[gui-talk] Fwd: Press Release: New Cross WalkSafety System ForTheVisually Impaired

Fri Nov 7 12:00:44 UTC 2008

You've convinced me. I think it can even be dangerous.
In my humble opinion a good system should accurately locate the pedestrian
on a crossing and send him signals in which direction he should go. There
are so complicated intersections that one is able to cross them only with a
guide. If you could hear "turn left 20 degrees" etc. it would be really
helpful.
I think it could be done with a contemporary technology.

-- 
Rafal

http://www.bariery.ug.gda.pl/english/orientacja.html

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Doug Lee" <dgl at dlee.org>
To: "NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List" <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, November 07, 2008 12:01 PM
Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Fwd: Press Release: New Cross WalkSafety System
ForTheVisually Impaired

> My most pressing concern is the bit about turning all the lights red
> if someone strays into the intersection.  I think that would stun
> drivers enough to cause issues of its own.  Lights turn yellow before
> they turn red, so a sudden red light would surely cause quite a
> surprise, which is not the sort of thing one wants at a busy
> intersection.  I understand this plan comes from a concern of safety,
> but I doubt it will make things any more safe.  Then too, there's the
> fact that blind people are no less likely than sighted people to
> engage in mischief. :-)
>
> I have not really considered all other possible ramifications of this
> technology yet.
>
> On Fri, Nov 07, 2008 at 10:59:53AM +0100, Rafal Charlampowicz wrote:
> Interesting idea. Switching on the system from the cellular phone and the
> alert seems great, but - I think - the accuracy of the GPS is a problem.
> Perhaps installing on traffic lights receivers which would locate the
person
> crossing the street would increase the accuracy.
>
> -- 
> Greetings
> Rafal
>
> http://www.bariery.ug.gda.pl/english/orientacja.html
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Steve Pattison" <srp at internode.on.net>
> To: "vip-l" <vip-l at softspeak.com.au>
> Sent: Friday, November 07, 2008 10:37 AM
> Subject: [gui-talk] Fwd: Press Release: New Cross WalkSafety System
> ForTheVisually Impaired
>
>
> > While this system is currently only available in the USA I thought
> > people living in other countries might be interested in the technology
> > described in this article.  -Steve.
> >
> > From: Parker at Vip conduit Vipcomm at mchsi.com
> > To: Accessible Devices a-d at accessible-devices.com
> >
> > This is the first we've heard of this and we have no further
> > information.
> >
> > Developing the Corner of Blind Avenue and Safety Way
> > MOSCOW, Idaho - For the 21.2 million Americans who suffer from vision
> > loss,
> > crossing the street can be a stressful and potentially dangerous
> > proposition. Thanks to engineers at the University of Idaho, many
> > visually
> > impaired individuals soon may have a greatly reduced risk thanks to a
> > tool
> > already in their pockets - their cell phone.
> > The statistics for vision loss, provided by the American Foundation for
> > the
> > Blind, include anyone reporting difficulty seeing, even while wearing
> > glasses or contact lenses. No matter the level of visual impairment,
> > many
> > conditions - including visual noise, walking at night and irregular
> > intersections - can result in missing a crosswalk.
> > Regardless of conditions, the new system being developed in Moscow,
> > Idaho,
> > will make intersections safer and easier to navigate.
> > "Minute for minute on the road, any pedestrian is 150 percent more
> > likely to
> > be injured by a car than somebody driving one," said Richard Wall,
> > professor
> > of electrical and computer engineering. "But it is pretty apparent that
> > the
> > blind pedestrians are the ones most at risk at intersections."
> > The new technology utilizes features already available in many cellular
> > phones, including communications, Global Positioning Satellite (GPS)
> > functions and magnetic compasses to help visually impaired pedestrians.
> > Specialized software allows these pedestrians to activate the crossing
> > signal remotely without having to locate the physical button.
> > Then, the GPS system monitors the position and direction of travel while
> > crossing. As long as the crosser stays within the crosswalk, nothing
> > happens. But stray outside the lines, and an audible warning activates
> > alerting the pedestrian of their danger. It then provides directions on
> > how
> > to get back within the safety zone. Should the walker somehow end up in
> > the
> > middle of the intersection, the system automatically would turn every
> > light
> > red, stopping traffic and averting a potential disaster.
> > "It's true that this would disrupt the timing of the signal patterns
> > when it
> > gets activated," said Wall. "But we would much rather disrupt them for a
> > few
> > seconds than for a half hour while an ambulance assists a traffic
> > victim."
> > To ensure people don't trigger the alarm just for fun, only those who
> > need
> > the help would be able to acquire the necessary software.
> > The system requires more than software, however. It also requires the
> > installation of new hardware in thousands of lights across the country.
> > Luckily, Wall and his team have found a solution that not only is cost
> > effective, it simplifies the existing system.
> > Many crosswalks currently have handicapped-assisted signals that provide
> > help such as audio tones indicating when it is safe to cross. However,
> > the
> > box that controls the intersection contains a massive amount of wiring.
> > This
> > is necessary to connect each actuator with each signal so at any given
> > time,
> > the control box knows each state.
> > Wall's new system simplifies each box to only two wires, both already
> > required to power the signals. It uses a technology called Ethernet over
> > power line, which allows information to be broadcast over power lines.
> > The future is clear for Wall and his research team. They have
> > established
> > dates to deliver the engineering and expect field trials to commence in
> > June. They are building prototypes supported by funds from the
> > University
> > Transportation Centers program, Idaho's Higher Education Research
> > Council
> > and their commercial partner, Campbell Company, who currently makes the
> > accessible pedestrian signals that chirp and talk for the handicapped.
> > "The signals we're building are more than prototypes. These devices
> > actually
> > can go into the field and work today," said Wall. "We're using existing
> > infrastructure and communicating intelligence over it. It's cost
> > effective,
> > it simplifies the connection to two wires and it can be immediately
> > installed in all the existing crosswalks in the country."
> >
> > Regards Steve
> > Email:  srp at internode.on.net
> > Windows Live Messenger:  internetuser383 at hotmail.com
> > Skype:  steve1963
> >
> >
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> -- 
> Doug Lee                 dgl at dlee.org                http://www.dlee.org
> SSB BART Group           doug.lee at ssbbartgroup.com
http://www.ssbbartgroup.com
> "Pray devoutly, but hammer stoutly."
> --Sir William G. Benham
>
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