Down-scaling of a tourist assistance system to fulfil the needs of eco- nomical poor regions and providers of tourist offers STEFAN LUTHERDT 1 , ROBERT FETTER 1 , ULRIKE FRÖBER 1 , PETER KURTZ 2 , HARTMUT WITTE 1 1 Dep. of Biomechatronics, Technische Universität Ilmenau, PF 100565, 98684 Ilmenau, Germany 2 Dep. of Working Sciences, Technische Universität Ilmenau, PF 100565, 98684 Ilmenau, Germany Corresponding author: Stefan Lutherdt. Email: stefan.lutherdt@tu-ilmenau.de Abstract: Derived from a complex tourist assistance system for users with special needs (e.g. disabled users with physical impairments) a down-scaled system was successful tested. It consists of a handheld device like the whole system but disclaims to a permanent online server access. The reducing of components was determined by a user-centred design process with an intense requirement analysis. Keywords: tourist assistance system, user adaptation, simplification by reduction 1 Background and project aim Our society and with this the public opinion finally had changed in the last few years towards an integration of all kind of people into societal activities. And within this process also the German legislation had changed and it followed with this the prevalent opinion of the WHO and its associations like is reflected in the new Interna- tional Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF, Hüller & Schuntermann 2005). By this point it was self-evident resulted to start a project to support people with disabilities also in vacational or tourist environments and activities. The project which was built up called “TAS - Tourist Assistance Sys- tem” was funded within the InnoRegio-initiative “Development of a barrier-free model region for integrative tourism in Thuringia” of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The aim of the TAS project was the development and exemplary assembly of an assistance system for people with impairments as an access support to previously bad accessible tourist offers and regions. Because it was visible during the project that the whole system only seldom would be installed it was a de- clared aim making available the most important components. Otherwise the inherent concepts and knowledge for design of accessible user interfaces should be transferred and used in other projects. By the use of this knowledge also a benefit for poor or less developed regions should be achieved. 2 Concept and system design The framework of TAS which is shown in Fig. 1 (page 2) was first created for visually impaired users. It con- sists of stationary components like terminals, a communication and control centre and mobile components. These are mainly handhelds with specific add-ons resulting from the special needs of the users. The system was established in a small model region to demonstrate the functionality and various possibilities for the dif- ferent user groups. The unique selling point of this system is the principle, that everyone who use this system get only but all the information he needs over a well-adapted interface. During the development of this assistance system the “TAS concept” was defined as an individual aid for all potential users of an assistance system in that amount and manner the individuals need. This aid is esp. pointed to access regions or information or take part at ac- tivities and events in this regions or areas. With these main goals the TAS concept is portable to all problems