|
Presentation before the Access Board
Los Angeles, January 31, 2000
About 10 years ago the Access Board published its "Introduction to the Proposed Rules" in the Federal Register. This Introduction contained 60 questions in which advice was sought as to the way certain rules should be written. One of those questions, Number 13, asked how to provide “additional types of signage that are necessary for individuals with vision impairments to participate in integrated environments...” Question 13 went on to ask, “The Board is considering requiring informational and directional signage to comply with those technical specifications, particularly where it may affect the usability of the building or facility such as signage indicating the location of an information desk, auditorium or gymnasium; specifying rules of conduct; or alerting the public to certain hazards. In areas where overhead signage is typically provided such as conference centers and bus stations, how can information on these signs be made accessible to persons who use raised and Brailled characters?” Question 13 ended with, “Are there other technologies such as audible signs that may be more usable than requiring signage to comply with the technical specifications for raised and Brailled characters and mounting location and height? The Board seeks information regarding the benefits and costs of these requirements and alternative technologies.”
As a result of that question, in 1991 Smith-Kettlewell's RERC staff offered both oral and written testimony to the ATBCB regarding recent human factors studies evaluating a technological development utilizing infrared communications -- a development which appropriately answered that need for a new type of signage which could augment tactile signs in situations where tactile signs were inappropriate or unworkable. In these intervening 10 years, many additional human factors studies have amply demonstrated the effectiveness and usability of this signage system. In addition, the system has undergone substantial improvements in ease of use and flexibility in function. Meanwhile, the basic technical specification of the system has remained unchanged.
Some members of the Board will be aquatinted with the studies which have demonstrated the effectiveness of the Remote Infrared Signage System. Most of these studies have been conducted by Smith-Kettlewell through funding from the Federal Transit Administration and also the National Institute on Disabilities and Rehabilitation Research.. However, there are others.... The California PATH (Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways) program -- California Department of Transportation’s research program involving the University of California system -- has funded a number studies aimed at improving accessibility for people who are disabled. One research program recently completed at the UC Santa Barbara’s Department of Geography has again demonstrated the effectiveness of Remote Infrared Signage in identifying buses, bus stops and significant features in their City’s central transit facility. Another project of UCSB’s, funded by the University of California Transportation Center (the UCTC), was recently completed in San Francisco. This research program evaluated the effectiveness of Remote Infrared Signage in an inter-modal transfer task. This involved blind persons using the wayfinding aid in finding various significant features in and around the CalTrain commuter station as well as using the aid to safely cross adjoining streets to locate a Muni bus, the Muni LRV fare machine and Muni LRV platform.
Furthermore, tests of Talking Signs at crosswalks have been completed in Japan and are underway in Las Vegas and New York City.
This having been said, perhaps the most important additional information to provide is to indicate how seriously the Remote Infrared Signage concept is being taken both in the US and in other parts of the world. I will list some of the activities which demonstrate how Talking Signs has begun to take on a life of its on.
- The City of San Francisco Board of Supervisors has called for the installation of Talking Signs transmitters at all public facilities and encouraged the private sector to install them as well. Currently the City has over 800 talking signs in buildings, at intersections, on bus shelters and public toilets.
- Other installations in the US are in Berkeley, Freemont, and Santa Barbara, CA; the Mashantucket Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center in CT; Illinois School for the Visually Impaired; Carroll Center for the Blind in Boston; Western Michigan University; New York Lighthouse; Texas School for the Blind; and the Wisconsin School for the Visually Handicapped.
- Installations located outside the US are at the Finnish Federation for the Blind; Venice-Mestre Rail Station; and Glasgow Sight Cente. Talking Signs transmitters have been installed by Mitsubishi Precision Company in museums, supermarkets, a hotel, a rehabilitation center and a town hall in Japan. Currently the town of Isogo has 100 transmitters installed in a rail station, bus stops, a supermarket, the town hall, at crosswalks, at the police station and on store fronts in a major test of Talking Signs technology.
- The magazine “Government Technology” chose Talking Signs technology as one of the best new products of 1999.
- The Baton Rouge, LA bus company is to install Talking Signs transmitters on buses this year.
- Lucent Technologies new headquarters building in Allentown PA will have Talking Signs installed.
- The Japan National Police Agency is in discussion with the U.S. Department of Transportation to cooperate in the testing and exchange of information on remote infrared signage. The Japan National Police Agency is considering the placement of Talking Signs transmitters at crosswalks throughout Japan. The deciding test will be completed mid February.
- This month discussions began between The Japan National Police Agency and the U.S. Department of Transportation regarding cooperation in encouraging the development of an ISO standards for remote infrared signage for blind and visually impaired persons.
- Yokohama now has a special association for Talking Signs. This association is composed of 50 blind persons supporting the installation of Talking Signs in Yokohama.
Now I would like to briefly return to the point where I began... and that is to the 1991 Question #13. In November of this past year, we were delighted to find the proposed new guidelines to contain an affirmative response to that 1991 Question. The present response, Advisory 1003.2.2.1, states:
“Where a station has no defined entrance, it may be more difficult to locate the sign. In this case, other technologies such as an audible sign system using infrared transmitters and receivers may provide greater accessibility. The transmitters are placed on or next to print signs and transmit their information to an infrared receiver that is held by a person. By scanning an area, the person will hear the sign.”
