Artificial intelligence for full universal accessibility: challenges, opportunities and applications

Universal accessibility is a fundamental right so that anyone can develop their life with total normality and autonomy. It turns out, however, that many times it is not easy to implement all the necessary measures, both in the public and private spheres, to achieve full universal accessibility.

The heterogeneity of limitations between different people is one of the main difficulties in proposing accessible solutions for the entire population and social environments. The cost factor should not be an excuse for not trying to find the best solutions that can be found by applying rationality, empathy and sensitivity towards the group of affected people.

The accelerated digitization process that we are experiencing with an intensive increase in the use of ICTs and the disruptive advances that are taking place with artificial intelligence open up possibilities that were previously impossible to implement on the road to universal accessibility. An adequate use and combination in their design and use can and should provide agile, easy and highly efficient solutions for the practical resolution of numerous specific accessibility problems.

Without neglecting the strictly “physical” problem, we need to make a decisive bet on the intensive use of ICTs and artificial intelligence, since the maturity of the solutions allows it, opens up new fields of action and the fundamental rights of many people from our society cannot wait.