Community & Charities
Elderly Services
Jockey Club Supports “Smart City Walk” Mobile App to Help Build a Barrier-free City
22/09/2019
The advancement of technology has enriched the quality of life for many people, and for people with disabilities, greatly assisting their efforts to be active members of society.
On 21 September, the Hong Kong Blind Union officially launched the “Smart City Walk” mobile app – a navigation tool aimed at helping the visually impaired move around independently both indoors and outdoors. The mobile app has been developed with support from the Club’s Charities Trust as part of the “Jockey Club Smart City Walk Project”.
By utilising navigation systems such as beacons and Wi-Fi at different indoor venues, the mobile app enables visually-impaired users, through audio instructions on their smartphones, to identify their current indoor location and surroundings and navigate to their destination. Text navigation instructions and an indoor map are also available for people with other disabilities, as well as the elderly. Around 16,000 people are expected to benefit from the project.
The “Jockey Club Smart City Walk Project” will collaborate with more venue partners to extend the reach of the mobile app to more public facilities such as university libraries, government recreational sites, as well as commercial venues, with the aim of assisting the visually impaired move around independently, and helping build a barrier-free city.
Tai Kwun – Centre for Heritage and Arts, which was conserved and revitalised by the Club, has also become a venue partner of the mobile app, and will soon provide greater accessibility for its visitors.
The “Jockey Club Smart City Walk Project” also provides training in using smart mobile devices to the visually impaired and the elderly. Public education sessions will also be organised to raise public awareness about the needs of the visually impaired. The project is supported with approved funding of over HK$20 million from the Club’s Charities Trust.
