Our Audio Beacons Guide the Blind and Visually Impaired at the Helsinki Subway

Our Audio Beacons Guide the Blind and Visually Impaired at the Helsinki Subway

by | 10 Mar, 2023

The inside of the Kivenlahti subway station with audio beacons outside and inside the platform door announcing the direction of the subway line and Glowway light emitting yellow tactile path guiding the right place of the train accessible door.

Our Audio Beacons Guide the Blind and Visually Impaired at the Helsinki Subway

Our audio beacons equip the new line of the Helsinki subway in Finland. They help blind and visually impaired people locate the points of interest of a station. 

For users with visual impairments and the subway alike, this new system represents quite a change. Before our audio beacons, a permanent  audio signage solution was in place. This means there was constant noise pollution.

We asked Juha Sylberg, Accessibility expert at Axessible and a member of the Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired (FFVI), who developed the project, to tell us why using our audio beacons was necessary. And how it has improved the users’ experience.

For this solution to be adopted by blind and visually impaired people, Juha Sylberg worked closely with associations. Their feedback was essential to make sure our audio beacons truly met their needs.

What are the issues met by blind or visually impaired people when they use the subway in Helsinki? 

When you cannot see the signs, finding the route from the entrance of a new station to the platform is complex. For a blind rider to use the station, he must beforehand visit the station with a guide, learn the route and keep it in mind for the next time he visits the station. 

In wintertime, the tactile path outside the station is covered with snow. The audio signs are the only landmarks that help visually impaired people locate the entrance of a station.

The Helsinki subway ordered 50 of our NAVIGUEO+ HIFI audio beacons to equip its new stations. What was your role in this project? 

The new subway line from Helsinki to Espoo is fully equipped with those smart audio beacons. The guiding audio and tactile path is continuous from the entrance to the elevators and down to the platform for riders to go to the accessible door of the train. 

In the next station, the path is continuous from the same train door to the exit. The audio beacons at the exit announce the bus stops outside the station. 

My role was to work in close connection with the architect designing the accessible routes of the stations and find the right decision points like where audio information was needed. Together with the architect we designed a safe and easy accessible route from a bus stop to the train. After the route was planned, my role was to describe it in words and save the messages in the audio beacons.

The audio beacons have four levels of information in three languages. The level of information depends on the users’ preferences.

For a daily trip from home to school, a jingle, a short bird song, is enough to locate the door.

A person who doesn’t use the subway line everyday can also listen to the short message, the names of the door and subway line.

A person who visits the subway station for the first time can listen to the long message, a verbal turn-by-turn description from the entrance to the next audio beacon. The next audio beacon tells again the route forward until the person is at the right platform outside the right train door.

The fourth message tells the opening hours of the station and the possible exceptions for the night-time walking routes.    

Can you explain the standard audio beacons in Finland used before our NAVIGUEO+ HIFI audio beacons?

The standard audio beacons emit a sound night and day, always at the same volume when powered. That is the reason why their use was limited in areas with people living nearby. The neighbors are the most common reason the existing old beacons are shutting down. The old beacons are also often vandalized because the continuous sound irritates some people.

We wanted to increase the number of sound beacons but it was obvious no one was willing to use those old irritating beacons anymore.

You worked with associations of users with visual impairments. What role did these associations play in the implementation of these audio beacons?

It was a process of many years to convince our elderly members to accept a new system. At the beginning, they were against the system which requires an extra device for activation like a remote control or a smartphone app. 

But after Helsinki arranged for an evaluation and invited a number of visually impaired people to test the system, all the test users said it was better than the old system.

After that, it became obvious that all new beacons are a smart system thanks to on demand activation.

But for an easier transition, we’ve kept some beacons that emit a continuous jingle for the visually impaired riders who aren’t familiar with the new system yet. 

The Helsinki subway is a perfect example of a user-centered accessibility approach. Our audio beacons represent an efficient audio signage solution that can easily be implemented worldwide. They improve the mobility and the autonomy of blind and visually impaired users without disturbing other categories of users.

And for those of you who wonder, yes, our audio beacons can resist winter conditions. At the subway station of Kuopio, temperatures can go below 30 degrees Celsius.

Want to know more about audio beacons? Check out this article: 

7 Good Reasons to Install Audio Beacons at Your Public Transport Network

Published on March 10th, 2023

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The entrance of the Kivenlahti subway station with an audio beacon integrated in the platform door panel.

In wintertime, the tactile path outside the station is covered with snow. The audio signs are the only landmarks that help visually impaired people locate the entrance of a station.

writer

Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

Content Manager & Copywriter

READ CAROLE'S BIO

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powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

ABOUT US

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

7 Good Reasons to Install Audio Beacons at Your Public Transport Network

7 Good Reasons to Install Audio Beacons at Your Public Transport Network

by | 17 Feb, 2023

A woman is getting down a subway station in New York City

7 Good Reasons to Install Audio Beacons at Your Public Transport Network

Have you heard of audio beacons? It’s probably one of the most effective solutions to help blind and visually impaired people find their way in a complex venue.

In a public transport system, audio beacons act as landmarks. Installed at different points of information, they enable the visually impaired to get down at a subway platform with more autonomy.

