Collaborative Accessibility Assessments by Senior Citizens Using Smartphone Application ReAcTS (Real-world Accessibility Transaction System)

Abstract

Rapid improvements in real-world accessibility conditions have enabled greater mobility of people with disabilities as well as senior citizens. However, while the accessibility information of downtown areas and sightseeing locations is frequently updated, the most recent information on accessibility conditions in areas such as suburbs is difficult to obtain quickly because of infrequent updates of this type of information along with local information upgrades. On the other hand, healthy seniors aged over 65 years are known to engage in volunteer activities in developed countries with a high population of the elderly. In this regard, collaborative work on the accessibility assessments of places unexplored by these senior citizens can enable not only the efficient data collection on local areas but also lead to increase in their awareness and motivation to participate in social activities. In this study, we propose an accessibility-sharing application for volunteers including seniors and youngsters along with a scheme to efficiently record real-world conditions. In particular, we develop a smartphone application named Real-world Accessibility Transaction System (ReAcTS), and we conduct events to share accessibility information in cooperation with volunteer groups mainly composed of senior citizens.