Causes

App to help those with disabilities get around expected to be launched by mid-2019

Tool maps out shortest barrier-free routes; it is expected to be launched by mid-2019

Mr Najulah Mohamed (right) volunteered to collect data, through sensors attached to his wheelchair, on routes accessible to users of mobility aids.
Mr Najulah Mohamed (above) volunteered to collect data, through sensors attached to his wheelchair, on routes accessible to users of mobility aids. ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN
New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

For Mr Najulah Mohamed, 22, getting around Singapore is far from a smooth ride. The Singapore Management University (SMU) undergraduate, who was born with brittle bone disease, uses Google Maps to plan his route, but there is no telling if parts of the journey, say from the MRT station to his destination, would be accessible to his wheelchair till he gets there.

There could be bumps, bollards, steps, stairs, slopes or uneven pavements that pose a real hazard to someone with mobility issues.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 31, 2018, with the headline Causes: App to help those with disabilities get around expected to be launched by mid-2019. Subscribe