Way-finding challenges of a blind person in a shopping mall

Way-finding challenges of a blind person in a shopping mall

Merja Saarela, Hme University of Applied Sciences merja.saarela@hamk.fi

ABSTRACT: Way-finding challenges of a blind person in a shopping mall

Merja Saarela Hme University of Applied Sciencies, Hmeenlinna, Finland

Mobility and orientation are very challenging for the blind and visually impaired people. Difficulties in way-finding may cause stress and anxiety, which may lead to situation where blind or visually impaired people may avoid leaving their homes to visit unknown, complex places and large-scale spatial environments, like shopping mall, unless they have assistance. Way-finding refers to how a person orientates and navigates through an area or a space. The way-finding instructional information is mostly presented in a visual form, which means it is not accessible for blind or visually impaired people. It is hard for blind people to gain a non-visual overview of the new place and its landmarks.

The presentation will show, how these way-finding challenges occur in a shopping mall, and how blind or visually impaired people used audio, tactile and olfactory landmarks. These challenges were studied in the M-Way -project by videotaping known and unknown route walks and reflecting interviews afterwards. Co-created multi-sensory way-finding solutions, like smart word maps and landmarks with iBeacons, will be developed with blind or visually impaired people.

1.BACKGROUND

VI person in a Shopping MallAccessibility - Design for AllM-Way projectWay-findingLandmarks

2. METHODS

ObjectsGroup of informantsData collecting3. RESULTS

1. BACKGROUND: VI person in a Shopping Mall

Because of the stress and anxiety of way-finding, blind or visually impaired people usually do not leave their homes without any assistance to visit unknown cities or places.

Very often instructional information is presented in visual form only and visually impaired people are thus excluded from accessing this information. A possible solution to wayfinding problems is the use of non-visual presentation modalities, like audio and haptic feedback.

Good wayfinding design reduces stress, anxiety and fear!

Accessibility - Design for AllWe need to ensure that spaces, applications and content are also accessible for people with impaired perceptual capabilities. It is critical that public places and community settings are designed to be safe, as inclusive as possible and accessible for all.

3. LandmarksAre recognizable in the environment. Landmarks stand out in environments, and structure mental representations of environments in cognizing agents. They form anchors in mental spatial representations, markers, or reference points. They are essential for any spatial reasoning, for example, for orientation and wayfinding, and for any spatial communication. They appear in sketches, in descriptions of meeting points or routes. People use landmarks quite naturally.May be stronger or weaker in their distinct experience, and that stronger ones may be used as reference points to locate weaker ones

1. M-Way projectMultisensory way-finding solutions for blind people. Three phases:Landmarks Interactive 3D-mapsSimulation with verbal maps

2. Way-finding: how a person orientates and navigates through an area or a space. Worsfold and Chandler (2010) described four principles that bind way-finding together and are relied upon when making journeys: Getting information and using itOrientating within the environment.Navigating within the environment.Entrance and Exit Identification.

3. LandmarksAccording to Richter & Winter (2014)** landmarks are recognizable in the environment. Landmarks stand out in environments, and structure mental representations of environments in cognizing agents. They form anchors in mental spatial representations, markers, or reference points. They are essential for any spatial reasoning, for example, for orientation and wayfinding, and for any spatial communication. They appear in sketches, in descriptions of meeting points or routes. People use landmarks quite naturally.May be stronger or weaker in their distinct experience, and that stronger ones may be used as reference points to locate weaker ones.**Richter, K.-F. & Winter, S. 2014. Landmarks. GIScience for Intelligent Services. Springer.

1. M-Way project (ILSI)Developing multisensory way-finding solutions for blind people. Three project phases:Landmarks (this presentation)Interactive 3D-mapsSimulation with verbal maps

About main concepts2. Way-finding: Describes how a person orientates and navigates through an area or a space. Worsfold and Chandler (2010)* described four principles that bind way-finding together and are relied upon when making journeys: Getting information and using itOrientating within the environment.Navigating within the environment.Entrance and Exit Identification.* Worsfold, J. & Chandler, E. 2010. Wayfinding Project: Final Report of Initial Project Work. Royal National Institute of Blind People, RNIB Innovation Unit.

2. METHODSObjects:What kind of wayfinding information VI people use? Landmarks? What kind of multisensory wayfinding and guidance information should there be? How the guidance information should be technically provided?

Group of informants:Five VI informants: 2 low vision men with white cane, 3 blind woman of which two using white cane and one using service dog. Ages 21-45 years. Everyone had previous experience of using smartphone and apps like BlindSquare in wayfinding and navigation.

Itis Shopping Malls test bed as research environment in East of Helsinki

Data collecting:Video documented known and unknown route walks to collect wayfinding experiences of five VI informants. Documentation was done in two groups (2 people in first group and 3 the other). Known walks described the used landmarks and waypoints. Unknown walks described challenges and problem solving of VI persons.After each walk reflective group discussion. Co-creation workshop to make decisions about the instructive Information needed: where to set iBeacons to strengthen landmarks recognizablity and what kind of instructive information needed in messages.Ibeacons test using with BlindSquare and refining iBeacons places and messages.

Known and unknown route walks

What kind of landmarks were found

iBeacons and how they were set

After iBeacons were set conclusionsHow does iBeacon-based solution work in practise?iBeacon based landmarkers makes possible and easier to go independently around, your not so dependent on assistant.It encourages and gives kind of certainty to move around, even in strange, unknown places. Its also more convenient to do business, when you know where you are, where you need to go and how to get there. This saves time when youre not totally lost all the time.It also creates a certain sense of security when you know you are "on the map.What does it mean to a VI person?Its so helpful, at least for me, Im a low vision person, in perceiving the environment. Typically your concentration will go alone to move and for searching possible signs to read to get the information. And when you finally find it, you realise that you can not see it. And now, I dont need to see it, I can hear instructive messages.And in unknown places. With these Blind-Square landmarkers, your not always dependent on other people. For example setting up timetables, its always up to assistant, if it suits him or her, not if it suits me. And as iBeacons are used in advertaising, I dont mind advertising. Id like to know and hear about how much Id save money if Id do the shopping today (laughing).