Research and innovation projects

Why does Funka do research? Few small consultancies devote time to scientific inquiries, and it hardly seems profitable to create new knowledge that’s free for anyone to use. But the answer is simple: We conduct research because it’s necessary.

There simply isn’t enough knowledge about how best to develop products, services, interfaces and societies that work for everyone. We want to do our part by finding evidence-based answers to important questions, thereby enabling development and improvement. Research and innovation accounts for about 20% of Funka’s operations.

Funka carries out research and innovation at the national, Nordic and European levels. Sometimes we work on our own, but we often collaborate with leading universities, end user organisations and other expert bodies.

Our research can stem from assignments from other actors. At other times, we do research on our initiative. This is often the case when we feel that facts are missing, or when we’ve identified a problem that needs a solution. The goal of our innovation projects is to turn such solutions into working services or products.

Many of Funka’s assignments result in reports that we’re more than happy to share. If you think that a particular report is missing here, please get in touch with us. Moreover, we’re always grateful for suggestions, thoughts and ideas about things we should investigate!

Current research and innovation assignments

  • Automatic captioning project

    Captioning should be a natural part of every meeting, webinar, stream and video production. Despite of the legal requirements covering at least parts of the user needs, far too little material is being captioned. By training, facilitation and crowd-development, our captioning project aims to raise awareness and increase the quality of auto-captions in Swedish.

  • Users Power the Web Accessibility Directive

    Feedback from users with disabilities is key to make websites and apps more accessible. In this project, we are working together with end user organisations across the EU to train and empower users.

  • Speech as a digital tool

    In a new and exciting project on digital accessibility for people who stutter, the Swedish Stuttering Association and Funka will review, test, and propose solutions for an often forgotten part of accessibility.

  • Funka in a large EU-funded project on smart health for the elderly

    Accessibility, user-centered design and standardization are important components that Funka contributes to in the Gatekeeper project. The goal is a healthy and independent life for the elderly with the help of new technology.

Completed research and innovation projects

  • Making digital higher education more accessible and inclusive for all – The eTeachers project

    Funka is teaming up with leading European universities in the eTeachers project to develop an online toolkit to support and empower university teachers to create more inclusive educational materials.

  • Introducing accessibility in digital communication higher education curricula – The ADORE Project

    How can we educate university staff on accessible digital content? How can we promote a more inclusive teaching experience for all? The new ADORE project, funded by the ERASMUS+ programme, will bring accessibility to the forefront of higher education curricula related to communication.

  • Buddy, the new digital best friend of users with cognitive impairments

    Together with Johannes Kepler University in Austria, Funka will develop an AI-based recommender for assistive technology focusing on cognitive impairments. The European Commission is funding the research.

  • Take care of the expertise of the users

    An EU-funded research project where Funka focuses on users' experiences of accessibility.

  • Accessibility in Smart Cities

    Smart Cities is a concept that encompasses all types of digitisation and smart technology. But for it to work for everyone, it must not only be smart, but accessible. We contribute to that in a Norwegian research project.

  • Accessibility in learning management systems

    Education is becoming increasingly digital, which provides great opportunities for better inclusion of people with disabilities. However, if the learning platforms do not meet the requirements for accessibility, students with disabilities risk being excluded. We want to change that in a new research project.

  • Users become experts in national project

    The market is crying out for more web accessibility experts. Can users with disabilities fill the gap? Funka and Furuboda folk high school find out.

  • Digital payment services for everyone!

    Funka has won an innovation competition with a service that will help more people use online payment services. The Swedish Post and Telecom Authority is funding the project and the Skåne County Administrative Board is our partner.

  • Understandable text through machine learning

    Together with the RISE Research Institutes if Sweden, Funka will investigate whether AI can help web authors create texts that are easier to understand.

  • Cognitive accessibility tested in Norway

    Current accessibility standards and legislation tend to focus on technical issues, interoperability of assistive technology and physical impairments. At the same time, many users struggle with understanding the content. That is why more and more research focus on cognitive accessibility.

  • Involving users

    When people with disabilities contributes to finding new solutions, set requirements and do testing, the end result is better for everyone. In a new research project, Funka will try to contribute to better user involvement.

  • Built-in accessibility offers support to web authors

    By providing authoring tools with built-in accessibility, non-experts can publish in an accessible way. Funka has received funding to develop better templates with built-in accessibility for EpiServer.

