Harpo Sp. z o. o.

Their core work

Harpo is a Polish SME specializing in assistive technology products for people with sensory and communication disabilities. Their H2020 project portfolio reveals a consistent focus on enabling communication and interaction for underserved populations — from next-generation emergency communication systems (EMYNOS) to tactile interfaces for deafblind individuals (SUITCEYES) and intelligent platforms for people with profound intellectual disabilities (INSENSION). They appear to contribute hardware and interaction design expertise to research consortia developing inclusive digital solutions.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Harpo's earliest H2020 involvement (EMYNOS, 2015) centered on emergency communication infrastructure — a broad ICT/security topic. By 2018, both new projects (SUITCEYES and INSENSION) shifted toward deeply specialized assistive technology for people with severe disabilities, including deafblindness and profound intellectual impairments. This trajectory shows a narrowing from general accessible ICT toward dedicated disability-focused interaction technologies.

Harpo is deepening its specialization in assistive interfaces for populations with the most severe communication barriers, making them a go-to partner for inclusive technology projects.

How they like to work

Harpo participates exclusively as a partner, never as coordinator, which is typical for a specialized SME contributing specific technical components to larger research efforts. With 24 unique partners across 13 countries from just 3 projects, they operate in sizable, geographically diverse consortia. This suggests they are valued as a niche technology contributor rather than a project driver — a reliable specialist you bring in for assistive technology expertise.

Despite only 3 projects, Harpo has built connections with 24 partners across 13 countries, reflecting participation in large European consortia. Their network spans widely across EU member states with no single dominant geographic cluster.

What sets them apart

Harpo occupies a rare niche: a commercial SME with hands-on expertise in building assistive devices for people with the most severe communication challenges, including deafblindness and profound intellectual disabilities. Most companies in the accessible technology space target mainstream accessibility (screen readers, voice assistants), while Harpo works at the extreme end where standard solutions fail. For any consortium needing a partner who can design and prototype physical assistive interfaces, Harpo brings both commercial product experience and research credibility from multiple EU projects.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EMYNOS
  Largest funding (EUR 269,375) and earliest project — positioned Harpo in the emergency communications space with a security-sector dimension.
• SUITCEYES
  Tackles the extremely niche challenge of creating wearable tactile interfaces for deafblind individuals — a population rarely served by mainstream ICT research.
• INSENSION
  Addresses personalized digital interaction for people with profound intellectual disabilities — one of the hardest unsolved problems in inclusive design.