Porto Metro Network makes deaf travel friendlier with Avatar

Aliados Metro Station is equipped with a sign automatic two-way language translator on the floor -1, as of this Thursday, 18 October. It encompasses an interactive giant screen, which can operate in six languages and whose fundamental mission is to support deaf users regarding Metro Network FAQ.

This project was developed by researchers of the Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ISEP), jointly with Porto City Hall, and it uses an Avatar to answer FAQ in the context of the Porto Metro Network. For instance, "what is Andante?, how can I get one?, what happens if I lose my card?

"Targeting special needs is one of the main tools of social cohesion and inclusion, which are two main goals of the city of Porto. It can only be achieved with partners like the Polytechnic Institute, and Metro do Porto but also other institutions that have shown great interest in developing the means and resources to simplify life and to make it more comfortable and more interesting in the city", Mayor Rui Moreira stated during the official launch of this project this morning.

Also, the President of Metro do Porto, Jorge Delgado, said that "Metro do Porto is very much concerned with these matters regarding mobility and special needs" and "today is a very important day as the project is ready".

In turn, the President of Polytechnic Institute of Porto, João Rocha, explained that "it is important to develop technologies and to explore knowledge but the most significant is to transfer that knowledge to society so that everyone can benefit from what we are doing", and concluded by saying that the project is in its pilot-phase and it is estimated to be extended to the whole country and also to Brazil.

The I-ACE project was funded by the European Union, through the Erasmus+ Programme, with a budget of 300 thousand euros. It is coordinated by GILT- Games Interaction and Learning Technologies, the research team of Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ISEP). The project will also be used in the classroom context, namely at School Alexandre Herculano.

This project was jointly developed by Porto City Hall, The Siegen University (Germany), the Maribor University (Slovenia), the University of York (United Kingdom), the European Association of Career Guidance (Cyprus) and the Technological Education Institute of Crete (Greece) and the research team included 20 researchers.