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From May 17 to 22, the city of Baku, Azerbaijan, hosted the 13th edition of the World Urban Forum (WUF13). Organized by the United Nations, this premier global conference on sustainable urbanization gathered an impressive 57,000 participants from 176 countries.
With a venue spanning 43 hectares, covering both indoor spaces and the outdoor areas around the Baku Olympic Stadium, the mobility challenge was massive. How could we guarantee complete autonomy for every visitor—especially those with visual, motor, or cognitive disabilities—across such a gigantic and temporary site? That’s where Evelity stepped in!
A World First for Evelity : The "Major Event" Format Powered by VPS
Deploying Evelity at WUF13 marks a major turning point for our solution. While we are used to equipping university campuses or headquarters, we had to adapt our approach to meet the specific constraints of large-scale mass events: massive ceilings, dense exhibition halls, temporary metallic structures, and very tight deadlines.
To tackle this challenge, Okeenea made the bold choice to rely exclusively on its brand-new Vision technology, based on the VPS (Visual Positioning System). Thanks to this innovation, the app simply uses the user's smartphone camera to scan the environment and accurately locate them in an average of just 2 seconds, comparing the captured images with a "digital twin" of the venue.
This complete lack of physical infrastructure enabled record-breaking execution speed. By scanning the venue with a 360° camera, the digitalization of complex floor plans and the full configuration of the guidance system (routes and 96 points of interest) were completed in less than a month. Even better, the system was tested, validated, and approved by the WUF organizers 5 days before the doors officially opened. Priceless peace of mind during the event setup rush!
Putting People First: The Accessibility Desk
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Even the most advanced technology is only meaningful if it reaches its users. To ensure optimal communication with visually impaired participants (blind and low-vision), an Accessibility Desk was set up for the entire duration of the event.
At this desk, our teams and volunteers introduced the Evelity app as a true audio exploration and navigation tool. Visitors discovered an app that fully respects their privacy through a "no account required" policy, while enjoying step-by-step instructions, haptic feedback (vibrations), and seamless compatibility with native screen readers like VoiceOver and TalkBack.
Highly Acclaimed by the Organizers
Providing over 4 km of accessible paths, the ability to easily find conference rooms, restrooms, or catering areas, and an interface translated into 11 languages (including Azerbaijani, added specifically for the occasion), Evelity delivered on all its promises.
User satisfaction was high, and the United Nations organization and the Government of Azerbaidjani also praised the efficiency of our collaboration and the relevance of the tool. Narmin Asadova, Accessibility and Inclusivity Coordinator for WUF13, shared her experience:
"The work and impact of the accessibility app Evelity were truly impressive, and it was a pleasure to be part of this initiative. I really enjoyed working with the team."
This successful deployment brilliantly confirms that the Visual Positioning System (VPS) is the future technology for ensuring inclusive, agile, and large-scale geolocation in the international events sector.
👉 Are you ready to make your next major event accessible to everyone?
👉 Contact-us to speak with a team member
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