Safety and security in public environments

Purpose and goal

The developments in our society together with an increased risk of terrorist attacks challenges the development towards openness and safety in public environments. Together with a large number of stakeholders from the Swedish ecosystem around the railways, we have worked with design thinking and started out with station environments to understand the problems and through a combination of art and new technology, find new solutions to address this challenge. We see great opportunities for collaboration between Sweden and the USA regarding both technical and social innovation.

Expected results and effects

When the project is completed after step 3, we have created a platform for new ideas in the area and tested a number of prototypes that have led to new products that increase safety in public environments and improve perceived security and the attractiveness of these environments. We see great opportunities for internationalization and expanding to other public environments. We want Sweden to become an international catalyst in this field, based on Sweden´s strengths in the field of safety and security as well as the ability to develop technological innovations.

Planned approach and implementation

During step 1, the project has inspired new ways of understanding and addressing challenges related to safety and perceived security in the transport system and other public environments. We have deepened cooperation with the project´s stakeholders and further expanded the constellation of participants. For Step 2, the topic of trust need to be further investigated, commuter involvement initiated, proposals for prototypes developed. Within the framework of step 1, it was not realistic to systematically engage commuters in the dialogue and to implement prototype installations.