Grid Collective – Porto Navigator: Your Go-To Map for an Inclusive City

Challenge: Porto: How can the accessibility and fluidity of routes be improved for residents with reduced mobility?

Target Groups: People with disabilities, Families

The Porto Navigator pilot aimed to explore community-powered accessibility mapping using AI-based video analysis of sidewalk conditions. Early co-creation activities, including guided tours, expert consultations, and a public mapathon, surfaced key limitations. Collecting consistent, high-quality video data, especially from wheelchair users, proved challenging, and participation levels were insufficient for reliable AI processing.

In response, the pilot pivoted to Atlas, an open-source, EU-based no-code mapping tool enabling manual, structured reporting via an interactive map. Participants contributed location-tagged data on obstacles, surface conditions, and curb ramps, supported by photos. The approach ensures immediate data usability while allowing gradual integration of AI features, such as pre-filling based on image input.

Co-creation was facilitated through local partners Porto Digital and the Occupational Therapy section at IPP, ensuring inclusive recruitment and context-sensitive engagement. Field activities took place in accessible environments, with members of the target group involved, including a wheelchair user, an individual with Parkinson’s disease, a participant with cognitive impairment, accessibility advocates, and municipal representatives. Approximately 20 people participated in co-creation activities, from which 7 were individuals from the marginalised group in question.

The resulting accessibility map combines community input with municipal data layers, forming a validated base for future scaling. Collaboration with Project Sidewalk was initiated to enable asynchronous, remote contributions using Google Street View, extending participation and scalability.