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2010
Presentation
Titel
The transfer-network "Easy.Going"
Titel Supplements
Experiences from a pilot study on barrier-free access to long-distance and regional trains; Paper presented at 12th International Conference on Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons (TRANSED 2010) Hong Kong, China 2 - 4 June 2010
Abstract
The demographic shift towards an ageing society leads to an increased demand for barrier-free mobility. Covering this demand will enable large parts of the elderly and / or disabled population to lead an independent and self-determined life. Barrier-free mobility means that both the structural environment and the transportation system can be used by as many people as possible without requesting external assistance (in the sense of a "design for all"-concept). The goal of the project "easy.going" is to bring together existing scientific expertise, practical ideas and creativity potentials in the field of barrier-free mobility. Core of the project work is the development and validation of a technology transfer model that stimulates cooperation between research institutions, associations and small and middle-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Berlin-Brandenburg area/Germany. This interdisciplinary collaboration improves the transfer of knowledge between the partners involved, the generation of new inventions, and the transformation of new innovations into marketable products. An essential component of the transfer model is a "Scalable Innovation Process" (SIP) developed by Fraunhofer ISST in Berlin, which comprises the step-wise expansion of research and development activities together with the SMEs, depending on the fulfilment of predefined research goals which can be measured with a toolbox of well-defined evaluation criteria. The scalable innovation process consists of four phases: Brainstorming, Preliminary studies, Consolidation, Implementation. All of these phases will be supported to different extent by the network and their actors (scientists, persons concerned, practitioners, students). In two pilot projects the transfer model will be tested in practice: the first pilot project strives to improve the "Barrier-free access to short- and long-distance trains" and the second pilot project will deal with "Barrier-free information systems in passenger transportation". This paper will give an insight into the first pilot project that started in summer 2009: Barrier-free access to short- and long-distance trains and draw the conclusions and outlines the way ahead to a Barrier free mobility. In order to support the invention activities in SMEs by providing new ideas and by explaining the problems of mobility restrained persons an "easy.going" database was created in the form of a WIKI. This interactive database contains for instance data on research regarding travel information, facts about infrastructure and vehicle technologies that can help to transfer knowledge and support SMEs by their product developments for barrier-free mobility. The easy.going WIKI will be presented in this paper. The project is financed by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs. The Transfer-Network "easy going" will be set up until the end of 2010 by the project team under the leadership of the Berlin University of Technology. Long-term goal of "easy.going" is the creation of a self-supporting innovation and competence network for the Berlin-Brandenburg area.
Author(s)
Verlagsort
Hong Kong