Warsaw University of Technology has responded to the needs of users with special requirements by developing three solutions to support navigation across the university campus.

These are the PW Navi, PW Map, and PW Audio Map applications.

Below is a brief description of each of these three applications:

PW Navi is a mobile indoor navigation application designed for use in five selected buildings at the Warsaw University of Technology: Main Building, Electronics Building,Physics Building

Rektorska 4 Building, Scientific and Educational Center in Józefosław

The application uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Beacons and GNSS for positioning.

Users can customize the application according to their individual needs by selecting options that support vision, hearing, or mobility. For users with mobility impairments, the application can generate step-free routes. Deaf users can access spatial descriptions recorded in Polish Sign Language, as well as receive text-based notifications. Blind users can listen to voice messages categorized into the following groups: locational, cognitive, warning, zonal, floor-specific, and building-specific messages.

PW Mapa
This application helps users become familiar with the interiors of university buildings, enabling them to search for:  rooms by number, key landmarks (lecture halls, dining facilities, restrooms, etc.).

PW Map is available not only on the university’s website but also via information kiosks located throughout the campus. The app also includes descriptions in Polish Sign Language, allowing users to explore the area at any time—for example, before arriving at the university.

PW Audio Map

PW Audio Map is a digital equivalent of tactile maps, designed for blind and visually impaired users. The application offers two working modes:

Map browsing mode – helps users select an area of interest,

Learning mode – allows users to trace the layout of rooms with their finger while receiving audio feedback.

The app announces which button has been touched and features built-in QR code and NFC readers to help precisely locate the user.

All applications are part of a single integrated system, developed in close consultation with people with disabilities and staff from the Office for Social Responsibility’s Section for Persons with Disabilities. Application testing involved staff and volunteers from the Your New Possibilities Association, as well as students and staff of the Warsaw University of Technology.

For more information about the applications, please follow the link below:

https://www.pw.edu.pl/aktualnosci/aplikacje-ktore-pomoga-poruszac-sie-po-uczelnianych-budynkach