The DASA Museum in Dortmund, Germany, dedicated to showcasing the world of work and technology, sought to improve its visitor experience, with a particular focus on designing more inclusive spaces for visually impaired visitors. As part of a collaborative research project aimed at enhancing accessibility and visitor engagement, DASA partnered with Sentistic, Buro Happold, Zumtobel Lighting, SOUR and OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts. The goal was to gain insights into how visitors—especially those with visual impairments—interact with museum spaces and use these insights to create better-designed, accessible environments.
Solution: Sentistic Smart Motion Sensors
Sentistic provided its AI-edge smart motion sensors to gather data on space usage and visitor movement patterns within the museum, contributing to the research on how visually impaired visitors navigate the exhibition areas. The sensors were strategically installed in the existing lighting track system using Stucchi adapters, ensuring that there was no need for additional wiring or drilling. This installation method allowed for a seamless deployment of the technology while maintaining the aesthetics and operational flow of the museum.
The sensors, using heat-based detection to anonymously track visitors, provide the necessary data without compromising privacy. These insights were processed through the Sentistic Analytics Platform, which translated the raw data into actionable insights like heatmaps and visitor journey maps. These analytics were essential for understanding how visitors, especially those with visual impairments, interacted with the space and how the layout affected their experience.
Results
Improved Accessibility: Sentistic’s data allowed the museum to design more inclusive spaces by optimizing walking routes and exhibit layouts to better accommodate visually impaired visitors.
Data-Driven Design: Insights from the Sentistic Analytics Platform helped DASA and its partners continuously improve exhibition designs based on actual visitor behavior, ensuring that spaces were both engaging and accessible.
Non-Intrusive Installation: The use of Stucchi adapters for installation in the existing lighting track system meant no additional wiring or drilling was required, minimizing disruptions to the museum’s operations.
Privacy-First Approach: Sentistic’s heat-based detection provided crucial insights while ensuring full anonymity for visitors, meeting all privacy standards.
Collaborative Innovation: Working alongside Buro Happold, Zumtobel Lighting, SOUR, and OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts, the project successfully demonstrated the potential of smart technology in optimizing inclusive public spaces.
Conclusion
Sentistic’s smart motion sensors played a pivotal role in helping the DASA Museum better understand how visually impaired visitors interact with its spaces. By providing actionable data through a seamless, non-intrusive installation, Sentistic enabled the museum and its partners to make informed, data-driven decisions to improve accessibility and enhance the visitor experience. This project highlights the importance of smart technologies in shaping inclusive, visitor-friendly environments, particularly in cultural and public spaces.