  • Funka influences the authoring tool market

    With funding from the European Parliament, we have got the chance to build upon one of our most innovative research projects. This time we will work together with authoring tools producers to make models for accessibility by default.

  • Accessibility training for tourism professionals

    For everyone, no matter of abilities, to be able to travel and experience things on equal terms, the tourism industry must enhance the accessibility. We are creating a training for managers and frontline staff, funded by the European Commisson.

  • Inclusive training can overbridge the digital divide

    Together with pan-European service providers, universities and networks, Funka will develop training material and manuals to enhance the digital literacy among persons with disabilities and elderly. The research project is funded by the European Commission.

  • From education to inclusion

    In a new EU funded project involving Slovak and Czech partners, Funka will contribute to increased accessibility for visually impaired.

  • Accessibility - a natural part of training for web professionals

    In a new and exciting EU-funded research project, Funka is collaborating with leading European universities to ensure the next generation of professionals within web and IT gets to learn web accessibility from the start.

  • Smart Cities, service design and accessibility

    Norwegian municipalities working with the Smart Cities concept will get the opportunity to include users in a new way in our latest innovation project around inclusive service design.

  • Empathy brings insight - Fun in new exciting project

    Together with Certec at Lund University of Technology, Funka will produce educational material, Virtual Reality experiences and 360° videos to spread knowledge about people with social, communicative and mental disabilities.

  • Criteria for cognitive accessibility

    Together with the National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools and the Swedish Institute for Standards, Funka will develop testable criteria for cognitive accessibility, with the goal of implementing them in future legislation. After a pre-project, we have been awarded the second step in this exciting project.

  • Accessibility in chatbots

    More and more organizations use different types of chatbots in their customer dialogue. But do they work for everyone? Funka will find out in a project together with the Norwegian Tax Agency and IAAP Nordic. Do you want to join?

  • Users as experts

    More people are needed who give advice and support on accessibility now that demand increases with regulations. People with disabilities are a resource that could be used much better. A new project will try to do just that.

  • Long-term care users contribute to the development of new services

    Funka delivers accessibility expertise to an EU-funded research and innovation project that develops a system for co-creation among individuals, healthcare professionals, researchers and innovators. The goal is that different stakeholders together will develop new solutions for long-term care.

  • Young people get tools to influence the accessibility issue

    Increased independence and more influence for young people with disabilities are two of the goals for an exciting project that Funka participates in starting in February.

  • Funka in EU-project to improve digital health solutions

    Funka is a proud partner of DigitalHealthEurope, a EU-funded project that will support deployment of digital solutions for person-centred integrated care in Europe.

  • University training in web accessibility

    Funka, IAAP Nordic and four Nordic universities are investigating how web accessibility can be part of the university programs in the Nordic countries.

  • Innovation project on comprehensible content

    Together with Botkyrka Municipality and Linnaeus University, Funka will develop a method for helping the public sector to produce information that is easier to understand. Based on experiences from previous research projects, we test different models to reach persons with a mother tongue other than the official national one, with funding from Vinnova, Sweden’s innovation agency.

  • Content Management Systems that generate accessibility

    Imagine if the tools used to create websites and intranets would have built-in accessibility from the beginning, how much easier life would be! Soon, it can be a reality. Funka has received funding from the European Commission for a project that will contribute to increased accessibility in content management systems.

  • Virtual Reality for increased knowledge about hidden disabilities

    Hidden disabilities are often more difficult to understand and handle for the outside world, than physical impairments. Funka has received funding from Vinnova, Sweden’s innovation agency, to work on Virtual Reality experiences based on real stories from people with different disabilities. The aim is to develop training material that can contribute to an inclusive working life.

  • Criteria for cognitive accessibility of digital interfaces

    In a new research project, Funka will develop testable requirements to ensure that digital interfaces are accessible from a cognitive perspective. Today's standards and regulations focus on technical solutions for physical impairments, but many users have completely different types of needs.

  • Funka investigates democracy tools in Norway

    To strengthen democracy, many municipalities are starrting to use digital tools for citizen dialogue. In order for everyone to participate on the same terms, the tools must of course be inclusive. Funka has been assigned to investigate how tools for citizen dialogue work for persons with disabilities.

  • Simulations of neurodiversity increase awareness

    In a project financed by the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs, Funka will create training material based on user experiences. By simulating how persons with neuropsychiatric conditions experience life, we can raise awareness among our clients and others.

