Global Resources and Promising Practices for Building and Refining Accessible and Inclusive Smart Cities from Darren Bates LLC.
Inclusion: Acknowledging and valuing people’s differences to enrich social planning, decision-making, and quality of life for everyone.
In an inclusive Smart City all residents have a sense of belonging, acceptance, and are recognized as valued and contributing members of society with a representative voice in governance.
An inclusive Smart City values all people and equitably meets the needs of all residents—including historically underserved and marginalized populations, e.g., people with disabilities, people who are aging. Real inclusion takes place when those already included in the “mainstream” learn from those who are excluded and initiate change.
One of the most important aspects that influence the
livability of cities is the capacity to be an inclusive city
that people can and want to call “Home.
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Worldwide, over 1 billion people live with a disability. Demographic change leads in some parts of the world to an ever-aging population while in other parts birth rates are still well above four children per women. Thus, many people face immense barriers to take part at social and economic activities. Accessibility to public transport and the usability of public infrastructure…
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New York City adds sign language video calling service Dive Brief: New York City has added a video communication service, ASL Direct, for hearing impaired residents who use American Sign Language (ASL) and want information about or access to city services. Users connect with a person fluent in ASL through a webcam conversation. The service also has a…
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Self-Driving Cars: The Impact on People with Disabilities Our New Study Reveals Self-Driving Cars Could Open 2 Million Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities Introduction Self-driving cars have almost become a staple of everyday conversation. You hear about them on the radio, read about them in the newspapers, and you see them on TV, and not just in sci-fi movies.…
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This publication is of critical importance as it contributes a clear overview of the main issues at stake. Namely, that governments, civil society organizations, and the private sector have a role to play in ensuring that accessibility is not an afterthought but a central component of their work. It also provides guidance on how to address the accessibility lack, in…
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Accessibility is key when it comes to urban city planning. It’s only natural that combining physical and information infrastructure is at the heart of improving accessibility. Technology can help cities improve and become what are nowadays called smart cities. more The two factors that comprise accessibility are distance and mobility – people want to go to places, and they want them…
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For many persons with disabilities to make a choice, on for example where to shop, where to eat, where to hold a meeting, which vehicle to use, which airline to use, which product to buy and numerous other transactional scenarios, it boils down to pertinent issues of how such businesses or companies respect and support the rights of persons with disabilities. Successful…
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From pollution levels and the number of traffic accidents to safer public spaces and more efficient heating in buildings—to what extent can the smartness of a city be quantified? And is it possible to measure the quality of life for an urban area through numerical parameters? /4988204/Phys_Story_InText_Box It’s all about collecting data that is reliable and making sense of the…
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The accessibility of air travel for people with physical disabilities has been slowly improving since 1986, when the Air Carrier Access Act was signed into law and eventually led to the implementation of regulations designed to ensure equal access in air travel. Over the past few years, airlines and airports have shown improved general awareness of the so-called “hidden” disabilities,…
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People with disabilities make up 17.9% of the UK population, but are only represented by 0.06% of people featured in adverts, according to Lloyds’ ‘Reflecting Modern Britain?’ inclusion and diversity report. The study examined 1,340 TV and press adverts from 40 brands paid for by the top 20 advertising spenders in 2015. On the other side of the world, Marketing…
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“Special Needs” No, I don’t think so. I Don’t Need To Be Massaged By A Cat Ask yourself: what “special needs” does a person with Down syndrome really have? Check out http://www.notspecialneeds.com to discover a new perspective.
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‘I feel like a second-class citizen’: readers on navigating cities with a disability We asked readers with a disability to share their experiences – good and bad. Their responses show the many ways people can be shut out of their communities. Only 50 out of 270 tube stations are fully accessible. Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian …
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What would a truly disabled-accessible city look like? Most cities are utterly unfriendly to people with disabilities – but with almost one billion estimated to be urban-dwellers by 2050, a few cities are undergoing a remarkable shift by Saba Salman To David Meere, a visually impaired man from Melbourne, among the various obstacles to life in cities is another that…
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In this installment of the Innovation of the Month series (read last month’s story here), we explore the use of smart technologies to help blind and visually impaired people better navigate the world around them. A team at Ohio State University has been working on a “smart paint” application to do just that. MetroLab’s Executive Director Ben Levine sat down…
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Delegates at forum emphasize that advancing society through innovation must take priority Speakers at the IEEE 4th World Forum on Internet of Things emphasized that the technology is a means to improve and advance the lives of people and society. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY ASIA WEEKLY) It is about the people: This was the clear message from the IEEE…
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What Is Inclusion from the Inclusion Imperative: Inclusion is a beacon and symbol for what is possible in our lives. Inclusion is not an answer to a problem but an initiative that is an opportunity. Inclusion Imperative Published on Apr 13, 2015 Find out more at http://www.inclusionimperative.com/
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Smart Cities Need Technology That Understands All Humans Cities need to be accessible to all, including those with hearing and sight impairments, and restricted mobility The world’s cities and their populations are growing at an unprecedented rate. The United Nations predicts that by 2050, 66 percent of the world’s population will live in urbanized areas, compared to just a…
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Inclusive Innovation Meetup at City Theatre In 2017, 136 organizations hosted 79 free events across 20 neighborhoods in 8 days centered on 1 theme, Inclusive innovation. Inclusive Innovation Week is a platform for the City to support and promote organizations and businesses working towards equity in a transforming Pittsburgh. During the week, important conversations about equity and innovation are brought forward…
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The Roadmap for Inclusive Innovation is a living strategic plan developed from the vision of Mayor William Peduto for the City of Pittsburgh to be a city of equity, access and opportunity through cross-sector partnerships and collaboration. The Roadmap sets out to connect, encourage and measure inclusive innovation in the City of Pittsburgh through internal innovation and partnerships with organizations,…
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Showcasing for the first time late last month, the Smart Regions Conference brought together a diverse group of leaders to discuss opportunities in Smart Cities. Rhonda Binda (Venture Smarter), Bjorn Simmons (Wyzerr), Michael Beck (Code for Kids), Austin Lee (Northern Kentucky University), Jason Miller (Centric Consulting), and Seema Shah (LaGuardia Community College) collaborate on Innovation, Inclusion and the Workforce of…
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To build an inclusive smart city, look through an age-friendly lens. As the aging population expands, some cities are implementing strategic plans to ensure the needs of the elderly are met — especially in terms of mobility and housing. Published Jan. 9, 2018 Attention to equity in city planning and in the distribution of municipal services is booming,…
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