How Pointr and Okeenea Are Making Venues More Accessible

There are around 60 million people living with disabilities in the US alone — all of whom need accessible navigation options. One of the many challenges these individuals face is getting around large venues such as transportation hubs, universities, hospitals, workplaces, and other complex spaces. 

That’s why Pointr has partnered with Okeenea, a France-based leader in accessibility solutions. By combining Pointr’s blue dot navigation technology with Okeenea’s Evelity app, we’re making these critical venues — regardless of size or complexity — more accessible for all visitors.

How it works

When Pointr is deployed in conjunction with Okeenea, we lend our blue dot technology to Okeenea’s content management system to assist with real-time location and navigation. Our mobile software development kit, combined with easy-to-install Bluetooth beacons, enables blue dot for both indoor maps and indoor-to-outdoor transition. We simply activate our blue dot capabilities in the Evelity app, which contains floor plans and accessible routes created in the Okeenea CMS.

The idea here is to create a multimodal link for users with disabilities that allows for a seamless navigation experience. This will enable individuals who require accessible options to move from bus to metro, metro to bus, or other interconnected sites with greater ease.

Here’s the long and short of it:

Pointr’s role: We provide precise locations and smart wayfinding. Our blue dot technology allows users to know exactly where they are, in real-time, and where they are in relation to relevant points of interest.

Okeenea’s role: Through the Evelity app, Okeenea leverages 30 years of experience to create indoor maps and routes that can adapt to the needs of all users with different abilities.

How it helps

Our combined solution helps people with diverse mobility and accessibility needs. The Evelity app supports capabilities such as:

• Adapted and 100% accessible interfaces. For example, Evelity integrates your smartphone's native accessibility settings, which include high color contrast, font size, and talk back and voice over screen readers. 
• Step-by-step navigation instructions that can be adapted to the mobility profile of the user. For example, a person with visual impairments will be guided by audio instructions and a person with auditory impairments can be guided by simple iconography and haptic feedback.
• Routes adapted to the specific needs of all. For example, if a user is in a wheelchair, Evelity will guide them via lifts and ramps, avoiding routes with steps and staircases.
• Multiple languages for users needing translations, making it easier to understand physical signage when visiting a building abroad for the first time.

Okeenea can interact with Pointr’s blue dot technology to identify when and where to enable accessibility prompts. Evelity comes with vocal guides, enhanced visuals, and even translation capabilities to make navigation a positive experience for all.

Where we help

Pointr and Okeenea have partnered together to tackle accessibility obstacles in a variety of venues and use cases. The following industries are where we improve accessibility for all.

Transportation: In airports, train stations, tubes, and city transport stations, Evelity’s accessible wayfinding helps guide people with disabilities to their gates. See Evelity live in action in the Lyon tube.

Hospitality: Evelity assists users in navigating through complex hotels. Okeenea partners with Sofitel hotels by Accor Group to provide guests with step-by-step navigation based on their unique profiles. See an example at Sofitel Lyon.

Academia: Evelity partners with Lyon 3 University to aid students with disabilities in wayfinding and navigation.

Healthcare: At Pointr, we work with UCHealth to guide patients, both with short- and long-term disabilities, to their appointments in a timely, efficient, and considerate fashion.

Workplace: Pointr and Okeenea are live in Sanofi offices, facilitating accessibility and wayfinding autonomy in the healthcare company’s workspaces.

Our solutions also work together to help highlight important amenities or points of interest for accessibility purposes. These areas include:

• Accessible restrooms. Users with disabilities may have specific needs related to mobility or personal care. Navigating to the nearest accessible restroom without major wayfinding roadblocks allows them to plan their experience with confidence and dignity. 
• Seating areas, rest stops, and quiet zones. These areas benefit shoppers needing frequent breaks or stops due to fatigue-related or sensory-related conditions or mobility issues. 
• Accessible dining and food services. Users with mobility conditions or even dietary restrictions can find restaurants and food services that will meet their needs with indoor mapping, allowing them to make informed decisions about where to grab a meal.

Everybody can benefit from accessibility

Nobody should feel like their necessities are an inconvenience or an afterthought. Our combined solutions give people with disabilities more autonomy, freedom, and agency. They also give venue owners an easy-to-implement but powerful way to be more inclusive.

At Pointr, we believe indoor mapping is the key to making indoor navigation experiences accessible to all by accounting for every user’s unique needs. And we do mean every user. This quote from Okeenea’s CEO Sylvain Denoncin describes our shared belief in accessibility best:

“Our philosophy is that any product or service should be inclusive. We are all a little bit restricted in a large building. It generates stress.”

Accessibility isn’t simply an “add-on” to digital mapping — it’s an absolute necessity for all users navigating unfamiliar and complicated environments. The power of Pointr and Okeenea combined makes those environments transparent, easy to navigate, and worry-free for any consumer. 

Successful accessibility programs rely on leveraging the right AI. Learn more about how AI benefits indoor mapping here.