The fourth and final pilot of the SHIFT project was successfully held on July 30th at the Homeland Museum in Knjaževac, Serbia, a member of the Balkan Museum Network. The event brought together 30 participants from diverse stakeholder groups, including persons with disabilities (blind, visually impaired, individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities), IT professionals, academics, media representatives, cultural heritage institutions, and civil society organisations.
SHIFT project partners presented key tools developed under the project, including the authoring tool for augmented hypermedia and gesture recognition for enriched accessibility (developed by QMUL), and the SHIFT platform (developed by SIMAVI). The Homeland Museum showcased its tactile exhibition, which includes audio, video, and sign language interpretation, as well as 3D artefacts designed for use in a virtual reality environment.
The pilot also served as a valuable platform for dialogue and exchange between associations of blind persons in Serbia and the German Association of Blind and Partially Sighted People (DBSV), one of SHIFT’s partner organisations.
Feedback from participants emphasized the significant potential of AI-driven technologies to enhance accessibility to cultural heritage and increase the inclusiveness of cultural institutions. The pilot reinforced the importance of collaborative innovation and user-centered design in developing accessible solutions for all.
