Enabled Maps renamed to PhotoRoute

Post author By WPenabl
Post date March 9, 2012

After 5 years, Enabled Maps is being rebranded to PhotoRoute, we feel this is a clearer name for this mainstream service and while our roots were grown in disability access and the social model of disability, Enabled City aims to promote a positive image of people with disabilities as service providers (having expert knowledge) rather than just service users.

PhotoRoute

PhotoRoute provides a wayfinding service by geolocating photos, text and directional arrows to assist people with learning and other disabilities. Many people without disabilities are finding that PhotoRoute provides tremendous help in building confidence in routes before and during their journeys.

www.photoroute.com

Southbank Riverside Walk Access Improvements

Post author By Marketing
Post date March 7, 2012

We were delighted to be able to share a display unit at LOCOG’s (London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games) Inclusive Journey 2012 exhibition at the Excel Centre yesterday to exhibit the enabled maps which we have developed for the GLA (Greater London Authority) for the Southbank Project.

Click on images for full sized display board reads:

The riverside walk along the Southbank of the River Thames from Westminster to Tower Bridge is being made more accessible. The South Bank remains home to many of the capital’s finest cultural institutions and is one of the most visited locations in London.
Working with the London Boroughs of Southwark and Lambeth, the Greater London Authority is investing £4 million to improve pavement layouts, install better lighting and signage, increasing seating and provide more access ramps and handrails. This is a lasting legacy for London, enabling even more people to enjoy this area.

Southbank Riverside Walk

The improvements will provide:

A continuous safe and accessible route along the Southbank of the River Thames
A route that everyone can use and enjoy regardless of age or disability
Alternative routes for cyclists where the walkway is at its narrowest on the street network to the south of the main pedestrian route
Accessible links between the bridges providing pedestrian connections to the north of the river
Easy wayfinding by photo routes – the route along the Southbank and the accessible connections to it from nearby rail and tube stations have been illustrated with photographs which can be downloaded from enabledcity.com. This helps everyone find their way to the Southbank Riverside Walk and is particularly helpful to people with learning disabilities, people whose first language is not English including British Sign language users, and others who find traditional map reading difficult.

PhotoRoutes provide an easy way for people with learning and other disabilities to confidently get around London and other cities and locations. London expects to welcome thousands of disabled visitors including people using wheelchair and other visitors with access requirements during the Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer.

The Mayor is committed to delivering the most accessible Games ever and the production of Photo Route maps along the Southbank contributes to making everyone’s visit to London an accessible experience.

See articles for an update on PhotoRoute.

News

Cash for your recommendation

Post author By WPenabl
Post date February 9, 2012

For our valued customers and contacts we’re offering cash for recommending our no-fuss bolt-on products to your colleagues, when your recommendation results in a new licence purchase we’ll pay either cash or credit against future years licence fees.

All you need to do is tell us who you’ve recommend to our services to make sure they mention your name when contacting us.

Terms:

We will pay £250.00 for an Enabled Map licence and £100.00 for Word-Bank licence.
Sales need to be converted by the 31st of March 2012, we will pay on completion of the sale.

Enabled Maps News

Get set go..

Post author By WPenabl
Post date February 9, 2012

We are very excited to be working with our new clients from the Greater London Authority (GLA), Camden’s Advocacy Project, Jersey’s Employment Trust, supporting Homerton Hospital’s community engagement work and Hackney council to integrate maps created by their mapping consultants into their GIS tool, Find My Nearest.

Enabled Maps is a flexible tool, some people see it as an enterprise tool creating training and employment opportunities while others see it as an essential cost saving measure, we supply the technology, training and support if clients need it.

Phone App

Our technology is continually progressing, our Enabled City Phone App will be available this spring as will be new ways to easily display whole mapping solutions within client sites. We look forward to updating you of new developments via our quarterly newsletter, please subscribe to our quarterly(ish) newsletter to be kept updated.

Enabled Maps is a map authoring and collaboration tool.

Enabled Maps

BBC on smartphone accessibility

Post author By WPenabl
Post date February 9, 2012

I enjoyed hearing the BBC’s cast about the new generation of phones and smartphones how accessibility features inform buying Choosing which smart phone works for you choices of blind and visually impaired people – the push for accessibility of mainstream phones by manufacturers and designers.

With touch screens, voice activation and Apps to help customise phones – what mobile technology can offer people of all ages. And if you’re thinking of purchasing or upgrading your phone there’s plenty of advice on offer from the RNIB’s Robin Spinks about what to think about before you buy. Listen to BBC iplayer

Phone App

We are in the process of introducing the use of a Phone App for the new generation smartphones in our product set, subscribe to our newsletter to be kept up to date.

Enabled Maps

Enabled Maps adds functionality to Google

Post author By WPenabl
Post date February 6, 2012

We’re often asked why use enabled maps to create custom journeys when online tools such as Google and Microsoft Bing maps are freely available, its a good question and we think both tools have advanced the way we use maps and opened up map data.

