ARCHES · Project

Accessibility Software That Helps Museums Serve Visitors With Disabilities

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Museums have tons of digital photos and 3D scans of their collections, but most of that material is useless if you're blind, deaf, or have cognitive difficulties. ARCHES built tools — like touchable 3D-printed reliefs of paintings, smart audio guides that know where you're standing, and sign-language avatars — so that everyone can actually experience art. They tested all of this at 6 real museums with people who have real accessibility needs, not just in a lab. Think of it as making the museum experience as flexible as smartphone accessibility features, but for physical exhibits.

By the numbers

museums used as validation sites

pilot exercises conducted with real users

consortium partners across disciplines

countries involved (AT, ES, RS, UK)

total project deliverables produced

SMEs in the consortium

tactile audio guide setups built and improved

new reliefs created using updated software

The business problem

What needed solving

Millions of museum visitors with visual, hearing, or cognitive disabilities are excluded from experiencing cultural heritage because most exhibits rely on sight and reading. Museums have digitised their collections but lack practical tools to convert those digital assets into accessible, multisensory experiences. This means lost visitors, missed revenue, and non-compliance with growing accessibility mandates.

The solution

What was built

The project built a functional tactile audio guide system with sensors, tracking software, and authoring tools; a tactile relief software application that converts digital images into 3D-printable touchable reliefs; and a suite of handheld device applications including augmented reality features. All were integrated, tested across 7 hardware setups, and validated at 6 museums through 3 pilot exercises with real users who have disabilities.

Audience

Who needs this

National and regional museum operators seeking to meet accessibility standardsCultural tourism companies building inclusive tour packagesAssistive technology firms looking for proven accessibility modulesExhibition design agencies creating multisensory installationsEducational content providers serving students with special needs

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Museums and Cultural Heritage

any

Target: Museum operators and exhibition designers

If you are a museum operator struggling to make exhibitions accessible to visitors with visual, hearing, or cognitive impairments — this project developed a complete software platform with tactile audio guides, 3D relief printing tools, and augmented reality applications, all validated through 3 pilot exercises at 6 museums across Europe. The tools let you convert existing digital assets into multisensory experiences without rebuilding your collection.

Tourism and Hospitality

mid-size

Target: Cultural tourism companies and destination management organizations

If you are a tourism company looking to serve the growing accessible tourism market — this project created handheld device applications and context-sensitive audio guides that work across 6 museum venues in 4 countries. These tools help you offer inclusive cultural experiences that reach broader audiences including elderly visitors, children, and people with disabilities.

EdTech and Assistive Technology

SME

Target: Assistive technology developers and educational content providers

If you are an assistive technology company looking for proven accessibility solutions — this project built and tested tactile relief software, sign-language avatar technology, and advanced image processing tools across 35 deliverables with 13 consortium partners. The open software platform and authoring tools could be integrated into your existing products to serve education and cultural sectors.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement these accessibility tools at our venue?

The project data does not include pricing or licensing cost information. The coordinator is VRVIS GMBH, an Austrian SME and research center — typical for this type of project, commercial terms would need to be negotiated directly. The tools require sensor setups, tracking software, and 3D printer hardware for tactile reliefs.

Can these tools scale beyond a single museum installation?

The system was tested at 6 museums across 4 countries (Austria, Spain, Serbia, UK), which demonstrates cross-venue and cross-border scalability. The software platform is designed as an online accessible system with an authoring tool, meaning content can be adapted for different venues without rebuilding from scratch.

What is the IP situation — can we license or buy the technology?

The project was an Innovation Action (IA) funded by the EU, with 13 partners including 5 SMEs. IP ownership typically follows EU grant rules where each partner owns what they developed. Contact the coordinator VRVIS GMBH to discuss licensing of specific components like the tactile relief software or audio guide system.

How mature is this technology — is it ready for deployment?

The project delivered functional prototypes including a context-sensitive tactile audio guide with sensor setup, tracking software, and authoring tools. These were validated through 3 pilot exercises at 6 museums. The tactile relief software combines multiple previous prototypes into a single user interface with extended modelling tools.

Does this meet accessibility regulations and standards?

The project specifically targeted inclusion for people with differences in perception, memory, cognition, and communication. While the data doesn't reference specific regulatory compliance certifications, the participatory research methodology involved real users with disabilities throughout design and testing across 3 pilot stages.

Can these tools integrate with our existing digital collection management system?

The platform is designed to reuse and redevelop existing digital cultural heritage assets, suggesting integration capability with current digitisation workflows. The authoring software component allows museums to adapt content and reinterpret collections for different target groups. Based on available project data, specific API or format compatibility details would need to be discussed with the consortium.

What ongoing support or maintenance is available?

The project ended in December 2019 and was coordinated by VRVIS GMBH, an Austrian research SME. The consortium included 5 SMEs that may offer commercial support. Based on available project data, current availability and support arrangements should be verified directly with the coordinator.

Consortium

Who built it

The 13-partner consortium spans 4 countries and mixes 4 industry partners, 2 universities, 3 research centers, and 4 other organizations (likely museums). With 5 SMEs making up 31% of the industry ratio, the project has real commercial players alongside the research side. The coordinator VRVIS GMBH is itself an Austrian SME, which means the lead organization has a direct business interest in bringing results to market. This balance between research rigor and commercial motivation is a positive signal for anyone looking to adopt or license the technology.

VRVIS GMBHCoordinator · AT
UNIVERSITY OF BATHparticipant · UK
VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUMparticipant · UK
Sign time GmbHparticipant · AT
TREELOGIC TELEMATICA Y LOGICA RACIONAL PARA LA EMPRESA EUROPEA SLparticipant · ES
THE OPEN UNIVERSITYparticipant · UK

How to reach the team

VRVIS GMBH is an Austrian research SME — reach their team via the project website or SciTransfer can facilitate an introduction.

Order a report on this consortium See VRVIS GMBH profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to know if ARCHES tools fit your venue or product? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the development team and help you evaluate the technology for your specific use case.

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