How do audio beacons work? What are their benefits? 

Let’s have a look at 7 ways this audio signage solution can help your riders and employees alike.

1. Audio beacons are an efficient audio signage solution

Hearing is the most used sense by people with vision disabilities. This means that in the U.S., around 12 million people with partial or complete vision loss rely on their hearing to find their way or apprehend their environment. 

And that’s where audio beacons step in. They emit information through a loudspeaker. Audio beacons are an efficient audio signage solution that enables blind and visually impaired people to:

⊗ Locate the entrance of a subway station.

⊗ Locate the elevator to get down the station.

⊗ Locate any points of interest (ticket counter, restrooms, baggage lockers, shops…).

⊗ Reach the platform: audio beacons can tell users the line directions so that they can easily know what platform they need to use.

2. No noise pollution for users

Although audio beacons provide a high-quality sound to cover ambient noise, they know how to be discreet. 

These audio beacons work with on demand activation. This means they only state their message when a visually impaired user activates them.

No risk for other users to be bothered by constant noise.

3. Audio beacons are easy to use for blind and visually impaired people

Now you must wonder how people with visual impairments activate audio beacons. 

With 2 devices: a remote control and a free smartphone app. This means the remote activation of audio beacons is entirely in their hands.

They have these devices at all times when they use public transportation.

For you as a public transit network, this entails that you don’t have to provide the activation devices. You only need to set up audio beacons at the points of interest of your network.

And of course, you need to make sure the system works well to guide blind and visually impaired people.

4. Audio beacons are easy to set up

You can upload up to 5 personalized messages. Audio beacons can give temporary or permanent information like an elevator failure, a delayed train or the direction of a trainline and timetables.

It all depends on what blind and visually impaired people need to know for their trip to be comfortable. Keep in mind they need to have the same information as sighted people.

Plus, you can easily set up the volume of the messages. At night time, depending on how busy a station is, you can lower the volume for the comfort of all users.

5. An inexpensive audio signage solution

Audio beacons are less expensive than guide paths. And also a better fit for the architecture of the network. They’re more discreet but as efficient as another signage system.

Plus, audio beacons don’t need any maintenance. They’re robust and designed to equip complex environments like public transport networks.

6. More autonomy for people with vision disabilities thanks to audio beacons

With audio beacons, they can easily navigate your network by themselves, find the right bus, get on and off a subway train… 

This means your employees are just here to give them information if they need it. You don’t need to hire extra employees to guide blind and visually impaired people.

They get around with complete autonomy thanks to the audio beacons you set up. It’s a win-win solution.

7. A system praised by the blind and visually impaired and public transit authorities in France

More than 300 stations of the railway company SNCF (National society of French railroads) are equipped with audio beacons. 

At the RATP (Autonomous Parisian Transportation Administration) in charge of public transport in Paris, it’s more than 2000 audio beacons deployed in 302 subway stations and 65 train stations. 

Why do audio beacons represent such a success in French public transport? 

Probably because of a study by the Institute of Vision made in France. According to it, 80% of the blind and visually impaired people find that audio beacons are the most useful device for them.

The study also showed how efficient audio beacons are: 100% of users managed to locate the entrance of a building equipped with an audio beacon. Without this audio beacon, only 20% of users were able to find the entrance. 

To sum up, audio beacons enable people with visual impairments to:

⊗ Get around with autonomy in a complex environment,

⊗ Use public transport,

⊗ Access practical information,

⊗ Find their bearings with safety.

Is your public transit network the next one to implement audio beacons?

Want to know more about improving the mobility of people with disabilities on public transport? Check out these articles:

Paratransit Services for People with Disabilities: Yes You Can Reduce Their Costs

How Innovation Promises to Revolutionize Accessibility in the New York City Subway

How Can Multimodal Transit Centers Be Accessible for People with Disabilities?

Published on February 17th, 2023

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An audio beacon at Okeenea's entrance

Audio beacons can give temporary or permanent information like an elevator failure, a delayed train or the direction of a trainline and timetables. (…) Keep in mind the visually impaired need to have the same information as sighted people.

writer

Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

Content Manager & Copywriter

READ CAROLE'S BIO

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powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

ABOUT US

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

How Does a Blind Person Use Their Smartphone to Improve Their Mobility?

How Does a Blind Person Use Their Smartphone to Improve Their Mobility?

by | 16 Dec, 2022

A blind woman uses the smartphone app Evelity to get around in a complex venue

How Does a Blind Person Use Their Smartphone to Improve Their Mobility?

We know a guide dog can do many things for the mobility of its blind owner but they have their limitations. And that being accompanied by a sighted person is sometimes necessary. But is there a solution for blind and visually impaired people to be more independent and autonomous in their getting around? 

The answer is simple: with a smartphone.  It has turned into an everyday mobility assistant. 

How do they use their smartphone exactly? How has it revolutionized their mobility and their way of apprehending cities and venues?

Let’s dive in what technology has best to offer: making the lives of people with a visual impairment easier. 

