Talking tactile map with a smart sound beacon - Finland

Tactile maps are common in railway stations but there are some issues people cannot find and use them as expected.

Often tactile floor guiding pattern is marking the place of the tactile map, but the user does not know which route leads to the map. It leads to the situation where potential users are passing by the tactile map without knowing it exist.

A smart audio beacon at the tactile map indicates the place by playing a jingle and saying “tactile map” when a user with a mobile app or a remote controller walks by. The difference between a conventional audio beacon is that it is silent unless the user walks by.

The use of a map for blind user needs assistance to find and explain the symbols and the topography of the map. In a normal situation, a visually impaired user familiarises themselves with the new map with a mobility instructor. 

Today more and more blind people use less braille in reading and thus their reading is slower than it was (because of the better screen readers and speech synthesizers).For this reason, the smart audio beacon has a jingle and 3 spoken messages user can activate:

1. The name and place of the tactile map.
2. Description of the graphic symbols used in the map and location of the symbol “you are here”.
3. Audio description of the map, the area map covers, the orientation of the map (eg. on the left west) and suggested way to read with hands starting from “you are here” point.

More about Axessible – a talking relief map.  

Disclaimer:
Accessible EU is not responsible for the accessibility of content provided by third parties.