London's Disabilty App

From the BBC:
"Disability app designed by London terrorism survivor"

A severely injured survivor of the 7/7 bombings has created a smartphone app to help people with disabilities travel around London more easily. Daniel Biddle lost both his legs, spleen and left eye after a bomb exploded on a tube train in July 2005. His Ldn Access app details step-free access, ramps and usable toilet facilities at thousands of venues. Mr Biddle says he created it after finding that his wheelchair had made many venues become inaccessible. "What happened on 7/7 robbed me of the ability to just go anywhere," he said. "I can think of numerous instances where I've stopped somewhere to use the toilet or gone to a restaurant only to find it is impossible. There is such a lack of useful information for people in a wheelchair, those with learning difficulties or people with a visual or hearing impairment."

Venues covered by the program include hotels, theatres, restaurants, pubs and attractions. The app was created with the help of Mr Biddle's friend Tobi Collett. It works by using location-based technology to pinpoint where a user is, providing intuitive icons and simple terminology to make their choices from, breaking down bigger categories such as restaurants into smaller specific ones such as Chinese or Indian. Mr Biddle said: "We made the app very intuitive because someone with dexterity problems, or arthritis in their hands, may not be able to type out long words. It's just a simple push on a simple icon." The app also contains a section devoted to the Olympics, with accessibility information for each venue and nearby places to visit. It also works offline, meaning even being underground on the Tube is no barrier to knowing where it is possible to get off easily. The developers have plans to offer accessibility apps for other UK cities

^ This is a great idea. The more information that the disabled have to make their lives just a little easier is a great thing. London is at the forefront of disability accessibility (the taxis can hold wheelchairs inside) but there is still work that needs to be done. I would like to see the same kind of app made for cities around the world - like New York, DC, etc. It would be even better is local and Federal governments to do more to add the disabled. ^

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16799242