The smartphone enhances inclusive mobility

This may probably surprise you but 89% of blind and visually impaired people use a smartphone. They can easily use their smartphone thanks to a screen reader. 

Of those 89%, 69% use VoiceOver and 29.5% TalkBack. 

They can send a text to a friend, reply to a colleague’s email, check out the weather forecast, subscribe to a Facebook page, do their shopping and pretty much anything other users do.

What interests us here is how a smartphone can help them get around in a city, how it can shape inclusive mobility. 

Cross the street

We all know that accessible pedestrian signals are essential for them. Innovative and connected APS like aBeacon provide remote and on demand activation.

With just a smartphone app, they can activate the accessible pedestrian signal of the crossing. 

The Ultimate Guide to Accessible Pedestrian Signals

Calculate their itinerary

The best way for blind and visually impaired people to tackle going to a new place is to fully prepare beforehand. They check out the specific address of the venue and calculate their itinerary.

This enables them to know how to reach their destination, which bus or subway line they need to use, and to organize as to arrive on time to their appointment.

Use public transportation

What’s the traffic like? When is the next bus due? People with vision disabilities can easily check their city’s public transit app. 

If their city provides this service, they can also use the MaaS platform (Mobility as a Service). It regroups every mode of transport available. They can plan their trip and even pay for it directly on the platform.

Use a GPS

Google Maps is one of the most popular GPS. It provides people with vision disabilities real-time traffic information. Plus its “Accessible Places” feature can help them locate a building entrance.

It’s the perfect GPS to find their way in the city and get information on the location of venues.

But there’s also indoor GPS like Evelity, an inclusive navigation app.

It helps blind and visually impaired people find their bearings in a complex venue like a subway network, a college or university, a museum, a shopping mall… 

Evelity provides step-by-step audio instructions with an accuracy up to 1 meter. It’s currently being tested at the JaySt-MetroTech subway station in New York City. 

Locate the entrance of a subway station or a public venue

Before being able to use Evelity within a subway station, people with visual impairments first need to locate the entrance of the subway station.

An audio beacon remains the most cost-effective and easiest solution to implement. 

When a blind person is nearby the subway station, they just have to activate its audio information using the dedicated smartphone app. The message can indicate the direction of the line and the opening hours of the station.

Once the audio beacon emits its message, the blind person can easily go towards it. And later on use Evelity.

This represents the perfect example of phygital: the combination of a physical equipment and a digital solution to improve accessibility.

What Is a Phygital Experience and How Can It Improve the Accessibility of Your Venue?

The smartphone is a powerful ally for the mobility of blind and visually impaired people

You’ve seen how people with vision disabilities can use their smartphone as a mobility assistant. But are you sure to understand the impact it has on their lives? And what it means for our cities and public venues?

More autonomy when getting around 

Using their smartphone, people with a visual impairment don’t need human assistance to find their way in a complex venue nor to find the entrance of the subway station. They remain autonomous.

And they take their mobility into their own hands. They can assess their options regarding their means of transportation. It’s entirely up to them.

Plus, if a public transport gains more accessibility thanks to an inclusive navigation app, this means blind and visually impaired people can use it instead of paratransit services.

Not having to rely on human assistance or paratransit services means less costs for a venue or a public transport authority.

Paratransit Services for People with Disabilities: Yes You Can Reduce Their Costs

Easy-to-use device

Blind and visually impaired people who use their own smartphone are already familiar with its features. They don’t need time to set it up nor to follow complicated directions for use. It’s more practical and easier for them to use their own smartphone than an unknown device.

For venues, cities and public transit, this means they just have to make the technology available to them: implementing accessible pedestrian signals like aBeacon that can be activated with an app and deploying an indoor navigation system like Evelity.

A mobility at hand

What’s also convenient with a smartphone is that we carry it in our pocket so we always have it on us. 

In the end, blind and visually impaired users just have to carry their smartphone. They don’t need to rely on another object they may forget at home. 

For venues and cities, this means they’re not responsible for setting up other equipment. They just have to make sure smartphones can be used.

A tool to collect accessibility data

More and more cities bet on opening data to make their services fully available to their residents.

For blind and visually impaired people, this means knowing what crossings are equipped with accessible pedestrian signals.

For cities, this means they can have information about the routes used by people with visual impairments. This can help them make the appropriate choice regarding the installation of other APS.

This is just an example of what collecting accessibility data can do. What’s sure is that it’s a win-win situation for cities and blind and visually impaired residents alike. 

As you can see, we all are more connected and blind and visually impaired people are no exception. But for them, a smartphone represents more freedom in their getting around. And this is priceless. 

Want to know more about the use of technology to help blind and visually impaired people? Check out these articles:

13 Must-Have Apps for Blind and Visually Impaired People

Mobility Apps for Blind People or How Technology Can Replace Special Assistance at the Airport

Artificial Intelligence and Accessibility: Examples of a Technology That Serves People with Disabilities

Published on December 16th, 2022

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A blind woman uses Evelity in the Lyon metro for inclusive mobility

Using their smartphone, people with a visual impairment don’t need human assistance to find their way in a complex venue nor to find the entrance of the subway station. They remain autonomous.

writer

Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

Content Manager & Copywriter

READ CAROLE'S BIO

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powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

ABOUT US

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

How to Foster Inclusive Mobility at Public Transit?

