Karlsruhe Institute Of Technology Working Towards Digital Technologies And Building For A More Inclusive Society
An independent lifestyle and full participation in all areas of life are clear goals of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In it, the contracting states have committed themselves to measures that ensure equal access, for example to the physical environment and to information and communication. In the real laboratory “Digital accessibility and assistance systems for people with disabilities” at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), research is being carried out into how the interaction of digital technologies and the design of the spatial environment in buildings and cities can enable everyone to participate in society on an equal footing and in a self-determined manner.
“Our goal is to build a bridge between people, technology and the spatial environment. To do this, we combine research in computer science and architecture,” says Professor Kathrin Gerling, who researches human-machine interaction. Together with the architect Professor Caroline Karmann, she forms the first of several new professorship tandems at KIT. In each of these tandems, two people – one from the humanities and social sciences and one from engineering and natural sciences – do science together. “Together we examine the interfaces between technology, the built environment and the people who live in it. This is how we explore the potential of new technologies to break down barriers for people with disabilities,” explains Karmann. The goal is a more inclusive society.
Interaction of assistance systems and structural environment for more participation
Kathrin Gerling deals with the accessibility of interactive and body-centered technologies such as wearable systems or virtual reality from the perspective of assistance and participation. “For me, it’s about creating accessibility that goes beyond just overcoming obstacles and enables users to have positive, enriching experiences,” says the computer scientist. Together with Karmann, she will research how appropriate technologies can be used in combination with the built environment to break down barriers and improve the quality of life of disabled people.
Caroline Karmann works on the climate-conscious and barrier-free design of buildings and cities that support a self-determined life for people with disabilities. “When we talk about inclusion in the built environment, it means that people can feel welcome and belong, regardless of individual limitations. Let’s take a building on campus: how can we design the entrance, the circulation, the signage, the room layout, the lighting and the acoustics in such a way that rooms are legible for people with visual impairments, for example? Technology can lead to further solutions here. For example, could a digital inspection of the rooms using virtual reality before entering an unfamiliar place help the user? Our research questions relate to the safety and comfort of spaces for everyone, and it is important to us to develop our solutions together with people with disabilities,” says the construction expert.
ACCESS@KIT supports people with blindness in their studies
In contrast to research in a controlled atmosphere behind closed doors, science takes place in a real laboratory in interaction with people. That is why the two scientists work closely with the Center for Digital Accessibility and Assistive Technologies ACCESS@KIT. The center supports disabled students at KIT. There are currently around 30 students with blindness or visual impairments.
Real laboratory professorships: Research for society
The KIT focuses on transformative research at the interface to society and will set up four new real laboratories in the years 2022 to 2025. One professor from the humanities and social sciences and one from the technical and natural sciences work together intensively. With these “professorship tandems” ( KIT Real-World Lab Professorships), KIT pursues a unique interdisciplinary approach. The real laboratory professorships are part of the 100 professorships program with which KIT will make its cutting-edge research even more efficient and agile within ten years. First, real laboratories for autonomous systems, human-machine interaction and accessibility as well as for dealing with risks will be set up. A fourth on risk strategies for the decentralized energy transition follows.
As “The Research University in the Helmholtz Association”, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for society and the environment. The aim is to make significant contributions to global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility and information. Around 9,800 employees work together on a broad disciplinary basis in natural sciences, engineering, economics, humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,300 students for responsible tasks in society, business, and science through research-oriented university studies. The innovation activity at KIT bridges the gap between knowledge and application for social benefit, economic prosperity and the preservation of our natural foundations of life.