Empathy Tool

MaaSLab

About this app

What is the Empathy Tool?

The Empathy Tool enables users — particularly people with disabilities or limited mobility — to document real-world travel experiences and report barriers in public spaces.

At its core, the app continuously records complete mobility trips to create accurate travel diaries and accessibility reports. Route details such as location, timestamps, transport modes, and speed are captured throughout the journey — even when the app is minimized or the screen is off — ensuring trips are fully and reliably documented.

Users can also report inaccessible areas using text, voice, or images, helping build structured, real-world evidence of accessibility challenges.

The collected data supports city planners and decision-makers in identifying and prioritizing accessibility improvements based on real mobility experiences.

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Designed with Users, for Users

Accessibility is central to the Empathy Tool’s design. It includes:

• Voice and image recognition
• Assistive technology compatibility
• Adjustable text sizes and high-contrast modes

Development was shaped by user feedback from demonstration sites in Larnaka, Geneva, and Budapest:

• In Larnaka, users emphasized intuitive navigation and simplified reporting categories.
• In Geneva, the tool was adapted for multilingual use with culturally sensitive UI design.

The Empathy Tool follows GDPR standards. Location and trip data are collected only with explicit user consent and are anonymised for analysis. Local partnerships — including Geneva’s public transport operator TPG and the Municipality of Larnaka — supported a strong privacy-by-design approach.