Promoting accessibility and inclusiveness in European cities
A new initiative promises to transform urban life across Europe. Supported by the EU, The European Citiverses Uniting for Inclusiveness Project will develop an AI-supported platform built on Gothenburg's digital twin. Its aim is to meet the needs of all residents and visitors, regardless of age or ability, creating a more equal and accessible urban environment.
The project is part of the EU’s Digital Europe program. It is led from Gothenburg, Sweden, and brings together a cross-sectoral team of private businesses, civil society organisations, and universities from across Europe, aiming to make city spaces more accessible to everyone.
– By uniting private businesses, the public sector, academia, and civil society, we will build a city and society where everyone feels they belong. This project is a testament to the power of cooperation between experts across Europe, says Johan Löfvenholm CEO at Lindholmen Science Park.
Lowering Thresholds to City Visits
Families often need to consider the combined needs of certain family members, such as physical barriers, cognitive challenges, age-related issues, anxiety, or language comprehension, before, during and after visiting the city. A tailored Local Digital Twin of the city integrated with an AI Assistant allows people to plan the visits, familiarise themselves with locations, and experience the city via one’s own smart device, thus removing many of the physical and mental thresholds that prevent full participation in city life.
- Through this project, we are putting the destination Gothenburg at the forefront of digital development. Through research and listening to the needs of families and children with combined needs, we create environments, physical and digital, where everyone is welcome, says Anna Wennblad, Project Lead Xperience Next at Lindholmen Science Park.
The project’s ambition is to deliver a scalable, replicable model of the Local Digital Twin that can be applied to cities across Europe, setting a new standard for digital inclusiveness and sustainable urban development.
The official start in October marks the beginning of a two-and-a-half-year journey, with the first exciting milestone set for the first half of 2025. By then, the team aims to have a prototype of the technical setup. It will be the foundation for the accessible digital twin that will allow users to explore Gothenburg virtually, in a new and inspiring way.
