Talking Signs® Research

Talking Signs® Research

Talking Signs® Research

Talking Signs® Research

REMOTE INFRARED AUDIBLE SIGNAGE
WASHINGTON AREA MODEL ACCESSIBILITY PROJECT

The Remote Infrared Audible Signage Washington Area Model Accessibility Project (RIAS WAMAP) is designed to facilitate the employment and educational opportunities of people with disabilities by providing them with appropriate signage and information needed for their efficient and safe use of public transportation, as authorized in The Transportation Equity Act of 2005, Title III, Section 3046. Phase I of this program has already resulted in a build out of this system in six transit facilities in the Seattle Sound Transit system. The Washington, D.C. area is proposed as the location for Phase II.

Almost 10 million people are unable to read print signs at normal viewing distances – even with their best corrected vision. For these citizens, the whole environment presents a barrier. Lacking the information and orientation provided by signs and landmarks the simplest tasks become extremely difficult for people with vision loss.

For those with limited vision, one of the most difficult travel tasks is navigating though a complex urban, multi-modal transportation system such as exists in the Washington, D.C. area. At the present time, completing a complex travel task – finding a bus stop; getting on the right bus; transferring from the bus to the Metro; locating, entering and finding the proper gate in an airport or platform at a rail station – can be done independently only with great difficulty. Usually, blind and print impaired travelers are left to the mercy (and competence) of strangers to guide them through the process.

Talking Signs® technology provides human voice messages sent from an infrared transmitter (‘sign’) to those holding a hand-held infrared receiver. By scanning the environment with the receiver, users pick up various infrared message signals from transmitters in the environment. Since the light signals are directional, the user can, at a distance, find the exact location of the sign by walking in the direction from which the message is received.

Talking Signs® remote infrared audible signage technology has, through scientific evaluations and extensive user experience over the past fifteen years, been proven to greatly enhance the ability of blind and print impaired people to effectively and safely navigate complex travel tasks. The wayfinding system is now deployed in Santa Barbara, San Francisco and San Jose, CA, Seattle, WA, Portland, OR, Lansing, MI, Colorado Springs, CO, Oslo, Norway, Trieste, Italy, Toronto, Canada and many cities in Japan. It has the strong support of blind communities in all of these countries. In the U.S. Talking Signs are endorsed by the Blinded Veterans Association, the American Council of the blind and Lighthouses and Orientation and Mobility teaching organizations across the country. Washington, D.C. has the opportunity to become the world’s first truly Accessible City for people who are blind or have other print-reading disabilities. By installing Talking Signs® transmitters on WMATA’s buses, at bus stops and shelters, in the Metro stations and at intersections, these travelers will be provided seamless accessible travel in much the same way fully sighted people have today.

The Department of Transportation (FTA and FRA), WMATA, the Washington Area Airports Authority and AMTRAK have, for the past ten years, followed and participated in the development and deployment of this liberating technology.

The full impact and power of this wayfinding technology can only be realized with a region-wide, multi-modal model project such as the one being proposed here. Washington can become the model city for the world, demonstrating that access to the built environment and transportation is the recognized right of every citizen.

The Washington Area RIAS MAP Phase II is meant to complete this multi-modal orientation and information accessibility evaluation and calls for RIAS to be installed on all buses and bus stops, subway trains and stations and intersections in a large regional area. To accomplish this, applications would be submitted by the various transit agencies to the Federal Transit Administration for a grant of funds from the New Freedom Initiative. RIAS is a ‘covered use’ under New Freedom guidelines. Other funding opportunities, such as inclusion in the renewal of the Transportation Equity Act, will be explored.

The Transportation Equity Act of 2005 calls for the installation of a multi-modal transportation system that is accessible to people with visual and cognitive disabilities. Because of limited funding, in Phase I, only one modality - stations - was equipped with RIAS. Phase II seeks to remedy this problem by extending RIAS MAP to buses and bus stops, subways and stations and intersections.

The following description of the RIAS Model Accessibility Project is taken from the 2005 Act

TRANSPORTATION EQUITY ACT – A LEGACY FOR USERS

FEDERAL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ACT OF 2005

TITLE III SECTION 3046

ALLOCATIONS FOR NATIONAL RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS

(a) In general. – Amounts appropriated pursuant to Section 5338(d) of Title 49, United States Code, for national research and technology programs under Sections 5312, 5314 and 5322 of such title shall be allocated by the Secretary as follows:

(6) PILOT PROGRAM FOR REMOTE INFRARED AUDIBLE SIGNS.

(A) In general. – For each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009 not less than $500,000 shall be made available by the Secretary to carry out a pilot program to determine the benefits of remote infrared audible signage technology for provision of wayfinding and information to people who are visually, cognitively, or learning disabled.

(B) Report.

(i) In General. – Not later than September 30, 2009, the Secretary shall transmit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate a report on the pilot program carried out under this section.

(ii) Contents. – The report shall include–

(aa) an evaluation of the effect of the pilot program on multimodal accessibility in public transportation;

(bb) an evaluation of the effect of the program on operators of public transportation and their passengers;

(cc) an evaluation of the effect of making public transportation accessible to people with visual, cognitive, and learning disabilities on ridership of public transportation and use of paratransit; and; (dd) an evaluation of the effect of the program on education, community integration, work life and general quality of life of the targeted populations.

Revised:Friday, 20-Feb-2009 23:29:56 EST

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