Introducing a ‘Google Maps’ for people with disabilities

Matt McCann, graduate from the National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUIM), developed a web platform and app that crowdsources data on accessible buildings to guide and help those with disabilities. Deemed Access Earth, the tool helps users better plan and navigate around an area.

McCann, who has cerebral palsy and uses a rolling walker to get around, was inspired to create the platforming after arriving at a hotel in London that marketed itself as accessible, but turned out not to be. When he arrived, he saw the hotel had three steps that led to the entrance and prevented anyone who uses a mobility aid to access the building easily. Then, when he finally managed to make it into the building, he could not fit his walker through the doorway of his room.

McCann’s troubling experience ultimately led him to create Access Earth to help those with disabilities. He notes that in cities like Dublin and London where architecture is a bit older, accessibility may not be as advanced. While business owners may not think it’s an issue, a few entryway steps can block those with physical disabilities.

With the help of Ryan O’Neill, who covers the business development aspect, both him and McCann built a global user-generated platform where people can add and search for data on accessibility in hotels, restaurants, theaters, stadiums, and other businesses. It allows users to plan a trip and check if the store has a ramp or if a nearby café has a door wide enough for wheelchairs or an accessible bathroom.

Currently, McCann and O’Neill are the only two working full-time on site, but they do have some volunteers and friends helping out. They participated in Microsoft’s Imagine Cup in Seattle, Wash. and the Enactus World Cup for student entrepreneurs in Johannesburg, South Africa. While they did not win either contest, the interest in Access Earth proved useful to other. One of the judges even pushed them to continue developing the platform, McCann said.

The site is still in its infancy, with a primary focus on data in Dublin, but anyone anywhere can use it. The two have worked with the National Disability Authority and Irish Wheelchair Association to understand the best criteria that makes buildings accessible.

Now, they are working on advancing the app and gathering a user base before beginning to approach businesses for partnerships.

Source: Mashable