Alstom Foundation, Instituto Jô Clemente launch 'Virtual Reality for Inclusion' project

The Alstom Foundation has partnered with the Instituto Jô Clemente (IJC) to launch the "Virtual Reality for Inclusion" project, an initiative that will use virtual reality to simulate real world environments. The project will help people with disabilities, including those with Intellectual Disabilities, Rare Diseases and Autism Spectrum Disorder, develop skills to navigate a world that isn’t always designed for them. 

The initiative aims to prepare people with disabilities to overcome physical accessibility obstacles and understand basic safety for walking and using public transit in urban areas. The project uses Virtual Reality to create simulated scenarios and help participants practice navigating environments that may be challenging to them, in order to increase resilience and self-confidence. 

The project is being developed with technical support from the Interdisciplinary Center for Interactive Technologies at the University of São Paulo (LSI-Tec-USP). The room prepared to receive the technology is being installed at the Jô Clemente Institute headquarter, located in the Vila Clementino neighborhood in São Paulo, Brazil, and the place will be used to complement the classes and activities carried out with students enrolled at the institution. 

Participants will have the opportunity to practice and consequently gain more confidence on public transport routes, through a variety of simulated scenarios, including becoming familiar with different train routes to practicing boarding and alighting this vehicle.  To complement mobility training, the project offers visual instructions that, combined with visual and auditory communication tools, facilitate participants' interaction and understanding of the content. 

“Access to mobility is one of the four axes of work addressed by the Alstom Foundation. Supporting this project is a source of pride, as in addition to meeting this purpose, it is also aligned with one of Alstom’s values, which is inclusion”, said Anne-Cecile Barbier, CSR director and Alstom Foundation general secretary. 

“The project enhances safety by allowing people with Intellectual Disability and Autism to familiarize themselves with complex urban environments in a controlled, virtual setting. The main goal is to encourage people who we attend through Professional Inclusion service. This is going to prepare 900 people for the real world and empower them, so that they feel comfortable and can navigate the city”, says Daniela Mendes, Chief Executive Officer at Instituto Jô Clemente (IJC).