How to Foster Inclusive Mobility at Public Transit?

by | 18 Nov, 2022

A train arriving at the JaySt-MetroTech subway station in New York City where tests are currently being held to foster inclusive mobility

How to Foster Inclusive Mobility at Public Transit?

You probably have heard of inclusive mobility but do you know what it actually means? For public transit all over the world, this notion gets more and more important. And more realistic to implement as many accessibility solutions enable people with disabilities to use public transport.

Because that’s what inclusive mobility entails. It gives people with disabilities more freedom and spontaneity to easily go to work, attend their kid’s recital, have a drink with their friends…

Let’s see what inclusive mobility solutions you can set up for your city’s public transit. You’ll be able to provide users with disabilities with a high-quality service.

What is inclusive mobility?

A concept you must have heard of but you may not have taken the time to decipher. What is the meaning of inclusive mobility?

It consists in creating a barrier-free environment where all types of users, regardless of their capabilities, can easily come and go. 

After all, mobility is the ability to move freely. And inclusion represents the idea that everyone should be able to go to any type of venue, enjoy the same activities or experiences, benefit from the same services…

Of course, this concerns people with disabilities. This means that for inclusive mobility to be a reality for them, public transit needs to be accessible.

Several ideas are at stake with inclusive mobility for people with disabilities:

 ⊗ Improving their independence, autonomy and spontaneity when getting around,

 ⊗ Making sure they don’t have to adapt to public transit. It’s up to public transportation to adapt to their needs and capabilities.

 ⊗ Providing them with the same choices as everybody else: the ability to use public transportation if they want to. 

What solutions favor inclusive mobility at public transit?

Accessible equipment, digital apps, there’s a whole variety of solutions to make public transit inclusive for riders with disabilities:

 ⊗ Elevators,

 ⊗ Escalators,

 ⊗ Stairs with nosings, handrails and a visual contrast

 ⊗ Access ramps,

 ⊗ Lowered counters,

 ⊗ Lowered ticket validity control,

 ⊗ Tactile guide paths,

 ⊗ Pictograms,

 ⊗ Visual and audio announcements… 

By now all these solutions may sound familiar to you but there are others you should particularly pay attention to. They’re a game-changer for the accessibility of a public transit network.

 ⊗ Audio beacons: a solution that helps blind and visually impaired people locate the entrance of a subway station, the elevator, the ticket machine, the counter and any other service available within the network. 

Blind and visually impaired users need to rely on an efficient audio signage system to find their bearings. And also to have access to information. The audio beacon’s message can be about the direction of the line or the timetables.

Audio beacons are very easy to install, maintain and cost-effective. Thanks to this equipment, employees aren’t solicited to guide a visually impaired person. They can focus on helping them by providing the information or services they need. 

 ⊗ Navigation apps: are accessible and inclusive indoor navigation apps really a thing? The answer is yes. Our navigation app Evelity takes into account every type of disability. This means it adapts to the user, regardless of their capabilities.

Blind and visually impaired people: Evelity provides step-by-step audio instructions thanks to a screen reader (VoiceOver for iOS and TalkBack for Android).

Deaf and hard of hearing people: visual instructions with text and icons.

People with physical disabilities: visual instructions. The app provides personalized routes. For example, a wheelchair user is only given step-free routes for their experience to be optimal.

People with mental disabilities: easy-to-read and understand instructions and icons.

This makes Evelity the perfect solution for the inclusive mobility of a public transit network. This is why the Marseilles metro in France has chosen to implement it across its entire network. And it has also set foot on American soil: Evelity is currently being tested at the JaySt-MetroTech subway station in New York City.

What is Evelity the perfect solution to make public transportation accessible?

 ⊗ It truly adapts to all types of disabilities.

 ⊗ Its technology enables it to give precise step-by-step instructions. Indeed, its geolocation provides a 1,2 m precision in order to safely guide users in a public transit network.

 ⊗ It enables users to easily find their way around with autonomy. They can use public transportation just like everyone else.   

 ⊗ An indoor navigation app is less expensive than refurbishing works to make old subway systems accessible. That’s exactly one of the reasons why the MTA turned to testing digital solutions at JaySt-MetroTech station. 

Is phygital the way to inclusive mobility?

The combination of both accessible equipment and digital solutions enables public transit to be inclusive and accessible. With phygital, riders with disabilities can better interact with the accessible solutions at their disposal within a public transit network. 

Because that’s what’s at stake here: making sure people with disabilities can easily use public transportation to gain more freedom and more spontaneity when getting around.

A digital solution combined with physical accessible equipment guarantees inclusive mobility for all categories of people. That’s called phygital.

But for a navigation app to properly work, physical accessible equipment is still necessary. Because, of course, a wheelchair user can’t use Evelity if there’s no elevator or access ramp leading to public transportation. 

Public transit needs the best of both worlds.  

What Is a Phygital Experience and How Can It Improve the Accessibility of Your Venue?

Why is it so important to implement inclusive mobility at public transit?

