Improving user experience in the museum

Today ICT can benefit any environment, including the safeguarding, preservation and empowerment of cultural heritage. Pervasive technologies such as mobile devices (smart phones and tablets), sensors and RFID (Radio-frequency identification) are flooding the real world, enabling new intelligent and easy-to-use services for everyone, including the differently-abled. RFID technology enables automatic identification of objects and has been successfully applied in museums to improve the museumgoer's experience or to increase the efficiency of a physical inventory. In this paper we discuss using RFID passive technology to identify artifacts in the museum and deliver content description in the most appropriate form through various sensorial channels, according to the user's abilities. Specifically, we describe the initial steps of a project aimed at creating mobile apps to facilitate the usability of museum visits for differently-abled and special-needs users.