In the ‘SensorKids’ project, DLR investigated how traffic-calming measures in the school environment affect the mobility of primary school children and what their wishes are with regard to their journeys to school. The children actively participated in the research by keeping methods such as mobility diaries, drawing their routes to school on maps and contributing their ideas on urban design. They also visited the CityLAB Berlin and used AI software to visualise their wishes.
The results show that aspects such as cleanliness, order, green spaces and places for social interaction are particularly important to children. They want to be able to move around the neighbourhood safely and independently. The project, which accompanied the redesign of the Graefekiez neighbourhood in Berlin, relied on participatory research in which the children acted as co-researchers. The researchers emphasise that such projects open up new perspectives on children’s mobility and that more research is needed in this area. A methodological guide for working with children should make it easier to participate in similar projects in the future.
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(Image source: DLR)