URBINFO “Urban Data Infosphere” is a Research and Development project promoted by the ICT4SSL Consortium and funded by the Veneto Region. It was created to respond to the growing need to make cities smarter, more sustainable and accessible. The initiative aims to build an integrated urban ecosystem capable of collecting, processing and displaying real-time data from the urban environment, leveraging digital technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data. Through the installation of sensors distributed at strategic points throughout the city and the use of intelligent algorithms, URBINFO transforms the city into a digital and interactive space. This enables monitoring of crucial aspects such as traffic, air quality, noise pollution or urban greenery health, providing information support to citizens, administrators, tourists and students. The project promotes an idea of a smart city that is not only technological, but also equitable, participatory and human-centered. The project aims to collect and integrate environmental and social data through advanced digital technologies, create accessible digital tools to make data usable by a plurality of users, and develop smart objects designed to improve mobility and autonomy for people with disabilities.

The goal is also to foster new service models based on the use of urban data and promote active citizen participation through interactive visualizations and citizen science initiatives. In particular, the Research Unit of the Human Technology Lab (HTLab), which is part of the Human Inspired Technology Research Center (HIT) at the University of Padova, will be responsible for designing and conducting co-design activities with citizens, elderly people and individuals with disabilities, in order to gather user requirements (e.g., through Focus Groups and participatory design sessions) to inform the design and development of accessible digital interfaces for urban data visualization. Moreover, the HTLab team will oversee the development of interactive tools that make urban information accessible and understandable to diverse user groups, promoting citizen engagement and participation in urban monitoring activities. The team will also evaluate the user experience, usability, accessibility, and acceptance of the digital solutions developed within the URBINFO project.