In October 2025 BTF+ (the Bristol Festival of Tech, Creativity + Culture) hosted talks, technology showcases, immersive performances, future-facing learning and discussions on themes from leadership and AI to sustainability and creativity. As Calvium’s local technology festival, we supported and participated over the week of events, with CEO Jo Reid taking part in a panel on digital innovation and the maker mindset.
Later in the week, as part of this broad celebration of innovation and culture, the ‘Inclusive and Accessible Technology Design’ session brought together leading voices from policy, academia, animation, and creative technology to explore how we can build more inclusive digital futures, not as an afterthought, but as a fundamental design principle. These different perspectives provided a rich variety of key takeaways and vibrant discussion.
Accessibility shouldn’t be an update — it should be the OS.
Charise Johnson, Policy Adviser in Data & Digital Technologies, The Royal Society
Charise opened the session with insights from her work on a landmark Royal Society report titled “Disability Technology: How data and digital assistive technologies can support independent, fulfilled lives”.
The report’s scope is expansive, addressing multiple sectors and real-world case studies, including a collaboration with Sony PlayStation on accessible game design. Johnson noted how developers are increasingly using Discord to co-design with disabled users, a great example of inclusive innovation in action.
Her biggest call to action was to recognise smartphones as assistive devices and design them accordingly. This reframe could have huge implications for how everyday technologies are developed and standardised. For those working at the intersection of place and technology, this insight reinforces the need to treat mobile interfaces not just as tools, but as enablers of independence.
Photo: BTF+
The importance of cultural memory
With decades of experience in accessible tech, Prof. Simon McKeown, Artist, Technologist, and long-time advocate for accessible design, brought a valuable historical lens to the conversation. Citing groundbreaking games like Driver (the first to feature subtitles), McKeown reminded the audience that disability tech has a deep-rooted legacy, particularly in the UK.
But that legacy is at risk. McKeown pointed out that while the UK pioneered modern mobility technology, much of that industry has since moved overseas, a shift he attributes to dwindling support and investment.
He also flagged the importance of cultural memory, urging designers not to forget the historical artefacts of disability technology, especially in fields like film and TV. In the near future, he sees great potential for robotics and mobility, and how new technologies could redefine independence for disabled people.
Inclusion is fairness
Tim Rourke brought a deeply personal perspective to the discussion. Living with a disability himself, Rourke used storytelling to explore and express the nuances of inclusion in his BBC animated short film The Penguin That Couldn’t Swim. “There’s something profoundly honest about animation,” he noted, highlighting the medium’s power to communicate complexity with clarity.
For Rourke, “inclusion is fairness”, a simple but powerful reminder that should sit at the heart of all design practices.
Photo: BTF+. Helios, by Luke Jarman in Bristol Cathedral.
Imagining alternative futures
Dr. Simon Moreton, Associate Professor of Creative Economies, UWE Bristol, offered a provocative critique of the tech industry’s limitations. Moreton questioned the narrow worldview of many tech companies, one shaped by profit-first logic rather than community or care.
His report “Hopeful Futures for Creative Innovation” advocates for a radically inclusive creative economy and one that moves toward models of mutual support and long-term value. Citing thinkers like Rachel Coldicutt (Careful Industries), Moreton challenged the room to imagine alternative futures: not just accessible technologies, but accessible systems, platforms, and funding models that prioritise people over profit.
Inclusion isn’t optional — it’s foundational.
Being committed to enabling inclusive, accessible experiences in public spaces, we were struck by the clarity and urgency of the messages shared. Whether it’s rethinking mobile design, remembering histories, or challenging design culture, the takeaway is clear: inclusion isn’t optional — it’s foundational.
We believe that technology designed to enhance connection with place must serve everyone. This means embedding accessibility not just in our tools, but in how we collaborate, co-create, and share stories in our places.
Want to learn more about our approach to inclusive place-based technology? Get in touch or explore our latest projects and tools for more insights.