  • Accessible language learning for immigrants

    By winning the Innovation Competition run by the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority, the tech startup Lingio, with help from Funka, will be able to make its language app accessible to persons with disabilities.

  • Accessible Recruitment

    Recruitment processes often use personality tests, but the tests are rarely accessible. WeCompose and Funka have won the Innovation Competition of the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority with a project that aims to change this situation.

  • New research project on personalized accessibility

    A system that adapts to the user instead of the other way around, it sounds almost too good to be true, right? We are starting a research project aimed at developing and testing somthing that could become a ”cognitive screen reader”.

  • Funka leads major EU-project on digital innovation

    During the next three and a half years, Funka will manage a project aiming at supporting large scale uptake of digital innovation in active and healthy ageing, funded by the European Commission.

  • Project for an inclusive labor market

    With funding from the Norwegian UNIKT, Funka is looking forward to collect good examples and practices to get persons with disabilities into work. Many studies focus on the problems, but we want to point out what actually works!

  • Digitalization of audits!

    With funding from Sweden's Innovation Agency Vinnova, we are going to develop and test a prototype for digital management of expert-based accessibility audits of web interfaces.

  • New research project to interpret WCAG

    Funka, together with German DIAS and French BrailleNet, will compare and discuss how to interpret WCAG. The goal is to achieve consensus among accessibility experts.

  • Improving digital health literacy in Europe

    Funka has joined a new EU project aimed at testing a new model of digital health literacy. The aim is to develop training to enhance EU citizens’ skills on online health information.

  • Information that reaches all users

    Right now Funka is conducting a follow-up study on how public sector informs people who for various reasons find it difficult to read and understand information. Focus is on including the perspective of persons with another maternal language.

  • New project about understandable information

    Funka is participating in a new exciting project about how persons with different types of cognitive difficulties can get more understandable information. The Swedish Dyslexia Association is leading the project.

  • A tool to measure accessibility

    One of the winners of the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority’s innovation competition ”Best in business” is Ayond, who will, in cooperation with Funka, develop a tool to measure accessibility – for real.

  • Working with dyslexia - a new exciting project

    The Swedish Association of persons with Dyslexia is leading a project to examine how persons with dyslexia handle their work situation where Funka is participating with accessibility knowledge.

  • Manual for local consultative assemblies of persons with disabilities in Norway

    Funka has received funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation to develop a manual for persons who are active in local and regional consultative assemblies for persons with disabilities in Norway.

  • Accessibility and tourism

    Another project for Funka in Turkey: this time we are going to to develop instructional videos about accessibility and disabilities for the The Turkish Union of Tourist Guides’ Chambers.

  • EU-project on women with disabilities

    Funka is partner of a recently approved EU funded project addressing barriers hampering women with disabilities to fully engage themselves in cultural and socio-economic environments.

  • WeGovNow: from e-Government to We-Government

    Together with Empirica as project leaders and other partners, Funka participates in a EU-funded research project aiming to develop a new, interactive platform for e-participation.

  • Innovative community living for young people

    Together with Gisselberg Architects, Funka is developing the housing of a new generation. The Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning is financing the project with the aim of creating accessible, attractive and economic living environment for the young.

  • Innovative project on learning platform

    With support from the innovation programme Eurostars, Funka will support Claned Group and Laurea University in Finland to further develop the digital learning platform CLANED and to improve the accessibility of the solution.

  • Dispel the myths!

    With funding from the Jimmy Dahlsten foundation, Funka is privileged to run a project to inspire creative solutions in order to reach higher accessibility.

  • Communication platform for schools

    Funka is one of the winners of the The Swedish Post and Telecom Authority’s innovation competition “Simplify for parents”. We will develop a platform for communication between parents, teachers and pupils that works for everyone.

  • Inclusive tool for data collection

    Questionnaires and surveys often work poorly for persons with different disabilities. That is one of the reasons that these users are not visible in statistics. Funka, The Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, and the Dyslexia Association in Sweden have now been granted innovation support from Vinnova, Sweden’s innovation agency, to develop a tool that works for all.

  • Navigation Support for Older Travellers with Memory Decline (NavMem)

    The AAL-funded NavMem project has ended successfully. Funka has participated in the final phases and contributed to business modelling and accessibility requirements.

  • Smarter meetings

    Funka, the Royal Technical University of Stockholm and several end user organisations are going to test methods for effective meetings for persons with cognitive and mental disabilities.

