Marek Ševčík

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Design Award

Improving escalator experience through accessible wayfinding

Design awarded concept
AI Background
MY ROLE

Led the project from research to interaction design. The work focused on one overlooked accessibility gap: the few seconds between leaving an escalator and knowing where to go next.

Interviews
Conducted interviews with people with various disabilities and from different urban hubs.
Observation of people flow in malls, and transit hubs.
Observation
Observed what happens when the floor arrives too fast.
RESEARCH SESSIONS

Interviews

Spoke with people with visual, cognitive and mobility impairments about what makes escalator ride difficult.

Observation

The exit was where I noticed a severe chokepoint. People need to move, orient themselves and avoid others at the same time.

Exiting an escalator is a micro‑moment of vulnerability, where small confusion sets off a chain reaction.

Interaction tested

Designed and tested various ways of delivering guidance cues during the escalator ride - when people have time to make decisions.

User testing using a wizard-of-ozz prototype.
Mascot in a pose as its analysing AI Image
Guidance stays short, visible and calm enough for a crowded public space.
A specific User Interface for communication with AI
The interface reduces the task to one question: where do I go next?

Laser-projected augumented reality to guide the users to their destination.

SOLUTION

Escalight is a projected handrail interface that gives people a simple directional cue while they are still on the escalator.

Escalight uses laser projection on the handrail, moving at the speed of the escalator so it stays with the user.

The interaction is reduced to a short, readable flow so it can work in crowded, time‑sensitive environments.

One interface. Many public spaces.

The interface can support monetisation, and integration with wider smart-city ecosystems.

Adapts to different service systems.

It integrates with service ecosystems, improving the flow of people in malls, airports and metro stations.

User Interface concept for Escalators
Airport
User Interface concept for Escalators in shopping malls
Shopping mall
User Interface concept for Escalators in the Metro
Metro
User Interface concept for Escalators in hotels and venues
Hotel
User Interface concept for Escalators in Cinemas and theatres
Cinema
User Interface concept for Escalators for emergency and evacutation situations.
Emergency

Dynamic routines

Guidance changes with the place and the hour.

Morning use case: the system prioritises routine routes and fast, low-effort decisions.
Morning: support the everyday rush.
AI visualization
The content can dynamically change based on people's behaviour, time of the day, live bus schedules opening hours etc.
AI visualization
Evening use case: the system can adjust its guidance as crowd patterns, routes or safety needs change.
Evening: lead your guests to your amenities.

© 2026 Marek Ševčík