WeWALK is a free accessible navigation and exploration application developed by visually impaired people for the visually impaired and people with low vision. WeWALK enables visually impaired people to explore their surroundings and get accessible step-by-step navigation. Users can view the public transportation stops nearby and learn the times of the public transportation lines passing through the stop.
Category: Digital journey planning services/platforms
Developer: WeWALK Teknoloji A.S.
Main function: Digital journey planning service/platform
What is the main sub-function of the service/product: Navigation
Target group(s): People with disabilities: visually impaired people and people with low vision
Countries/cities of operation: The UK and Turkey
Technologies needed to use the service:
- Smartphone or tablet (with internet connection)
Is there a non-digital way to use this service or product? No
Why is this a good example?
| Reason(s) | Free to download and use |
| More details | The WeWALK Smartphone App is free to download on iOS and Android. |
| Tags | Cost, Specific user groups- People with low income |
| Reason(s) | Enhances independence, mobility and accessibility for visually impaired people and people with low vision |
| More details | The WeWalk app specifically target visually impaired people and people with low vision. The app provides step-by-step navigation and informs about intersections, stairs and elevators. It has a location discovery mode which announces the locations in the environment while walking on the road. Thus, visually impaired and low vision users can enjoy accessible exploration without missing the locations in their surroundings. |
| Tags | Specific user groups-People with disabilities |
| Reason(s) | Integration of public transport information |
| More details | The public transport feature of the app allows users to find out about transit options, navigate to stops, check timetables and more. Particularly, users can check the public transportation stops nearby and learn the times of the public transportation lines passing through the stop. When they get on the public vehicle, when approaching the stop where they need to get off, WeWALK notifies them by sending notifications to not miss the stop. |
| Tags | Functionality-Integration of services |
| Reason(s) | Available in 11 languages |
| More details | The app is available in English, Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish and Turkish. This supports usage of the app by migrants who need navigation in a foreign country and are unfamiliar with the local context and language. |
| Tags | International aspects, Specific user groups-Migrants |
| Reason(s) | Accessible and adaptable interface – integrates low vision interface and low vision maps |
| More details | Users are able to change the text size, colour, and background across the whole WeWALK app, from the home screen to the low vision maps. These maps allow low vision users to be able to view the route that the mapping system has traced. |
| Tags | Accessibility |
| Reason(s) | Build-in voice assistant |
| More details | The WeWALK App’s built-in voice assistant allow to access the WeWALK features with voice command. It is similar to Siri or Google Voice in that it allows to control certain actions on the app by asking commands. |
| Tags | Usability-Multimodality, Accessibility |
If you would like to know more about why this product is part of this catalogue or what aspects of this example are specifically appropriate, click here to view the full DIGNITY Interactive Catalogue, which contains further information.
