New paradigms and technology concepts for bridging (lat. PONS) the gaps in the mobility chain complicating the footpath of travellers using public means of transportation

In order to bridge (lat. PONS) the gaps in the mobility chain complicating the footpath of travelers using public means of transportation, new paradigms and technology concepts shall be developed decreasing deficiencies concerning information, orientation, and service. The results shall be provided in a framework for distributed enhancement enabling the development of new user-driven solutions. While usage of public means of transportation is widely supported by mobile assistance services calculating routes, notifying delays, or providing online tickets, there is hardly any systemic assistance for the footpath to and between public means of transportation, especially for people with disabilities. By experience gained in prior projects related to barrier-free navigation, the project consortium has realized that this gap in the mobility chain is due to deficiencies regarding (1) provision of information, (2) orientation, and (2) provision of services for users of public means of transportation. There is a lack of concepts for orientating at traffic nodes and for user guidance by foot, in order to reach the desired vehicle as quickly as possible without detours or individually perceived obstacles. PONS (lat. ?bridge?) deals with these deficiencies in the mobility chain and develops (based on the results of prior projects) new paradigms and technical systems for user guidance by foot, considering individual requirements for journeys and guiding users context-sensitively. It builds a bridge to existing systems or to recent research results in the field of public transportation and is considered an emancipated mobility approach serving people with physical disabilities as well as children, elderly people or humans with cognitive impairments. The focus of research lies in the development of suitable methods (both conceptually and technically supported) closing the identified mobility gaps. ...