Investigation of barrier-free environment based on smart band technology
The demographic trends in Germany have led to a continuously growing proportion of elderly people in the population. Population aging is progressing rapidly due to declining fertility, low birth rates and higher life expectancy. As consequence, the number of people with special needs, illness, or handicaps will significantly increase. This social trend imposes an adaptation of the architectural environment as well as innovative planning strategies. These must take handicapped facilities into account and ensure barrier-free living environment.
A new tendency towards this goal engages the affected persons in the planning decision process. In our study, a Master Thesis at the Institute of Urban and Transport Planning RWTH Aachen University (ISB), smart bands are used to detect real time stress reactions to barriers. Location information can be attached to a map or registered if location coordinates can be determined via network and GPS.