Barcelona Zoo and Park Güell are launching applications to facilitate visits for people with some type of disability, whether physical or intellectual. Both technological solutions have been developed since 2021 within the framework of the InovAcció program. With this programme, the City Council, in collaboration with Barcelona de Serveis Municipals (B:SM) and the Modile World Capital Barcelona Foundation, intends to meet the objectives of the 2030 Agenda and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Despite its presentation, the two applications will still be in pilot testing until May.
The Park Güell application, developed by the company Play
From here, the format of the content is adapted according to the options chosen. One of the main functions, for example, is a 2D map of the park with its points of interest and also indications of services or obstacles such as stairs. In addition, easy-to-read texts, various audio guides or video content are also included, as well as a button that allows you to call emergency numbers if necessary.
In the case of the zoo, the website developed by the company LaTempesta: City, Culture
The explanations, built with easy-to-read texts to help users understand, will provide not only a biological vision of the animals, but also aspects of their well-being, the spaces where they live or their life within the zoo. In addition, just like the Park Güell application, it also includes an SOS button in a main space that allows contacting emergencies or zoo personnel in case of need.
The two solutions have been adapted since their creation. Its developers have been in contact at all times with different entities of the Xarxa d'Accesibilitat i Vida Independiente, through interviews, meetings and tests. Thanks to this, it has been possible to detect failures, shortcomings or needs that needed to be added to develop the programs in the most effective and inclusive way possible.
However, the developers still want to include new options soon. In the case of Zoobot, one of the main ones is to expand its range of action to other areas of the zoo, such as the primates, since the application is currently only available for two spaces in the enclosure (Land of Dragons and the Shroud of the Sahel ). In addition, they also want to adapt the experience according to the type of visit (school, family, etc.) to make the website even more functional. For their part, the developers of the Park Güell application want to include new routes, videos in sign language or the availability of new languages such as English, among others.
