Throughout 2021, the “I See No Barriers” project was held supported by Education, Culture and
Sports Department of Riga City Council.
It took several months to develop an interactive tactile map for the blind. It is an innovative object for
Latvia. It is a map of the entire city of Riga, which is located on a monitor with a touch screen
function. Visually, it is an ordinary map of the city, but there is a layer on top that can be read by
touch. In this way, a blind person can explore the city, streets and parks. Double-clicking on any
street allows you to hear its name. Initially we planned to record 30 objects, but in the process, we
realized that the map could be bigger. As a result, 170 streets, rivers, lakes and parks were
recorded.

A short video explains how the map works.

Map in action – video. A promotional video about the map.

We supplemented the project with more detailed maps of the city, printed on special paper that is
also readable to the touch. A total of 20 paper maps were developed.
All of the objects developed as part of the project “I See No Barriers” were used in individual
practical sessions under the guidance of an experienced rehabilitation therapist. We gained a lot of
experience and useful feedback from the target audience. Some visually impaired people are

learning tactile maps for the first time, some are already experienced users. In any case, the project
will continue. The maps can be obtained at the Socintegra office in Riga, Jugla, 80 Strazdumuižas
Street, Office 207 during business hours (by appointment).