InDependAbility

This talk by Rory Maxwell from Ethos explores how urban data can provide more confidence to disabled public transport users and help the live more independent lives to avoid social isolation.

1. Ethos VO
www.ethosvo.org
17th December, 2020
InDependAbility

2. The problem -the need to do more with less.
●Local Authority budgets have been under considerable pressure for many years while at the same
time the population they support is getting older and more likely to live alone.
●There are a range of transport services available that are Bracknell Forest Council (BFC) provided,
along with voluntary and commercial offerings, all of which offer valuable assistance to the
vulnerable, but are resource constrained.
●Publictransportalternativesareoftenlessconvenientforthosewithmobilitychallenges(theycan
bebusyandnotalwaysavailablewhenneeded)leadingtoisolationandimpactsonwell-being.
●Ultimately,thisreductioninindependencecanincreasethelikelihoodofthevulnerableperson
progressingintolongtermcare,withassociatedcostsforlocalauthorities.(Approx£750per
weekinBFC)
2
InDependAbility

3. Phase 1 findings
●Considering the vulnerable and those at risk of isolation, the priority should be on helping those
citizens to make better use of the public transport system, within Bracknell that being the public
bus network.
●It is clear that when considering how vulnerable people might become more independent,
confidence is a key consideration.
●If they have some degree of certainty that public transport will be available and not overcrowded,
they are more likely to use it.
3
InDependAbility

4. Phase 2 approach
●Non-intrusive sensors installed in buses on selected routes.
●Detecting real-time occupancy and space availability.
●Noindividualsareidentifiable.
●Routes were selected in consultation with bus company and BFC Adult Social Services to ensure
we target the best routes for the trial.
●In-home displays for the elderly / vulnerable to have real time access to bus availability
4
InDependAbility

5. Solution 1Real time bus occupancy tracker
●Sensors provided real time updates on bus
occupancy, using top-down cameras.
●No facial recognition or other personal data is
recorded
●Occupancy availability data displayed on simple
screens at users’ homes and in selected locations
e.g. hospital reception, doctors’ practice reception
and the Lexicon.
●This information will give the user confidence that
the selected bus -both route and time -will meet
their needs.
5
Sensor in position
InDependAbility

6. Solution 1Real time bus occupancy tracker
6
Typical route occupancy over a morning periodPassenger detection logger
InDependAbility

7. 7
Alternatively can aggregate to show trends of when bus routes are busierRealtime occupancy on a given route
InDependAbility

8. 8
Actual route tracker
InDependAbility
●Actual route occupancy data can be
aggregated to enable transport service
providers to report and plan routes

9. Solution 2 In home display
●Simple user interface
●Can be placed in users homes, or
selected locations e.g. hospitals, GP
surgeries, supermarkets, other town
centre locations.
●Can be incorporated into a simple
dashboard (without too much
information)
9
InDependAbility

10. Solution 2 In home display
10
InDependAbility
Display is easily configurable to individual
user preferences

11. Who benefits?
The elderly and vulnerable citizen
Bus company and potentially other public
transport providers
Local authority -spending a lot of money
subsidising these routes.
11
With real time information including occupancy
levels, they now have the confidence to make
better use of public transport
With real time information, can plan routes and
revisions better to meet demand
Are they subsidising the right ones?
Long term savings in helping citizens to remain
independent i.e. less demand on care budgets
InDependAbility

12. Conclusions
●InDependAbility has developed 2 tech solutions -a real time bus occupancy tracker, and a
configurable in-home display
●Feasibility study has proven the technology works
●Covid has not helped!
○More testing on buses would improve accuracy
○The chance to deploy displays in homes / public locations would give valuable feedback
●Displays are open source -can easily configure multiple data sets from alternative counting
systems to give wider coverage
12
InDependAbility

13. Next steps
●Rolloutandtestinusers’homes
●Feedbackfromdisplays.Doesthisgiveusersconfidence?Doesthisgivequantifiableincreasein
bususageforagivencohort(s)
●Easytoextendprojecttootherlocalauthoritiesunderthesamepressures
●Canweincorporateothercountingtechnologies(e.g.frommobilephones)togiveevenbetter
assessmentofoccupancy?Covid19haschangedwhatbuscompanieswillnowcontemplate.
●Withawiderrollout,canstarttoforecastoccupancybasedonhistoricaldata
13
InDependAbility

14. InDependAbility
Contact details:
Rory Maxwell
Partner
Ethos Ventures LLP
Web: ethosvo.org | [email protected] | M: +44 [0]7518 933993
Solving complex problems through collaboration, trust and moderation
14
InDependAbility