As society ages and climate change advances, cities are increasingly failing to meet accessibility needs. In a project led by UvA and funded by NWO, Dutch municipalities, accessibility experts, and scholars are joining forces to explore a radically new approach to inclusive city-making, grounded in people’s lived experiences and powered by AI, design, and policy. 

Capitalizing on advances in AI and interactive technologies, and building on close collaboration with local communities and urban design practitioners, the proposed project – BEAT – focuses on urban mobility barriers as they unfold in the everyday lives of individuals with physical and cognitive diversities. BEAT has recently been awarded €3.8M in funding. From IvI, Dr. Hamed Alavi is the PI, with Prof. Judith Good and Dr. Katja Rogers contributing as co-PIs. All three researchers are member of the Digital Interactions Lab (DIL).

Read the complete interview with Hamed Alavi here.