Enhancing the Safety of Visually Impaired Travellers in and around Transit Stations

The TechBridge World research group at Carnegie Mellon University has been exploring specific needs and constraints encountered by blind or visually impaired (B/VI) adults when using transit stations. Through this work, the findings indicated a strong need for a tool that allows these travelers to annotate routes with their own notes of useful information, and to easily obtain and use relevant information from trusted sources. The authors initially prototyped an accessible Android smartphone tool that has significant potential to enhance the safety of these travelers. The authors developed two interfaces for this prototype tool: 1) for B/VI trusted sources, and 2) for sighted trusted individuals. Based on feedback received from the initial prototype, the research team focused on re-designing the NavPal app to enhance its robustness and user interface, and to allow for seamless integration of both indoor and outdoor navigation. This document describes the NavPal prototype app as well as the findings from a user study to determine the components' effectiveness and solicit feedback for improvement.

• Record URL:
  http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/tier-one-reports/Dias_TSETFinalReport.pdf
• Record URL:
  http://ppms.cit.cmu.edu/media/project_files/138_-_Dias_TSETFinalReport.pdf
• 
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/31302
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  Technologies for Safe and Efficient Transportation University Transportation Center

  Carnegie Mellon University
  Pittsburgh, PA  United States  15213

  Research and Innovative Technology Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Dias, M Bernardine
  • Teves, Ermine
  • Hochendoner, Eric
  • Sistla, Praneetha
  • Min, Byung-Cheol
  • Steinfeld, Aaron
• Publication Date: 2016

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Research Report
• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: 17p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Assistive technology; Blind persons; Mobile applications; Rail transit stations; Smartphones; User interfaces (Computer science); Visually impaired persons
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01603605
• Record Type: Publication
• Contract Numbers: DTRT12GUTG11
• Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, RITA, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Jun 28 2016 4:41PM