The CitSci project aims to design, develop, and validate an indoor routing application for wheelchair users, which, in the spirit of citizen science, also offers users the opportunity to make their own collected data available to improve routing. The specific project idea arose during our work on various university projects and theses that focused on issues related to barrier-free routing and indoor localization for wheelchair users, as well as decentralized data sharing.
To implement the project, it is necessary to achieve sufficiently accurate self-localization of wheelchair users in combination with a map that works both inside and outside buildings. In addition, the possibility of self-determined and, if necessary, selective sharing of data with decision-makers or other relevant actors allows for conscious participation through the provision of data by users.
The scope of the project can generally be divided into the areas of self-localization, mapping, routing, and visualization. A combination of GPS and inertial measurement units is used to achieve self-localization. While self-localization outside buildings has not been a challenge since the development of GPS, there has been no major development in the field of indoor positioning due to problems such as cost efficiency, required infrastructure, and accuracy. Since a wheelchair does not have the fundamental problem of step length detection in this area of research, good results are possible even with inertial measurement units. In addition, it is necessary to model any environment as a 2D map. For this purpose, freely available map material can be used outside buildings, while the interiors of buildings such as subway stations can only be created using construction plans.
The topic of routing has two main focuses. On the one hand, finding the route between the starting point and destination is an essential part of the system. On the other hand, the routes traveled by all users of the system are recorded. With this data, it is possible to improve and, if necessary, optimize the routes suggested by the application. Another important aspect is the theoretical potential of using this data to improve the city’s planning of public buildings. By implementing a decentralized network within which the data is shared with selected actors on a self-determined basis, a citizen science approach is being implemented. Data protection and control over one’s own data play a central role here. The visualization is to take place via an application on a mobile device, on which users can see their positions on the map and the fastest route between two points.
All artifacts and findings developed in the project are obtained with the aim of ensuring their reusability. The sustainable use of project results begins with building on components and software elements developed in previous projects and concludes with the public release of the project results at the end of the project.