Innovative Accesibility Data Inventory Tools for Urban Environments in Historic Sites

Area of Science:

• Built Environment Studies
• Accessibility Research
• Inclusive Design

Background:

• Historic built environments present unique challenges for physical accessibility assessments.
• Developing effective inclusive design strategies requires a robust cognitive framework for evaluating current performances.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare two distinct methodologies for surveying physical accessibility in historic buildings: on-site investigation and semi-automatic artificial intelligence (AI) processes.
• To describe the processes, potential outcomes, and data interpretation procedures for each method.
• To propose an integrated strategy leveraging Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for inclusive design management.

Main Methods:

• On-site investigation of physical accessibility in historic built environments.
• Semi-automatic survey process utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and ICT.
• Comparative analysis of the two methodologies.

Main Results:

• Both on-site and AI-driven methods offer valuable insights into physical accessibility performance.
• AI-based approaches show potential for efficient data collection and analysis in accessibility surveys.
• An integrated strategy combining both methods can enhance the management of inclusive design processes.

Conclusions:

• Integrating traditional on-site surveys with AI-powered tools provides a comprehensive approach to assessing and improving physical accessibility in historic buildings.
• Leveraging ICT is crucial for efficient and effective management of inclusive design strategies.
• This research contributes to the development of better cognitive frameworks for inclusive design in heritage contexts.