Project - PAL -- Public Space Navigation for All
Accessible indoor navigation that empowers independent mobility in Europe’s busiest transport hubs.
- Financed by
- FP7 - 7th Framework Programme
- Duration
- Keywords
- Transport Tourism Accessibility
Overview
PAL (Public Space Navigation for All) addressed the challenge of accessible indoor navigation in large public transport hubs, such as airports and major train stations, with a particular focus on elderly users and people with visual or mobility impairments. The project aimed to improve independent mobility by transforming existing indoor maps into accessible, user-centred navigation services delivered via mobile devices.
IN2 played a central role as project coordinator, leading both the technical and administrative management of PAL. Building on prior R&D results from the MOBILITY project, IN2 was responsible for defining the system architecture and advancing the core technical components required to make complex indoor environments digitally accessible.
A key contribution of IN2 was the development and deployment of a web-based floor-plan annotation framework, enabling semantic enrichment of indoor maps. This allowed transport operators to rapidly update routes and accessibility information (e.g. elevators, stairs, obstacles) and ensured that navigation instructions remained accurate despite frequent infrastructure changes. IN2 also led the indoor localisation component, using WiFi signal triangulation combined with adaptive prediction algorithms to deliver reliable positioning indoors.
Through real-world pilots and user validation in airport environments, IN2 helped demonstrate that the PAL system could operate at TRL 7, proving its robustness in relevant operational settings. Alongside technical work, IN2 supported market analysis, stakeholder engagement and positioning PAL for future uptake by transport infrastructure providers across Europe.
Alongside IN2, as the project Coordinator, Spring Techno GmbH in Germany formed the consortium.
Our role
- Project Management and Coordination
- Accessible indoor navigation systems
- Semantic map annotation & enrichment
- Indoor localisation & positioning technologies
- Inclusive mobility & universal access design
- Dissemination, Communication and Exploitation
- Pilots and Applications with the project's end users
