Implementation of smart solution in cities could reduce obstacles for people with disabilities. In Taiwan, plans are being developed to utilize smart phones and other devices to help those with visual impairment have a clear way of traversing through an environment.
Implementation of smart solution in cities could reduce obstacles for people with disabilities. In Taiwan, plans are being developed to utilize smart phones and other devices to help those with visual impairment have a clear way of moving through an environment.
Sound is an important sense for those with visual impairment. It may be difficult for a visually impaired person to pinpoint the exact location they need be such as finding the bus station. Developing position applications by utilizing sound and GPS to guide the individual through an area becomes an important aspect when integrating smart technologies.
The Institute for Information Industry in Taiwan has proposed a plan to integrate devices and services in cities to gear toward those with visual impairment. THLight, a Taiwanese company developing location beacons, are helping to make easier traversal with their technology. The beacon can be placed strategically in buildings such as schools or even throughout cities. The individual can enter a location into a smart phone app that works in correlation with the beacon and GPS. A voice-over will guide them to each beacon until they reached their destination. At the beacon, the app will give the current location and direction to the next stop. The combination of voice-over, beacon and GPS can help eliminate the chance for a visually impaired individual being at a wrong location.
Services is just as important as technology when it comes to providing a disabled friendly environment. Public facilities can implement on-call services to guide a visually impaired individual through the area to help them familiarize with the location. National Library of Public Information in Taichung, Taiwan is one of the facility which offers this service for the visually impaired by using a smart phone app to request a staff that will guide them through the facility.
As the future becomes more technology oriented, it opens up the possibility of a safer and communicative city for the disabled community.