  • Web app for inventory

    With funding from the EU within the framework of CreatiFi Accelerators, Funka will develop a prototype for a web app for self-inventory for accessibility in the built environment.

  • Funka is leading the EIPAHA Support Action

    Funka has been awarded by the European Commission to lead and coordinate the support of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing, EIPAHA, during 2015 and 2016. The project is funded by the framework programme Horizon 2020.

  • A digital school for all

    Initiated by Funka and with funding from Sweden’s Innovation Agency, VINNOVA, Funka has launched a new exciting innovation project within the school area. The project is about improving the conditions for students, teachers and parents with disabilities.

  • Cognitive accessibility: an evaluation of knowledge

    In cooperation with the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and the Dyslexia Association in Sweden, Funka’s industrial PhD student Stefan Johansson has participated in a survey on the documented knowledge in the field of cognitive accessibility.

  • Accessibility for people with mental disorders

    As part of our efforts to raise awareness about accessibility for people with mental disorders Funka has conducted a pilot study with the Royal Institute of Technology and the National Association for Social and Mental Health, RSMH, in Sweden. The project has examined how people with mental disorders use electronic communication.

  • Mobile Navigation Guidelines

    In cooperation with 20 of our customers, Funka led a crowdsourcing project on navigation concepts in mobile interfaces. After having reviewed and tested existing navigation concepts, we developed and tested new prototypes. The work resulted in guidelines on mobile navigation, free to use by everyone.

  • European research project on Down syndrome

    Together with the Norwegian research organisation Karde as Project Manager and financed by the European Commission Seventh Framework Programme, Funka participates in a research project on how people with Down syndrome can be better integrated in society. Stefan Johansson from Funka is one of the experts in the research team.

  • Research on cognitive accessibility

    Funka will examine how we can create accessibility for people with cognitive impairments, how to make individuals with cognitive impairments participate in development and how to implement their requirements in standardisation and rules. The project is made together with disability organisations in Sweden and funded by the Swedish Inheritance Found Commission and the Swedish Consumer Agency.

  • Friends – A Project about Social Media

    Financed by the Norwegian research institution IT-funk Funka performed a research project in collaboration with the Norwegian research company Karde on how young people with Asperger’s syndrome use social media. Using surveys and statistics, we were able to come up with a result that will hopefully lay the ground for further research on the subject.

  • Tablets in schools – do they work for everyone?

    On behalf of the Norwegian Associaton of the Blind and Partially Sighted, Funka has investigated the use of tablets in schools. How do the platforms comply with accessibility requirements? Which built in assistive technology is best from a user experience perspective? Which of the relevant applications are working well for what target groups?

  • Mobile guidelines

    Financed by the Swedish Internet Fund, Funka has analysed mobile interfaces and made user tests, made prototypes with improvements and tested again. The work resulted in guidelines for accessible mobile interfaces that are free for everyone to use - comments and feed back are most welcome!

  • Funka evaluates digital learning management systems

    Digital learning management systems, LMS, have become an important tool in teaching at all levels. But for all pupils and students to be able to use them, they must be accessible.

  • Accessibility with the Adobe LiveCycle Designer

    On behalf of Adobe, Funka has conducted tests on how the Adobe LiveCycle Designer works from an accessibility point of view to create e-services. Solutions created with the LiveCycle Designer can be made more accessible for users than files created with Adobe Acrobat. The advantage in using the LiveCycle Designer is that you can achieve more, for instance in the field of dynamic forms.

  • Automatic translations

    Financed by the Internet Foundation, Swedish Language Institute and local governments with special requirements for minority language, Funka has been leading a study researching the use of automatic translations on the web, making user tests and technical research on how automatic translation services cope with small languages like Swedish.

  • Understandable information

    Financed by the Swedish Inheritance Found Commission, Funka has been leading a research project on human perception and understanding content, studying how different end user groups prefer and best understand content on the web. We have developed a testing interface where end users can interact with content, thereby pointing out difficulties and answering questions so we objectively can measure whether they do understand the content or not.

  • Adobe Reader and assistive technology products – a study in compatibility

    Adobe has assigned Funka to perform a study on how pdf-files work with different assistive technology. Through user tests and expert evaluations, we’ve found that the pdf- format in itself isn’t an issue, but the problems lie in the lack of knowledge of those who create the files.