As part of the ADA, public transit has to be accessible for people with disabilities. Paratransit services have been set up when fixed routes aren’t fully or not at all accessible to help people with disabilities get around. But such services are expensive. Plus, they have always intended to be temporary to give time for public transit to be accessible.

Paratransit Services for People with Disabilities: Yes You Can Reduce Their Costs

But the problem is that time isn’t on the side of public transportation. Indeed, a federal court has recently ruled against the MTA because of accessibility issues.

The lawsuit was filed after the MTA renovated Middletown Road station in the Bronx where no elevator was installed for people with disabilities to access the station.

However, the ADA requires the installation of an elevator whenever a public transit network renovates a station in a way that affects its usability regardless of the cost. The only concern remains the technical feasibility of such renovations. 

It’s to be noted that only 25% of New York City’s 472 subway stations were accessible in 2018 thus leaving behind people with disabilities who cannot ride with the MTA.

Fortunately, the MTA is committed to making accessibility and inclusive mobility a reality for them by focusing on digital solutions like Evelity.

How Innovation Promises to Revolutionize Accessibility in the New York City Subway

Bear in mind that in the United States, 45% of Americans have no access to public transit. This means that what happens in New York City could set an example for other major cities in the country. 

With phygital solutions, inclusive mobility is within our grasp. Public transit can truly be accessible and inclusive for all users. The question now is: are you ready for more accessibility?

Want to know more about the accessibility of public transportation? Check out these articles:

MBTA: a Global Model of Accessible Public Transportation

The Montreal Metro on the Way to Universal Accessibility

How to Help People with Disabilities Get a Better Experience on the Subway?

Published on November 18th, 2022

© Okeenea

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A blind woman uses Evelity in the Lyon metro for inclusive mobility

The combination of both accessible equipment and digital solutions enables public transit to be inclusive and accessible. With phygital, riders with disabilities can better interact with the accessible solutions at their disposal within a public transit network.

writer

Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

Content Manager & Copywriter

READ CAROLE'S BIO

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powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

ABOUT US

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

Paratransit Services for People with Disabilities: Yes You Can Reduce Their Costs

Paratransit Services for People with Disabilities: Yes You Can Reduce Their Costs

by | 21 Oct, 2022

A man in a wheelchair in the streets

Paratransit Services for People with Disabilities: Yes You Can Reduce Their Costs

As a chief executive officer of a transit authority, you know how challenging it is to provide a reliable public transit system to all riders. And how expensive it is to set up paratransit services for people with disabilities.

But you can reduce their costs while maintaining a quality service for all users. How exactly? With an innovative app that can guide people with disabilities within your public transit network. 

Technology, combined with accessible physical equipment, can have a significant change for the everyday lives of people with disabilities. A change towards inclusive mobility. 

After all, paratransit services have only been set up to let public transit systems have time to be more accessible. And it seems this time has come.

Buckle up to find out what the future of transportation has in stock for you. You’ll see this future isn’t that far away…

What solution can be more cost-effective than paratransit services?

Let’s take a look at innovative technologies, more specifically an indoor navigation app conceived for people with disabilities: Evelity.

A single app that can help riders with disabilities navigate your public transit system with autonomy:

⊗ Evelity is designed to suit every type of profile:

     ⊗ A blind or visually impaired user has audio instructions thanks to VoiceOver and TalkBack.

     ⊗ A deaf or hard of hearing user has text instructions.

     ⊗ A person with reduced mobility like a wheelchair user benefits from optimized and step-free routes.

     ⊗ A person with intellectual disabilities has simplified interfaces.

⊗ It provides riders with disabilities with more autonomy: they just have to use their smartphone to be guided within your public transit network. 84% of them use a smartphone on a daily basis.

⊗ They can also have more spontaneity. Something they don’t have with paratransit services as they need to book their trip at least 48h in advance. With an app, no more on-demand transportation, they can rely on public transport just like everyone else.

But why is it worth it for you?

⊗ More riders with disabilities who use your subway or your bus means less paratransit services to handle. Consequently, your costs related to these services are reduced by simply making Evelity accessible to your users.

⊗ Less carbon emissions: more people using public transportation means less paratransit vehicles on the roads. Definitely good for the environment. 

⊗ You have a positive impact on people’s lives: thanks to a more accessible public transit, people with disabilities are offered the same choices as other riders. They can choose to go to work by bus or by subway. They can get around with more freedom.

⊗ You can foster inclusion: you give your public transit system a universal sense. All are welcome, regardless of their capabilities. 

⊗ You can improve an existing service and not just for riders with disabilities. It’s not just them that can use Evelity. But also the elderly who may feel anxious in a complex environment, tourists who don’t speak the language, people who have never used your subway before…

Evelity is currently being tested at the JaySt-MetroTech subway station in New York City. The MTA is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive subway network. It has perfectly understood that improving the mobility of people with disabilities within their subway is key to enhancing their experience and quality of life.

But the navigation app is fully deployed on the entire subway network of Marseilles, France. It has become the first subway system to bet on this innovative solution. A technology that focuses on users to better meet their needs. 

What should you implement for Evelity to improve the accessibility of your public transit network?