Of course, we feel this is an extremely important application of the Remote Infrared Signage System. In addition, we feel that the experience of blind users has shown how critical an asset this system can be in other, perhaps at that time, unanticipated wayfinding applications. I will give two short examples of what we have learned....
The first idea is very obvious... Using conventional strategies, a visually impaired person may find the Braille sign for the stairs only after they have first managed to find the stairs. Or, a person may find a Braille sign for “Telephone” only after they have first accidentally happened onto the telephone. The second idea is not so obvious, however. How do blind travelers in a unfamiliar environment know what they don’t know? I mean by this, how would one know that there is a stairway or a telephone in the first place? Sighted people cannot help but remotely view the environment by scanning with vision. People with visual impairments must either ask for assistance or spend an extra ordinary amount of time in random walk and feeling for objects in the environment. Remote infrared signage allows a visually impaired person to overcome this absurd “Catch 22”. The traveler not only can know that there are stairs, but they can know precisely where the stairs are located.
The recommendation Smith-Kettlewell would therefore make is to look again at the original 1991 Question number 13 and see if it has not been more than adequately demonstrated that Remote Infrared Signage can “... affect the usability of the building or facility such as signage indicating the location of an information desk, auditorium or gymnasium; specifying rules of conduct; or alerting the public to certain hazards”. Certainly remote identification of any major feature of the travel environment (such as stairs, elevators, restrooms, fare machines, change machines, boarding areas, vehicles and telephones) would lead to a more independent and equitable travel experience.
I want to give you some of my thoughts about how the Proposed ADAAG may be augmented to reflect the reality of what IR signage can provide in fulfilling what the ADAAG is trying to accomplish. I have 2 points. They are based upon the first item, Section 707.5.4.1, "Initiation". I think that Section 707.5.5, "Audible Instructions" is OK. My discussion is rather long, but I don't know how else to express my ideas about this! (.... about anything?)
Below is the whole ATM section:
707.5.4.1 Initiation. Instructions shall be able to be initiated by the
user of the machine.
707.5.4.2 Expedited Process. After initiation, instructions shall be
available for the experienced user to expedite the transaction.
707.5.4.3 Orientation. Orientation and assistance for unfamiliar users
to the physical features of the machine, operational options, and
details for each function shall be provided.
707.5.5 Audible Instruction. Audible instructions shall be provided
through a standard audio mini jack, a telephone handset, a wireless
transmission system or another mechanism that is readily available to
all customers.
#1. Unfortunately -- even as part of 707.5.4.1, ' Initiation' above, the ADAAG does not give indication of how the blind user is to find the ATM or Fare Machine in the first place! This is really a significant and obvious omission (perhaps only if you are blind!) because finding things for a blind person is very much a strict parallel to what is defined in the ADAAG as "Accessible Routes" for people with mobility impairments. To me, this "Accessible Routes" is the central "hook" to promoting IR signage. To phrase this slightly differently, an important element (their word) or feature in the environment is accessible only if it is "findable". I don't know how to
make "Accessible Routes" part of "Initiation". How do you specify and require all the antecedents leading to this "initiation" people have a right to when using fare machines and ATMs?
We are very aware of the many ways the ADAAG has provided for people with mobility and hearing difficulties. I hear all the time from transit professionals that their transit station is "Accessible" because it has an elevator. Soon the definition will be upgraded so that an transit station is "Accessible" if it has an elevator and a real-time visual scrolling display. I guess the first "fix" was obvious from the start. Soon the second "fix" (for deaf people) will be obvious (obvious, that is, after they are around in the stations for awhile!). Currently when people think of "fixes" for people who are blind, they think of Braille. The New, New idea for blind people is tactile warning strips. Now the New, New, New idea. We have provided a solution to the "Accessible Route" issue for blind people which has been shown to work extremely well -- offering a tremendous advantage in speed, efficiency and independence. This issue was first raised by the Access Board in 1991. I think we should use the opportunity of the proposed ADAAG to "enhance" the definition of ACCESSIBLE ROUTES" to include "appropriate wayfinding signage to the environmental element" as defined in the proposed ADAAG. Accessible (sans reference to finding elements) is 'Section 206. Accessible Routes'. Relevant to us is 'Section 206.2.2. Within a Site' which says that, "Accessible routes shall connect accessible buildings accessible elements, and accessible spaces that are on the same site."
#2. In 'Section 707.5.4.3 Orientation' there is really no mechanism for providing this "Orientation and assistance for unfamiliar users to the physical features of the machine, operational options, and details for each function shall be provided." We have shown an effective way of auditorily directly labeling each element of the ATM or fare machine using infrared labels. There are no long instructions to remember. Each physical feature is separately identified -- very similar to the
way a sighted user would identify each physical feature visually. This then comes very close -- both physically and operationally -- to the functionality that sighted persons have. This works by having a short range IR emitter close to each element that is to be labeled. When the receiver is pointed at the element, a message is heard. It really works very well!
|
|
|
