Urban Digital Twins for Synthetic Data of Individuals with Mobility Aids in Curitiba, Brazil, to Drive Highly Accurate AI Models for Inclusivity

This article delves into the significance of urban digital twins in generating synthetic data specifically tailored for individuals with disabilities. It explores how this data can be effectively utilized to construct artificial intelligence (AI) models that promote inclusivity and enhance accessibility in urban environments. The article thoroughly examines the challenges and opportunities associated with acquiring data on individuals with disabilities, taking into account the ethical and practical implications of generating and utilizing synthetic data for the development of accessible and inclusive technologies. Using the city of Curitiba, Brazil as a case study, which has undergone scanning, digitization, and transformation into an urban digital twin, avatars have been strategically placed to enable the detection of individuals with disabilities within diverse scenarios and perspectives in urban environments. Consequently, this approach provides a diverse and realistic representation of the situations in which individuals with disabilities may find themselves in urban settings, contributing to advancements in urban planning and technology by emphasizing the importance of digital twins in generating synthetic data to promote inclusivity and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.