Have you heard of the term “phygital”? The words “physical” and “digital” are blended to combine both worlds.

Phygital can be seen as a bridge connecting technology and physical equipment. The goal is to provide users with a unique and interactive experience. 

As you must have guessed, Evelity represents the digital world. An app that guides riders with disabilities. But for this app to be used, your subway stations or bus stops need to be accessible in the first place.

That’s where accessible physical equipment takes place. People with disabilities need to rely on access ramps, guide paths, audio beacons to locate the subway entrance…

Physical accessibility completes technology. Phygital provides the best of both worlds. That’s how your public transit network can be accessible. Because if it’s more accessible then people with disabilities won’t need to use paratransit services. And eventually, the costs related to them will be reduced.  

How much do paratransit services cost?

According to the National Transit Database (NTD), transit operators spend 5$ on a fixed route bus trip. For paratransit services, its cost goes from $60 to $90. 

Over the years, the costs of paratransit services have kept increasing due to the growing of the aging population. 

Indeed, the average cost per paratransit trip increased by 20% between 2015 and 2018. This represents tens of millions for transit authorities which means a huge portion of their budget is dedicated to guarantee users paratransit services. 

But the problem is that this money isn’t committed to address accessibility issues in public transportation. It’s there to maintain a service that has been created to be temporary.

Why are paratransit services so costly?

⊗ The day-to-day operations of paratransit services are extremely expensive for transit authorities: gas for vehicles, the vehicles themselves and their servicing, the wages of the drivers…

⊗ Paratransit services focus on individuals instead of groups of people. They can’t group trips efficiently otherwise people with disabilities would have to wait too long and miss their appointments.

⊗ Depending on the area to cover, a single trip can be expensive as it’s difficult to carry many passengers in a vehicle.

⊗ People with serious disabilities may need to take longer to board and deboard. This affects productivity for a vehicle of paratransit services.

Why does your public transit network need such a service in the first place?

When enacted, the ADA also specifically focused on public transportation. By this, we mean that public transportation has to provide people with disabilities with an accessible network to easily get around: a seamless mobility chain.

Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, the same holds true for making public transit accessible for riders with disabilities. After all, we know it’s not easy for a subway to be accessible. The refurbishments necessary for a very old system with sprawling stations can be enormous.

That’s why the ADA has set up requirements for paratransit services: they take place within ¾ mile of all fixed routes of public transit for people who cannot use the public bus system or for those who cannot get to a point where they could access it. 

But the ultimate goal is to have a fully accessible public transit system for the aging population and the 61 million people with disabilities in the United States to navigate in their city. This is even more striking when we think about the 45% of Americans who have no access to public transportation. 

That’s why a navigation app like Evelity, combined with accessible equipment, can be helpful. Thanks to this app, your public transit system is more accessible and inclusive to all. 

People with disabilities are ready to use technology to improve their mobility. You can make this a reality by implementing an indoor navigation app suited to meet their profiles. Paratransit services can be significantly reduced. And the same applies to their costs. Now the question is are you ready for more inclusive mobility?

Want to know more about accessible public transportation? Check out these articles:

MBTA: a Global Model of Accessible Public Transportation

The Montreal Metro on the Way to Universal Accessibility

How Can Multimodal Transit Centers Be Accessible for People with Disabilities?

Published on October 21st, 2022

Man in a wheelchair: © Unsplash

JaySt-MetroTech subway station: © Okeenea

media

The entrance of the JaySt-MetroTech subway station in New York City with turnstiles

But the ultimate goal is to have a fully accessible public transit system for the aging population and the 61 million people with disabilities in the United States to navigate in their city. This is even more striking when we think about the 45% of Americans who have no access to public transportation.

writer

Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

Content Manager & Copywriter

READ CAROLE'S BIO

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powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

ABOUT US

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

Assistive Technology for People with Disabilities: Is Human Assistance Really Obsolete for Their Mobility?

Assistive Technology for People with Disabilities: Is Human Assistance Really Obsolete for Their Mobility?

by | 15 Jul, 2022

A blind woman uses Evelity, an assistive technology device, to find her bearings

Assistive Technology for People with Disabilities: Is Human Assistance Really Obsolete for Their Mobility?

 

Assistive technology for people with disabilities aims at removing accessibility barriers. This represents a central element regarding their mobility. In this article, we’ll focus only on assistive technologies that make their getting around easier. But they can be found in other aspects of their life. 

When getting around or finding their bearings, assistive technology can often replace human assistance. Airports or train stations provide human assistance that users with disabilities can book to make sure their trip goes smoothly. However, there can be limits to what this service actually does. That’s where assistive technology takes place: it can offset what human assistance may lack.

What can assistive technology actually do to help people with disabilities get around with autonomy? Can navigation assistance entirely replace human assistance? Let’s figure this out!

What is assistive technology for people with disabilities and what can it do for their mobility?

Assistive technology, also called AT, refers to assistive, adaptive and rehabilitative devices designed for people with disabilities and the elderly. These groups of people encounter difficulties in activities of daily living. They may need assistance to bathe, dress, eat or get around. 

