Wheelmap.org

Wheelmap.org
Logo Wheelmap.org
Type of site
Web mapping
Available in22 languages
OwnerSozialhelden e.V.
Created byChristoph Bünte
URLwww.wheelmap.org
CommercialNo
RegistrationNo, only to add special comments
Launched9 July 2010; 14 years ago (2010-07-09)
Current statusOnline
Content license
CC BY-SA 2.0, CC BY 3.0

Wheelmap.org is an online, worldwide map for finding and marking wheelchair accessible places, developed by the German nonprofit organisation Sozialhelden e.V. Anyone can find and add public places to the map and rate them according to a simple traffic light system. The map, which is based on OpenStreetMap, was created in 2010 by a team around social entrepreneur Raul Krauthausen to help people who use wheelchairs or wheeled walkers to plan their days more easily. Parents pushing a baby carriage can also benefit from the Wheelmap information. Currently almost 600,000 public places worldwide can be found on the map. About 300 new places are added on a daily basis. Wheelmap is available on the website and as an app for iOS, Android and Windows Phone.[1]

Tagging

Anyone can mark Points of Interest (bus stations, restaurants, cinemas, museums, banks, government offices, etc.).[3] according to their wheelchair accessibility on Wheelmap. A simple traffic light system is used to rate the wheelchair accessibility of a place:[2] The markings are inserted by using the simple traffic light system:

Grün
Grün
 Wheelchair accessible * entrance: ground level, without stairs
Green: * rooms: all rooms without stairs
* toilet (if toilets for visitors available): Accessible toilet
.
Gelb
Gelb
 Restricted wheelchair accessible * entrance: one stage (7 cm/ 3 inch high) maximal
Yellow: * rooms: ground level of the most important rooms
* toilet (if toilets for visitors available)): no matter
.
Rot
Rot
 Not wheelchair accessible * entrance: with a higher stage then 7 cm/ 3 inch, or with several stages
Red: * rooms: not accessible
* toilet (if toilets for visitors available)): not accessible

Places that have not yet been rated on their wheelchair accessibility are marked gray. They can be marked quickly and easily by anyone, without prior registration. Registered users can add photos or comments with further details about the wheelchair accessibility of a place[3] Registered users can add images to a location and write a comment with further details about the wheelchair accessibility of the place.

Wheelmap.org focuses on the relevant accessibility information and is not limited to wheelchair specific locations, such as therapy centers or toilets. Instead, wheelchair users should be include in everyday life, focusing on public places of daily life including cafes, clubs, theaters, and basic public services, including public transportation, government offices and banks. Similar to Wikipedia, the user enters the information such that everyone helps to grow this tool from the bottom up.

Awards

  • 2010 The INCA (Innovative and Creative Application) Award[4]
  • 2011 Vodafone's Smart Accessibility Award[5]
  • 2011 Werkstatt N - Award of the Council for Sustainable Development (Germany)[6]
  • 2011 As one of the 365 Landmarks in the Land of Ideas (founded by the federal government and the BDI[7][8]
  • 2012 World Summit Award (section mobile-inclusion & Empowerment)[9]
  • 2013 Zedler-Price for free knowledge (Wikimedia Germany)
  • 2014 The first European Award for Social Entrepreneurship and Disability[10] (title Highly Commended by the Jury to Raul Krauthausen for the project Wheelmap.org)

References

  1. ^ wheelmap-raul-krauthausen (de) in Die Zeit online
  2. ^ Wheelmap at deutschland.de Archived 2014-09-14 at the Wayback Machine (Website in cooperation with the Federal Foreign Office (Germany)) Retrieved 14 September 2014
  3. ^ wiki.openstreetmap.org, Retrieved 01 September 2014
  4. ^ winners-of-the-inca-award-2010 Archived 2016-08-08 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved 14 September 2014
  5. ^ The Guardian: winners-named-at-vodafone-smart-accessibility-awards, Retrieved 14 September 2014
  6. ^ werkstatt-n.de/projects/wheelmaporg, Retrieved 14 September 2014
  7. ^ land-der-ideen.de/365-orte/winner/wheelmap.org Archived 2013-11-11 at the Wayback Machine (de), Retrieved 14 September 2014
  8. ^ 365-selected-landmarks/365-landmarks-land-ideas Archived 2014-09-14 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved 14 September 2014
  9. ^ Winners World Summit Award, Retrieved 14 September 2014
  10. ^ The-first-european-award-for-social-entrepreneurship-and-disability Archived 2016-08-18 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved 14 September 2014