Cities Unlocked

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: Hear, Overall

Research state: Opportunity

Visioning workshop, opportunity: Hearing the City

Many partially sighted people suffer from a lack of information about their surroundings or situation. Often they rely on the descriptions…

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Topics: Hear, Interact

Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. Studio weave lullaby factory radio frequency installation

Lullaby Factory was set up at Great Ormond Street Hospital to create a calming environment for patients. It is an art installation that…

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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: See

Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. Sustainable and interactive ‘smart highways’

Daan Roosegaarde’s smart highways work as interactive environments that connect people. Instead of spending money on new cars…

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Topics: Hear

Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. BAT ‘K’ sonar cane add-on appliance

The ‘K’ Sonar can be clipped on to an existing cane to help detect obstacles within a 5 metre range through the use of…

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Topics: Find, See

Research state: Opportunity

Horizon scan, innovation. Ralston & Bau’s storehagen atrium colour wayfinding

This system in a Norwegian government building (Storehagen), identifies the location of different facilities and tenants within the…

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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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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…

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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…

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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…

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