their time such as an hour spent helping and supporting…

Read the full article