This document discusses visual impairment and mobility. It notes that approximately 285 million people worldwide have visual impairments, and about half of visually impaired people in the UK feel they cannot go out unaccompanied. Wayfinding for visually impaired people involves getting information and orienting oneself, as well as navigating routes. Inclusive design processes aim to address mobility needs by involving users. Technologies like GPS and augmented reality show promise but are not substitutes for an inclusively designed built environment.

1. Institute for Transport Studies
FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
Environmental and technological dimensions to visually impaired people’s mobility
Where are we now?
Bryan Matthews
June 2014

2. Institute for Transport Studies
FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
Visual Impairment and Mobility
• Approx. 285m visually impaired people worldwide
• Approx. 65% over 65
• In the UK, 46% have contact with someone from the
outside world less than once a week!
As the population ages …
• Approx. 50% would like to go out more often
• 29% feel they cannot go out unaccompanied
• Independence and consequent health problems caused by
– lack of exercise,
– poor access to health services and
– poor nutrition due to difficulties getting to shops.

3. Institute for Transport Studies
FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
Components of Wayfinding
• Getting information and using it - R;
• Orientation (knowing current location) - R&L;
• Navigating (making route decisions) - R&L;
• Mental mapping (using cues to predict the best next step)
-L; and
• Exit and entrance identification (locating and moving
through accesspoints) - R;
• Closure (detecting and arriving at the right place - L.

4. Institute for Transport Studies
FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
Understanding Visually Impaired People’s
Methods of Wayfinding
VIPs quite capable of formulating spatio-cognitive maps (Passini et al,1990)
Evidence that VIPs:
“prepared journeys in more detail,
made more decisions during the journey, and
relied on more units of information”
(Passini and Proulx, 1988).
Need to develop an “environmental information system” accessible to all
“a coherent ensemble of architectural and graphic cues that provides the decision-making user with
adequate wayfinding information at the appropriate place in a form that is both accessible and
understandable” (Passini, 1984).

5. Institute for Transport Studies
FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
But better understanding needed of:
• what spatial information should be given;
• in what form that information should be given;
• at what locations information should be given; and
• how these vary with key parameters, e.g. visual
impairment and time.

6. Institute for Transport Studies
FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
Inclusive Design
• An inclusive process;
• Led by accredited professionals;
• Involving users;
• With appropriate consultee training
• Addressing cases on their merits

7. Institute for Transport Studies
FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
Tactile Paving
Source: DfT, 2010

8. Institute for Transport Studies
FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
Follow the yellow-brick road
Source: travelinghero.blogspot.com

9. Institute for Transport Studies
FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
Shared Space
• Removing the demarcations
between pedestrian space and
vehicle space
• Sharing leads to greater
freedom for pedestrian and
greater caution from motorist
• Generally controversial
• Specifically problematic for
visually impaired mobility
Photo: Exhibition Road, London

10. Institute for Transport Studies
FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
Road Crossings
Range of formal and informal crossing-types Visual, audio and
tactile indicators
Current work for Guide Dogs – searching for evidence of:
1. The importance of road crossings for pedestrians
2. The extent of use or reliance on crossings
3. pedestrians' preferences between crossing-types
4. How pedestrians use crossings (independently or
accompanied)
5. thoughts on informal crossings provided in shared
space.

11. Institute for Transport Studies
FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
Walk this way…
route

12. Institute for Transport Studies
FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
Talk this way…

13. Institute for Transport Studies
FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
Technology
Can technology be the answer?
• GPS and mapping technology
• Augmented reality
• Personal Positioning Systems
• Triggered information (Beacons)
• Electronic leadlines?
• Exciting but not alternative to inclusively designed built
environment

14. Institute for Transport Studies
FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT
The Mobility Opportunities of ICT
Websites, Assistive Technologies and Apps
Design
Cost
Training
Take-up
The digital sub-divide?