Fine, pass on comments from me.
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Redacted
sender "alexander.shannon" for DMARC
Sent: 12 November 2020 20:05
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: New tech helps visually-impaired Hover travel
passengers navigate through COVID-19-secure surroundings - On The Wight
Hi Barry, Martin, Vanja and all.
As I happen to have a friend who is blind who lives on the Isle of Wight, I
sent him the article privately and mentioned that there were some members on
this list who had commented on the fact that the article implied that the
system was designed for blind and visually impaired travellers. Particularly
mentioning but not quoting Barry’s comment regarding RF Tags.
It turns out that the friend concerned is a trustee of the society, and he’s
come back to me saying he’s particularly interested in Barry’s comment
regarding RF tags, but in view of not only Barry’s comment, but both the
comments from Vanja and Martin, with their permission, I’d be willing to pass
on all comments so far, from those of you I’ve mentioned.
Alexander Shannon
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
<access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > On Behalf Of martin
wilsher (Redacted sender "martinwilsher" for DMARC)
Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2020 12:51 PM
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [access-uk] Re: New tech helps visually-impaired Hover travel
passengers navigate through COVID-19-secure surroundings - On The Wight
I don’t think those who have designed this have taken the first principal into
consideration. If you are signing for visually impaired people, go to the end
stage and test usability with someone who is totally blind, then if they can
use it, everyone can.
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
<access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > On Behalf Of Vanja
Sudar
Sent: 11 November 2020 12:07
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [access-uk] Re: New tech helps visually-impaired Hovertravel
passengers navigate through Covid-secure surroundings - On The Wight
Plus not all of us as precise as some others using the phone camera. Sure as I
practiced my ability to locate things via a camera has improved, but I still
feels as locating something as a Qr code may present me with difficulties.
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
<access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > On Behalf Of martin
wilsher (Redacted sender "martinwilsher" for DMARC)
Sent: 11 November 2020 10:42
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [access-uk] Re: New tech helps visually-impaired Hovertravel
passengers navigate through Covid-secure surroundings - On The Wight
How the hell can someone who is totally blind find a qr code? I had enough
trouble finding one on a screen a foot away from me when trying to verify
myself on govt verify using my smartphone camera, it was only because the app
on screen changed if it saw the qr code that I could know I’d got the code in
view.
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
<access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > On Behalf Of
Redacted sender "barry.hill3" for DMARC
Sent: 11 November 2020 09:45
To: 'Access UK' <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> >
Subject: [access-uk] New tech helps visually-impaired Hovertravel passengers
navigate through Covid-secure surroundings - On The Wight
I can’t deny that this is useful and much better than nothing, but I would have
preferred to have seen it as RF tags instead of QR codes that a blind traveller
has to find with their smartphone.
"Visually impaired accessible technology" - Google News - Tuesday, November 10,
2020 at 2:39 AM
New tech helps visually-impaired Hovertravel passengers navigate through
Covid-secure surroundings - On The Wight
Sight for Wight, the Isle of Wight independent charity dedicated to providing
information and support to visually impaired Islanders, has launched an
innovative new technology designed to help customers understand more about the
Hovertravel experience and its current Covid-19
<https://onthewight.com/about/coronavirus> precautions.
Lisa Hollyhead, CEO of Sight for Wight, explains,
“As someone born with 88% sight loss, I have found the huge number of physical
Covid secure changes made in, what were, very familiar surroundings, difficult
to judge. I knew voice was the way to help resolve this but how to turn a
poster into voice was the challenge. Lockdown allowed me to research to resolve
this and ‘Hello Everyone’ was born. Our audible QR codes provides audible
guidance giving a basic layout, where to go and what to avoid in any building
or environment.
“As a regular user of Hovertravel, I approached them and described, from a
visually impaired person’s point of view, how different the terminal was
compared to my usual journey. They responded immediately and both terminals are
now installed with the ‘Hello Everyone’ QR Codes. Hovertravel now has an
audible guide to help people through the terminal and onto the crafts using a
simple voice.”
How it works
The system is based on the idea of utilising QR codes (two-dimensional barcode)
which are scanned using the camera on a smartphone equipped with QR reader
software.
This software decodes the barcode to a URL and directs the phone’s browser to
fetch an audio file from the Web that contains a verbal description of the
environment.
The information is expected to be useful in real-time interaction with
customers who want to understand more about the Hovertravel experience.
Both terminals at Ryde and Southsea, the craft environment and the Covid-secure
measures are all described in detail in the audio file, providing the
Hovertravel passenger with an accessible layer of information about their
surroundings.
Chapman: A valuable addition to our customer communications
Neil Chapman, managing director of Hovertravel, adds,
“We were approached by the team at Sight for Wight with feedback about our
service and this very simple, but effective concept was suggested. Any
smartphone will scan this QR code and then the customer presses play to listen.
“Throughout this pandemic we have been keen to give customers confidence that
Hovertravel is safe and secure, and this project is a valuable addition to our
customer communications.
“We are very grateful to Sight for Wight’s suggestion and assistance in making
this innovation a reality. It is another great example of two Island
organisations working together for the good of all travellers.”
Find out more
Sight for Wight also supports the families, friends and carers of visually
impaired Isle of Wight residents.
Membership is free to all Islanders affected by sight loss. For more details,
please visit the Website <https://www.sightforwight.org.uk/> .
News shared by Stephen on behalf of Hovertravel. Ed
https://onthewight.com/new-tech-helps-visually-impaired-hovertravel-passengers-navigate-through-covid-secure-surroundings/