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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.

16 results

Topics: Explore, Move
Research state: Opportunity

Visioning workshop, opportunity: Walking the City

Orientation is exceptionally difficult, with little or no visual cues and confusing soundscapes, alternative solutions are needed to guide…

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Topics: Explore, Interact, Move
Research state: Opportunity

Visioning workshop, opportunity: Street Furniture

Existing street furniture and amenities can be a hindrance to the blind and partially sighted. Shared spaces and open streets can disrupt…

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Topics: Explore, Hear
Research state: Challenge

Distinctive and predictable sounds in the urban environment are key source of navigational information

Changes in the sound of traffic, the sounds of different trains or of a shouting market stall holder are all examples of useful and…

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Topics: Explore, Interact
Research state: Challenge

Distinctive and predictable smells in the urban environment can work as useful landmarks

From fish to fried chicken people with sight loss use all sorts of smells as navigational cues. Like any other landmark for a smell to be…

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Topics: Explore, Find
Research state: Challenge

Features of the environment that were not intended as navigation infrastructure are often still used as useful and important landmarks by people with sight loss

If a feature of the environment is detectable by them and always in the same place it can be used as a navigational landmark for someone…

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Topics: Move, Touch
Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. Tactile sight wayfinding belt

Developed by Tactile Sight, a spinoff of the University of Waterloo, the Tactile Belt functions much as a route planner such as Google…

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Topics: Hear, Move, Touch
Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. Raynes Tacdots tactile paving

Designed by Raynes Associates, Tacdots are easy to install and easy to use tactile wayfinding dots. The dots can be used for inside and…

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Topics: Emotional, Explore
Research state: Demonstrator

Enjoying the journey

The train heads into London Paddington. Kate receives information about the route and is told that she’s passing Windsor Castle. The…

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Topics: Touch
Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. Sight line safer streetworks for all

Streetworks as temporary obstacles in one’s (familiar) environment leave blind people disoriented. This project aims to make…

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Topics: Interact, Touch
Research state: Opportunity

Visioning workshop, opportunity theme: Wearables

The commercial potential of this space will drive developer innovation, producing cheaper and more powerful devices that people can use to…

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Topics: See, Touch
Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. Tactile+PlusTranslucent touchscreen buttons

These buttons were primary designed and developed for gaming purposes. But they could also be useful in creating a more inclusive phone or…

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Topics: Explore, See
Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. BrainPort device to see with the tongue

Sunglasses are worn by the user with a small digital video camera placed in the centre to capture visuals of the person’s…

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