Enabled Maps lets you add an additional layer of information especially useful for those new to an environment, speaking English as a second language, have a learning, physical or sensory disabilities or those of us who have difficulty making sense of linear maps (if you don’t fit neatly not one of the people listed here then I would suggest your in the minority!).

We supply the technology enabling licensed users add local knowledge of best routes to use. Our non-technical system allows map makers to plot pictures with GPS accuracy taken at pavement level (ie. not from a passing car at 30miles per hour), custom text and arrows to guide the person along the route.

There are many automated features included in the toolkit and a piece of software enabling map makers to plot maps where online mapping tools such as Google and Bing won’t, this is especially useful if routes go through parks or pedestrian only areas.

Heres a simple comparison..

Not convinced, then see our custom journey from Gospel Oak Overground Station → Parliament Hill triangle then try searching for the same journey on Google maps.

Photo Route tour's of London

Enabled Maps has been renamed to Photo Route, more information.

News

Hiring engaged employees

Post author By WPenabl
Post date February 6, 2012

Getting the right employee is crucial, it’s time consuming and can be expensive if you’ve got to go through the same process every few months. Having worked in the disability movement for the last 10 years we understand that recruiting a person with a disability means you are enriching your service offer and more likely to recruit someone who fully engages in their work and becomes a valued long time employee.

We were fortunate, some while ago, to come in to contact with NAS (National Autistic Society) and their Prospects Employment Team who, with very short notice were able to match work ready candidates with our requirements, set up interviews and be a part of the process for as much support as we or the candidates needed.

Through this service we have strengthened our technical design and development capability to cope with the exciting developments we have in the pipeline to enhance our products and services.

About NAS Prospects employment service

“Prospects is our employment and training service for people with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who wish to work. Our aim is that people with an ASD should have the same training and employment opportunities as non-disabled people. We also work with employers to help with the recruitment, training and retention of staff with an ASD. Some of our services are offered across the UK, others in specific areas”.

Please visit their site for more information

Enabled Maps News

GLA provides maps for 24 million tourists

Post author By WPenabl
Post date January 27, 2012

The Greater London Authority commissioned Enabled City to provide 24 maps along the Southbank.

Southbank

The Southbank area has 24 million visitors per year, but most do not explore beyond Blackfriars Bridge due to access and uncertainty of way finding.

PhotoRoute will be used to increase access and footfall from Westminster to Tower Bridge, local business will be able to take advantage by easily embedding the maps into their websites.

PhotoRoute grew from a travel training concept for people with learning disabilities and went on to win a Visit London Gold Award, proving good access for people with disabilities is good for everyone including tourists, people with and without disability, parents with young children.

See articles for an update on PhotoRoute.

Awards Filming

SeeAbility testimonial

Post author By WPenabl
Post date January 20, 2012

“SeeAbility commissioned Enabled City to work with us to produce two short films concerning eye health and eye care for people with learning disabilities.

We found Enabled City to be extremely professional and committed to providing a quality product. Core to Enabled City’s ability you provide quality work is the skill to work with sensitivity and respect with people with a range of disabilities and vulnerabilities. This is a rare quality indeed amongst many less specialist agencies and ensured that the ‘finished product’ portrayed SeeAbility’s message in a positive and powerful manner.

Enabled City was able to source actors and models with Learning disabilities at very short notice and by doing were able to help SeeAbility to present its message in a person centred and dignified manner. They were also able to source other professionals, such as additional film makers and technicians, whom they worked well with in a really coordinated and industrious manner.

The work they produced for SeeAbility was to a very high standard and was delivered to a tight schedule in a timely manner. SeeAbility warmly recommends Enabled City to other agencies.”

Martin Thomas Manager – Look Up Information Services.

News

New Chairman

Post author By WPenabl
Post date January 13, 2012

Our new Chairman

Alistair Fulton has been working in the IT Industry for around 40 years and is best known as the former Chief Executive, then Chairman and non-exec director of Triad Group Plc which successfully floated on the London Stock market in 1996, collecting a Holway “Boring” Award en route.He has been a non executive chairman or director for a number of technology companies including Totem Systems Ltd, Site Confidence Ltd, ITWorld and the BuyIT best Practice Network.

He was President of the Computing Services and Software Association (CSSA) in 2001 and a main board and operations board member of Intellect for several years.

He has undertaken a number of trade promotion roles in South East Asia including being the UK IT representative on the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan British Business Councils.

He is now heavily involved with The Information Technologists Livery Company, serving on the Court, Chairman of the Industry Committee, and member of the Entrepreneurs Panel providing mentoring services to growing technology companies.

“I am delighted to be able to be part of the growth of a very dynamic and specialist IT company which provides great products for those with learning and other difficulties as well as providing employment opportunities for those who need specialised employment help. PhotoRoute and Word-Bank are world-class products designed for users with learning difficulties but which are of immense value to the whole population”
Alistair M. Fulton Alistair@enabledcity.com