On Supporting University Communities in Indoor Wayfinding: An Inclusive Design Approach

Abstract

Mobility can be defined as the ability of people to move, live and interact with the space. In this context, indoor mobility, in terms of indoor localization and wayfinding, is a relevant topic due to the challenges it presents, in comparison with outdoor mobility, where GPS is hardly exploited. Knowing how to move in an indoor environment can be crucial for people with disabilities, and in particular for blind users, but it can provide several advantages also to any person who is moving in an unfamiliar place. Following this line of thought, we employed an inclusive by design approach to implement and deploy a system that comprises an Internet of Things infrastructure and an accessible mobile application to provide wayfinding functions, targeting the University community. As a real word case study, we considered the University of Bologna, designing a system able to be deployed in buildings with different configurations and settings, considering also historical buildings. The final system has been evaluated in three different scenarios, considering three different target audiences (18 users in total): i. students with disabilities (i.e., visual and mobility impairments); ii. campus students; and iii. visitors and tourists. Results reveal that all the participants enjoyed the provided functions and the indoor localization strategy was fine enough to provide a good wayfinding experience.

Systematic Review on The Integration of Universal Design in Architectural Outdoor Environments of Higher Educational Institutions

“…A total of ten studies focused on accessibility in High Educational Institution (Delnevo et al, 2018;Dinc Uyaroglu, 2021;Eldridge et al, 2022;Lawrence, 2021;Ozdemir & Sungur, 2022;Porto et al, 2022;Prandi et al, 2021;Rafferty, 2011;Torkildsby, 2017, seven studies focus on Student with Disabilities ((Dinc Uyaroglu, 2021; Edwards & Larson, 2022;Parker et al, 2021;Porto et al, 2022;Rantanen et al, 2015;Vogt et al, 2022), eight studies discussed on Universal Design theory and new term of UD (Dinc Uyaroglu, 2021; Edwards & Larson, 2022;Nah & Lee, 2016;Ozdemir & Sungur, 2022;Prandi et al, 2021.;Torkildsby, 2017;Van Eck et al, 2022;Xu et al, 2022, and out twenty-two studies, twelve concentrated on outdoor environment Boeri et al, 2020;Bozkurt, 2021;Delnevo et al, 2018;Dinc Uyaroglu, 2021;Gasparovic & Sladovic, 2021;Nah & Lee, 2016;Parker et al, 2021, Prandi et al, 2021, Rantanen et al, 2015Samsudin et al, 2019;van Eck et al, 2022;Ytterhus & Åmot, 2021. In addition, ten studies applied qualitative approach while two studies employed a mix methods (qualitative + quantitative) approach. The remaining studies (10) used quantitative analysis methods.…”

“…A total of 12 studies reported that outdoor environments consist of few lists which are main entrance, pedestrian path, pedestrian crossing, curb or ramp, sidewalk, tactile or material, parking OKU, dropoff, way finding and outdoor education. Detecting obstacles in outdoor environments is an important problem for blind people who desire to move autonomously (Prandi, Delnevo, et al, 2021). According to (Dinc Uyaroglu, 2021), case-based situation does not lead them to participate in diverse educational activities.…”

Sensors on Internet of Things Systems for the Sustainable Development of Smart Cities: A Systematic Literature Review

“…They deployed GPS and an inertial measurement unit on electric wheelchairs. Prandi et al [100] developed an IoT system that provides indoor wayfinding functionality to improve indoor mobility. They used smart beacons as sensors to locate people.…”

The field of human building interaction for convergent research and innovation for intelligent built environments

“…In the study and development of HBI, there is a need to understand differences in engagement and support required across different genders, age ranges (i.e., including children, youth, and older adults), and socioeconomic statuses 110 . Moreover, HBI solutions and technologies should determine how support is equitable and inclusive for individuals from communities of color and people with varied physical abilities or mental health conditions 111 , 112 . Finally, there is an opportunity to expand HBI efforts to support the needs of displaced groups, migrants, and unsheltered individuals 113 .…”