SCENARIO

Around 1.3 billion people in the world are affected by a disability to some degree (15% of the global population, or 1 in 7 people). People with disability account for nearly $8 trillion of disposable annual income. Including friends and family members, disability touches 53% of consumers, representing a market of untapped business potential. Looking ahead, the global trends in  longevity and the higher risk of disability in older people are likely to lead to further increases in the population affected by disability. 

BACKGROUND

Around the world, persons with disabilities face a number of obstacles that prevent them from actively participating in society. Physical and technological barriers are tangible, whereas other hurdles are dictated by cultural or social perceptions. In order to promote inclusivity,  Enel thinks that granting autonomy and accessibility is a precondition to equal participation and contribution for all mankind. This will help to:

• innovate the context in which people with disabilities live;
• integrate concerns about disability in everyday life;
• increase visibility of people with disability thus activating involvement and spreading knowledge of the issues at stake;
• ensure smart and sustainable growth;  

THE CHALLENGE

Enel is looking for solutions to ensure autonomous mobility and facilitate navigation of people with disabilities throughout buildings such as private houses, public buildings and offices.

In particular the main goals of this challenge are:

• providing free mobility within buildings without depending upon someone for assistance;
• overcoming architectural barriers or detecting the presence of obstacles;
• creating safe paths for people with disability even in private houses;
• orienting blind people and people unable to ask for directions in a large building.

Some examples of problems that have been scouted are related to:

• turnstiles that do not accommodate wheelchair users and guide dog access
• difficulty with badge access and information about check-in/check-out time for vision-impaired people
• elevator safety for persons with hearing disability (e.g. emergency sign language tool)
• use of toilets autonomously for people with reduced mobility (e.g. lack of ergonomic toilets, lack of spatial information useful for blind people)
• go through crowded corridors safely (e.g. for people with reduced mobility and blind people)
• use the stairs (in particular in case of an emergency)
• navigating in a new environment (e.g. for blind people and people with reduced mobility)
• how to integrate artificial intelligence in electronic wheelchairs 

The above list is not exhaustive and Enel is looking for solutions that solve other problems that have not been listed/identified.

SOLUTION REQUIREMENTS

Submissions must have the following Solution Requirements:

• Any solution has to be verified and documented (not just an “idea”);
• All solutions must be safe and compliant with the local regulations where the solution is going to be implemented
• All solutions must be sustainable environmentally and economically;
• The solution must be innovative in terms of technology used with a multifaceted impact analysis (social, economic and technological aspects) and tested or designed with the help of people with disabilities;
• TRL ≥ 7; 
• Solutions should support Enel’s commitment on SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) with specific emphasis on SDG8, SDG10, SDG11.

In addition, the following qualities are highly desired but not required:

• It is preferable that the solution is designed with artificial intelligence (AI) tools that monitor and learn from the Persons with Disabilities (PwD) experience.
• Applicable in a global context (that is, the solution would be transferable to different parts of the world)