Samsung Presents ‘Accessibility Map’ Smartphone App for Paralympic Games

 Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., the Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, today introduced the “Accessibility Map” mobile application, enabling users to obtain information in a easier and quicker way about city amenities with a barrier-free environment, and also sharing information about recommended travel routes for people with disabilities and nearby locations where they can take up Paralympic sport.

“We are proud that Samsung has supported the Paralympic Movement over the past few years,” says Sung-ho Jun, President of Samsung Electronics CIS headquarters. “We are delighted that Samsung’s latest smartphones and technologies are making a contribution to improving the quality of life for people with disabilities and supporting them to achieve outstanding results.”

Samsung is partnering with the “United Country” Foundation for People with Disabilities and the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee to develop the Accessibility Map mobile application. The Accessibility Map is an interactive project that has been launched by the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee to help people with disabilities. Since the project announcement one year ago, more than 13,000 barrier-free facilities have appeared in over 500 towns in Russia, and millions of people suffering from restricted mobility, poor eyesight and hearing, as well as mothers with prams have discovered new locations that provide a barrier-free environment.

“The IPC is strongly committed to creating a barrier free and accessible environment for Sochi, and Samsung’s support on this meaningful project will serve as a great contribution. I believe that the Accessibility Map is a unique project developed in the run-up to the first Paralympic in Sochi and this will lead to a long-term partnership with Samsung, helping us provide hope and inspiration by breaking down barriers for people with disabilities,” said Sir Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

As Worldwide Partner of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Games, Samsung is running a whole range of major socio-sporting projects aimed at improving quality of life for people with disabilities and raising awareness amongst the general public and the government of this problem in Russia. Samsung is also partnering with the City of Sochi to enhance a barrier-free environment, enabling people with disabilities to easily access entertainment and leisure facilities.

“I am delighted to support Samsung, a long-time Worldwide Partner of the Paralympic Games, to launch the Barrier Free Sochi application for smartphones. This initiative will help to bring the City’s project to the new level with up-to-date technologies, and will provide memorable experience for people with disabilities at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Games,” Zhanna Grigoryeva, Head of Olympic Department, City of Sochi.

The Russian version of the Accessibility Map app is available now on Google Play, and the English version will be uploaded at the end of December.

The Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee announced the innovative Accessibility Map project in June 2011. Its main aim is to help people with disabilities find nearby locations where they can take up Paralympic sport and to provide them with information about accessible amenities near their homes and travel routes.

The Accessibility Map website – www.kartadostupnosti.ru  – is being actively populated: it currently holds information about accessible facilities in almost 500 towns around Russia, and in just 5 months has received over 35,000 hits from users in 58 countries around the world.

Volunteers and internet users have already added 13,000 facilities to the Map.

The Accessibility Map website was awarded the prestigious Runet Prize in November 2012 and Golden Drum in 2013.

Samsung is a Worldwide Partner of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in the Wireless Communications Equipment category. Starting with the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games, Samsung has supported the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, the London 2012 Paralympic Games and is proud to be an official partner of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games. Samsung aims to make the Paralympic Games an event that reaches a wider audience around the world and to spread the excitement and inspiration of the Games through its wireless communication technologies.