Pilot Study on Enhancing Mobility and Accessibility for Visually Impaired Individuals in Barcelona Using Navigation With XR Technology and 5G

Barcelona's Universal Accessibility Plan 2018-2026 is a commitment by the city to universal accessibility, regardless of people's condition.

Currently, the mobility problems of visually impaired people are mainly addressed through improvements in the accessibility of the space urban, the infrastructures, the facilities of use public i until i everything public transport.

Is calculated that the missing of autonomy staff generates one cost of more of €15,000/year for the people visually impaired. Also, studies show that 40% of visually impaired people fall once a year and 63% of these falls have medical consequences. The fear of suffering more falls causes social isolation, a sedentary behaviour and, consequently, a worsening of the quality of life, of the psychological state and of health in general, especially in the elderly, 10% of which can develop severe depression.

BCNMob project wants to contribute to reverse this situation, a thorough analysis and the measure of improving the mobility and universal accessibility of people with visual impairments in the city of Barcelona, through the development of devices with 5G technology in combination with artificial vision and augmented reality, integrated with the systems of Barcelona City Council's Open Data to inform users in real time.

The solution proposed by BCNMob is conceived from a perspective of collective and integrated use in the city, through a device sharing system that allows providing a mobility service adapted to the disability visual a so many people come be it possible, following one philosophy similar at service of "Bicing".