Tallinn Zoo is testing a new mobile application, NaviLens, throughout August to improve accessibility for visually impaired visitors. The app uses innovative codes readable by mobile cameras to provide important directions and information about attractions. Initiated by the Tallinn Strategic Management Office’s Tourism Department, this project is part of a broader effort to update the city’s signage system.

Tallinn Deputy Mayor Margot Roose emphasized the city’s commitment to accessibility for all citizens and visitors. “We aim to create a seamless and accommodating environment for people with special needs. There are already numerous examples in our city’s infrastructure and public transport system that reflect our commitment to inclusivity. Beyond physical accessibility, it’s also about providing information in formats such as Braille, large print, or audio guides. The NaviLens application, now being tested at Tallinn Zoo, further expands accessibility options for people with special needs,” Roose stated. She added that testing accessibility solutions is crucial to making the city’s attractions more available to everyone.

NaviLens supports visually impaired individuals who cannot use traditional visual signs and information boards. During the pilot project, special NaviLens codes will be added to public areas and buildings at the zoo. Users can scan these codes with the app on their mobile phones to receive specific information, such as navigation instructions or tourism details, which the phone will read out loud in the chosen language.

The project is supported by accessibility solutions provider Ligipääsuke. According to accessibility specialist Jakob Rosin, the practice has proven successful elsewhere and is being adapted for Tallinn. “The flexibility of NaviLens is its major advantage. It aids visually impaired individuals by guiding them on their routes, and it also provides tourism information. Additionally, the app can display content in sign language or simple language, making it suitable for children or visitors with intellectual disabilities,” explained Rosin.

Tallinn Zoo is excited to participate in the project, as accessibility is a priority for them as well. “We already have Braille text on our information boards and tactile pathways in many areas. For this project, we mapped the testing area with partners, created the necessary text content for the NaviLens system, and installed 15 codes from the Õismäe gate to the Rainforest exhibit and within the exhibit itself,” described Tallinn Zoo Director Kaupo Heinma.

Anyone interested in testing the path can download the NaviLens app (available on Google Play and the App Store) and correctly set their mobile language options. Official feedback for the project will come from a group of volunteer visually impaired users in early September.

Tallinn is not the first city to use NaviLens. The service has been successfully implemented in subway stations in Barcelona and New York, public spaces in Los Angeles, and at Tottenham Hotspur’s football stadium in London, enhancing the interactive experience for visually impaired sports fans. Feedback from users with special needs has been positive in these locations.

The goal of Tallinn’s pilot project is to gather feedback, refine the service, and consider its implementation as part of the planned update to Tallinn’s signage system in the coming years.

Additional information: Hele Lõhmus, Tourism Development Project Manager Email: [email protected]
Photos: Maret Põldveer