MICA is a solution that addresses the issues of the digital divide. and provides creative visions for the future and evolution of smart city spaces. MICA aims to provide equal access to technology and the internet for vulnerable and minority communities in smart city digital and physical spaces.
Behind Mica
Digital Space Team
Challenge
In a smart city vulnerable populations are affected by the digital divide which prevents them from having equal access to technology, the web and digital spaces.
Vision
MICA envisions a future where vulnerable and minority communities have equal access to technology and the web in smart city digital and physical spaces.
Goals
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Conduct research on vulnerable communities needs to inform a futuristic vision for smart cities.
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Design a system map that illustrates future scenarios in the journey of vulnerable personas.
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Envision an accessible smart city digital space mockup.
Project Statement
"How might the 'smart' city interface be designed to ensure that it is accessible, open, and intuitive"
Our team envisions and defines smart cities
Providing communities with efficient and convenient services to promote and enhance better connectivity and accessibility.
Our team defines digital space
Network or infrastructure that allows hyper connectivity between people and things to form a community.
Digital Space Team
The MICA project researched technological milestones from 1980 to 2030 and found that technology is becoming more virtual, hyperconnectivity is forming communities, natural gestures are being incorporated into devices, and trust in technology, information privacy, and accessibility remain key challenges.
Digital Space Team
here I'll describe these numbers
According to the NFB, 70 percent of working-age, blind adults remain unemployed. Some of this in our digital age comes down to the growing online hiring process and the lack of accessibility to websites and online documents.
Brian McCullah said, "A lot of the people we met were saying that their kids have to drive into town to access good internet for homework, at a coffee shop that has broadband."
Because of the digital divide, nearly one in five teens can't always finish their homework.
Can connect to broadband internet
JOB SITUATION FOR BLIND ADULTS
Have a job
INTERNET CONNECTION IN RURAL ONTARIO
Remains unemployed
85%
30%
70%
DIGITAL DIVIDE AND ACCESSIBILITY FOR LOW INCOME POPULATION
15%
30%
70%
Have access to a home computer
Cannot connect to broadband internet
(Apx. One million people)
Don't have access to a home computer
Solution
In order to provide visions of digital spaces of a smart city, we faced a bigger problem related to the digital divide.
This is a problem that according to our research affects several communities making it a big problem for equality.
We wanted that our vision of digital spaces was accessible so we approach the problem in a holistic way to also provide visions of infrastructure and adaptation of hardware of smart cities
Outcome
Our project broadens to a more holistic view of digital spaces. we realized that for the creation of future digital spaces we needed to count on the technology to make it possible. we believed that a truly smart city is a city that addresses the digital devide
Smart Cities Charrette
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MICA
creative visions for the future and evolution of smart city digital and physical spaces
Future Scenario 1
MICA Mobile
Shelly
Low income single mother
1
Mother with low income
2
Mother wants to access to digital tools in order to access to distant learning education.
3
Users looking to acces to MICA in order to provide their specific needs.
4
MICA provides solutions in order to meet the users needs
5
Mother needs a tablet
6
Mother access through any device to spot where can she borrow a tablet
7
Mother finds a nearby Mobile MICA that has parked 3 blocks away for 5 hours
8
Mother is able to borrow a tablet from the Mobile MICA in order to Study.
Sam
Male with blind disabilities
Future Scenario 2
MICA Assistant
1
Adult with blind disabilities
2
Blind person needs to navigate digital space.
3
Users looking to acces to MICA in order to provide their specific needs.
4
MICA provides solutions in order to meet the users needs
5
• Check her e-mail
• Book a restaurant.
• Go to a place
6
A blind person can use their own or public device for conversational navigation or braille language interaction to access digital spaces.
7
MICA provides assistance to the blind person in order to access digital spaces and do a series of virtual and physical tasks.
8
MICA learns your behavioural patterns in other to provide you a better service in terms of accessability.
Future Scenario 3
MICA Kiosk
1
Student in an geographical isolated community.
Larry
Geographically isolated student
2
Student needs to do his assignments to develop his skills with the use of digital technology.
3
Users looking to acces to MICA in order to provide their specific needs.
4
MICA provides solutions in order to meet the users needs.
5
Student needs internet access.
8
Student utilizes kiosk in order to access to a digital space so he can download content in order to study.
6
Student with its own device has access to a map to find the MICA hotspot services.
7
Student finds a MICA kiosk in the central park of his town.
My role
UX Designer > Systems Designer > Visualization of the Smart City maps in 3 different future scenarios
Smart cities Charrette
Software the project (charrette)
Process
Definition > Secondary Research > Systems map > Prototyping of Design Systems > Prototyping of user interphases > Elaboration of a digital booklet in PDF
Solution
In order to provide visions of digital spaces of a smart city, we faced a bigger problem related to the digital divide.
This is a problem that according to our research affects several communities making it a big problem for equality.
We wanted that our vision of digital spaces was accessible so we approach the problem in a holistic way to also provide visions of infrastructure and adaptation of hardware of smart cities
Outcome
Our project broadens to a more holistic view of digital spaces. we realized that for the creation of future digital spaces we needed to count on the technology to make it possible. we believed that a truly smart city is a city that addresses the digital devide
Providing communities with efficient and convenient services to promote and enhance better connectivity and accessibility.