Thanks to assistive technology, they regain more autonomy and independence. For people with learning disabilities, they can use educational softwares that help them read, learn and remain organized. They consist of text readers, notetakers and organization tools.

What interests us here is assistive technology for people with disabilities and their mobility. By mobility, we mean getting around in the city, a venue or a public transportation with the most spontaneity and autonomy possible. Something they wouldn’t be able to do without assistive technology. 

Because after all, assistive technology enables people with disabilities to regain more control on their everyday life. Wheelchairs can be seen as assistive technology. Users with motor disabilities need a wheelchair to go to work or buy their groceries. We can find manual or electric wheelchairs but they’re evolving to meet the needs of their users. Some are designed to climb stairs for example. 

Depending on people’s disabilities, mobility can be more or less challenging. A blind person will encounter more difficulties where a deaf person won’t be as obstructed. How can a visually impaired person locate the exact entrance of a venue? When there’s no audio beacon and no tactile guide path, they need to be accompanied by someone or to ask a passerby for some help. A hearing impaired person will meet less difficulty as they’ll rely on pictograms or signs to reach the entrance. 

What remains important is guaranteeing a seamless mobility chain. A key notion for all types of users but that’s even more important for those with disabilities. Implementing a seamless mobility chain means that all links are connected to each other to provide accessibility all along the way.

For a blind person going to work, this means the public transit they use and its potential connection need to be accessible, from A to point C. In this case, wayfinding and navigation systems such as apps are more efficient than human assistance. They can get to their destination with more autonomy.

What types of navigation apps are part of assistive technology for people with disabilities?

84% of people with disabilities use a smartphone. That’s why assistive technology is promising to enhance accessibility and inclusion. More and more apps are created to help people with disabilities get around with more spontaneity and more independence.

Let’s take a look at navigation systems specially conceived to improve their mobility:

⊗ NaviLens: a Spanish company that uses QR codes to guide blind and visually impaired people. They just need to follow tactile guide paths and scan the QR codes with their smartphone camera for navigation instructions. For now, Barcelona’s public transit and the Murcia tram are equipped with NaviLens as well as the archaeological museum of Murcia.

⊗ NavChair: another Spanish company but for wheelchair users this time. This navigation and autopilot system enables them to avoid obstacles along their route. They can get a step-free route to make sure their needs are met.

⊗ Evelity: an indoor navigation app conceived by accessibility French company Okeenea. The app focuses on all types of disabilities. It adapts to the user’s profile. This means that wheelchair users have access to obstacle-free routes and that blind and visually impaired users have step by step instructions thanks to a screen reader. The Marseilles metro in France is equipped with Evelity and the solution is currently being tested at the JaySt-MetroTech station in New York City. 

Assistive technology for the mobility of people with disabilities enters into phygital experiences. Phygital is a bridge connecting the physical world with the digital one to provide users with a unique and interactive experience.

What Is a Phygital Experience and How Can It Improve the Accessibility of Your Venue?

Assistive technology follows the same guidelines as phygital: technology by itself isn’t the solution to enhance accessibility. It needs:

⊗ Physical accessibility: technology is pointless without accessible equipment within accessible venues. A wheelchair user won’t be able to use their navigation app in a venue that doesn’t have access ramps or elevators. What’s the point of using an innovative navigation app if they can’t get inside the venue?  

⊗ Users with disabilities: technology is a means to an end. The goal of assistive technology is to enhance the mobility of people with disabilities. It serves them. We need to keep in mind that the ultimate goal of assistive technology is to make their lives easier to get around. It’s not developing new technologies for the sake of it. People with disabilities need to be at the heart of assistive technology.

The combination of both elements is how assistive technology for people with disabilities gains full meaning. 

In what venues can assistive technology for people with disabilities improve their mobility? 

Now that you know that assistive technology for people with disabilities can be a true asset for their mobility, you need to ask yourself where this can be implemented. Where is it more necessary? In what places are people with disabilities struggling the most to get around? 

Basically, this defines complex venues. What’s a complex venue exactly?

It’s a very huge and busy venue with constant comings and goings. In a way, it can be compared to a maze. Complex venues may be more or less challenging for people with disabilities. 

What are their difficulties when navigating inside complex venues?

⊗ Accessing information,

⊗ Accessing services,

⊗ Locating the appropriate entry and exit,

⊗ Finding their bearings to go from one point to another,

⊗ Dealing with connections in a complex public transport system…

Complex venues are stressful for people with disabilities. Once again, in such places, maintaining a seamless mobility chain is essential. That’s what enables accessibility barriers to be removed.

Complex venues can take many forms:

⊗ Public transport like subways,

⊗ Multimodal transit centers,

⊗ Airports,

⊗ Museums,

⊗ Shopping malls,

⊗ Stadiums,

⊗ Business towers,

⊗ Colleges and universities,

⊗ Hospitals…

People with disabilities may need to use public transit everyday to go to work, to accompany their kids to school… But whether they’re familiar or not with the transit system, assistive technology like navigation apps can be useful for them. 

