Optimized routing for people with permanent or temporary mobility disability : a case study in Viana do Castelo

Abstract

Nowadays, it is already common to have apps to assist citizens in their mobility within a city. However, apps are usually designed for the general citizen and do not include the specificity of people with reduced mobility, temporarily or permanently, such as visually impaired people, autistic people, people in wheelchairs, among others segments. This paper illustrates a case study carried out in the city of Viana do Castelo, in Portugal, where the streets of the historic center of the city were classified in a Geographic Information System (GIS) by the City Council together with the institutions that represent each one of the considered segments. Based on this classification, the Viana+Acessfvel app was developed, which is about to be made available free of charge to all citizens, and which recommends to each user the optimum route from a source to a destination, taking into account his segment. For example, visually impaired people should avoid streets where emergency vehicles can circulate and autistic people should preferably avoid streets with loud noises, among other conditions. The A-Star Algorithm and Dijkstra Algorithm were used in the app to identify the optimum route. A comparative study was made concluding that both strategies identify the optimum route and A-Star method obtains the optimum solution in a faster time. An evaluation of the app was also made in terms of its effectiveness and usability.