Also, Guide Dogs are trialling a similar system with Microsoft called Cities
Unlocked. There is a video somewhere out there demonstrating a day out for a
father and son and how this scheme could help them have a day out in London
dependently, i.e. the programme could enable you to buy your tickets for the
underground or the event you plan to see; the system would be intelligent
enough that when you arrive at the underground station it would tell you
which platform to go to or if the train had been delayed. When they go into
the museum, it read the notices on the exhibit cases etc. etc. I don't know
if this video is available on Guide Dog's website.
I'm going to a conference in September when I should learn how this research
is progressing.
The idea is that it would not just help sight impaired people, but would be
of use to anyone, for example, as you pass Boots, it could be advertising
"deals of the day" etc.
Alison
--- Begin Message ---Hi David
- From: "John Ramm" <john@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2016 09:28:57 +0100
This is an interesting question.
First of all, Wayfinder as an app is not based on GPS but on localised
Bluetooth devices and so is great for indoor navigation as well as for
getting around open spaces. The Royal London Society for the Blind are
championing this technology through their youth forum so you might get
better comments if you can contact them as they are actually using it in
areas of London such as transport terminals and tube stations I believe. I'm
pretty keen to try it out myself, but haven't done so yet.
but in general I think I agree with others on the list that GPS is not
better than tactile ways of finding your way around. The caviat to this is
that blind people need to know what the tactile markes mean. If I'm looking
for a bridge and I follow a tactile marker for a green area with benches,
for example, because no one has told me what markers represent then I'm no
better off than I was before. I also imagine that installing some Bluetooth
receivers is a great deal cheaper than tactile markers in a large area and
that will probably be what your committee is interested in to some extent.
I believe that there is a real need for some new form of accurate navigation
method for indoor areas and for outdoor areas not covered by GPS location
such as Centre Parks holiday resorts where there are plenty of good paths,
but no way for a blind person to identify where they are within that complex
network.
I hope this is helpful, John Ramm
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [ <mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of David Griffith
Sent: Monday, August 1, 2016 4:48 PM
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Wayfinder System
I wonder if I could seek any knowledge or experience from people using the
Wayfinder system.
To explain I am on the Built Environment Access Panel for the LLODCÂ and as
such I help scrutinise developments in and around the Olympic Park area of
London.
An ongoing point of discussion I have with various Architect teams is their
use of open spaces without any environmental aids, such as guided tactile
paving to assist long cane users to, for example, navigate to walkways and
bridges.
It has been suggested to me on this Panel that the Wayfinder system would
be a more realistic technological solution to enabling visually impaired
people to traverse open spaces, rather than installing tactile markers.
Does anybody have formal or personal feedback - negative or positive on the
usefulness of the Wayfinder system and whether it is a suitable option for
navigating open spaces?
David Griffith
John Ramm
Drummer for 40days - @40daysofficial -
<http://www.facebook.com/40dayswrexham> www.facebook.com/40dayswrexham -
<http://www.soundcloud.com/40daysofficial> www.soundcloud.com/40daysofficial
Chair, RNIB Cymru - <http://www.rnib.org.uk/wales-cymru-1>
www.rnib.org.uk/wales-cymru-1
Trustee, Action for Blind People -
<http://www.actionforblindpeople.org.uk/> www.actionforblindpeople.org.uk/
Non Executive Director, Habinteg Housing Association -
<http://www.habinteg.org.uk/> www.habinteg.org.uk
Clore Social Fellow: <http://www.cloresocialleadership.org/>
www.cloresocialleadership.org
1.
--- End Message ---