They benefit from assistive technology to get around in complex environments but also to:

⊗ Feel less stressed, 

⊗ Gain more time as they’ll find their way around more easily,

⊗ Remain autonomous and independent, 

⊗ Not to rely on human assistance to reach their destination,

⊗ Be in control of their mobility,

⊗ Have more spontaneity when they’re getting around,

⊗ Not to have to plan every little step they need to make,

⊗ Feel like any other person who’s going from one point to another,

⊗ Not to be discriminated against,

⊗ Not to be perceived as a minority who bothers others,

⊗ Be fully included in our society as they should always have been.

In other words, for people with disabilities, assistive technology may be synonymous with freedom. And who doesn’t like to be able to go wherever and whenever they want to? 

Navigation apps like Evelity truly improves the mobility of people with disabilities. The metro of Lille in France has also tested the app. Blind and visually impaired users were impressed with the autonomy that such assistive device enabled them to gain. 

“I felt like I wasn’t alone anymore. We find freedom because we are helped but virtually”, told Annie who is visually impaired. 

Soufiane, a blind man, stated: “I am very interested and I think that we should go beyond the metro.”

From what we gather here, an assistive device for people with disabilities means freedom of movement, the ability to get around by themselves. 

Check out all user testimonies who were guided with Evelity in the Lille metro. 

Such navigation apps belong in all venues where people with disabilities have difficulties to navigate. Plus in the case of Evelity, it can even become more than just a navigation app.

The Maison Victor Hugo museum in Paris, France chose Evelity to not only guide their visitors with disabilities but to provide content about the depicted works of art and Victor Hugo’s life, a famous French author. The app enables culture to be more accessible. Visitors with disabilities don’t need a tour guide to enjoy the museum. 

What about human assistance?

As you can imagine, all the mentioned complex venues usually provide human assistance with customer service agents at public transits or shopping malls, tour guides at museums or special assistance staff at airports. 

Is this type of service truly helpful for people with disabilities? Wouldn’t a navigation app be more efficient and reliable? If you manage a public transport network or a shopping mall, you need to ask yourself these questions.

What are the benefits of human assistance regarding the mobility of people with disabilities?

Who better than a human to guide another human? There’s empathy, a sense of commitment and dedication to be helpful towards vulnerable people. 

Many venues rely on such services to make sure their customers or users with disabilities are satisfied. After all, if they’re satisfied, they’re more likely to come back and spread the word as well on the quality of service they’ve received.

What are the drawbacks of special assistance services?

On paper, human assistance to guide people with disabilities sounds great but in reality, it may not suit and there are many inconveniences:

⊗ The cost of having employees dedicated to one service can be quite high for venues. Their staff could be deployed towards other services and purposes. Plus, a lot of venues outsource which can be costly as well.

⊗ The staff may not have enough training to truly meet the needs of people with disabilities. 

⊗ If that’s the case, this could be damaging for the venue’s reputation as unsatisfied customers could write bad reviews online.

⊗ There’s a lack of spontaneity for people with disabilities who need to book human assistance very early on when planning a trip. 

⊗ For a connection, they can’t just make the beginning of the trip by themselves and the rest with the help of staff members. It’s either human assistance all along the way or none at all. This restrains in a way their freedom of movement. 

Are assistive technology for people with disabilities and human assistance truly opposed? 

This could be the 1 million dollar question at this point. What matters here is meeting the needs of people with disabilities without it to be too costly or complicated to manage for venues.

So far, we’ve seen that for their mobility, people with disabilities favor autonomy and independence. But it depends on their capabilities so every person with disabilities is different. In some cases, they may prefer to apprehend a venue by themselves or in others, they may require assistance. 

This means that they need to have the choice: use assistive technology like navigation apps or request the help of a staff member to reach their destination.

Having both options available could make a difference in the way they want to control their mobility. We all like having options and not feel restrained or limited. For people with disabilities who may experience it in several aspects of their everyday lives, having the choice to use technology or to interact with an employee matters. They decide what they need and what’s best for them.

Of course, you need to apply this to your venue and to your users with disabilities: are they more comfortable using technology? Do they prefer asking for help? Is your venue a better fit for assistive devices? Are your human assistance services efficient enough?

You can directly ask what your users with disabilities think about this. They’ll be glad to be involved and think highly of your venue and services. Be aware that assistive technology for people with disabilities keeps evolving to better meet their needs so stay informed on these innovative navigation apps. 

Want to know more about assistive technology for people with disabilities and human assistance? Check out this article: 

Mobility Apps for Blind People or How Technology Can Replace Special Assistance at the Airport?

Published on July 15th, 2022

media

A person is using Evelity on the subway. They're on an escalator.

84% of people with disabilities use a smartphone. That’s why assistive technology is promising to enhance accessibility and inclusion. More and more apps are created to help people with disabilities get around with more spontaneity and more independence.

writer

Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

Content Manager

READ CAROLE'S BIO

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Get the latest news about accessibility and the Smart City.

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Evelity, the first wayfinding solution for all types of disabilities in public and private facilities

more articles

NEVER miss the latest news about the Smart City.

Sign up now for our newsletter.

Unsubscribe in one click. The information collected is confidential and kept safe.

powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

ABOUT US

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.