GB2287566A

GB2287566A - Tactile display system

Info

Publication number: GB2287566A
Application number: GB9319810A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Elaine Ruth Wheeler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-09-24
Filing date: 1993-09-24
Publication date: 1995-09-20
Also published as: GB9319810D0

Abstract

A tactile display system comprises a flat surface with raised characters, symbols and numbers which used in diverse combinations may be read by touch when attached to upright structures in public places by persons with visual impairment to allow them access to such buildings enabling them to move independently. Aural tapes and a large print explanations to the symbols and alpha-numeric characters may also be supplied to such individuals facilitating a more efficient use of the mobility apparatus. The raised symbols may be brightly coloured, to assist the poorly sighted. <IMAGE>

Description

MOBILITY APPARATUS This invention relates to a mobility apparatus and particularly, although not exclusively, relates to a mobility apparatus for a visually impaired person.

A partially sighted or blind person can have appreciable difficulties in moving around, for example, a building, particularly when the layout of the building is unfamiliar to the person. At the present time, a visually impaired person may need to be guided round the building by another person. This, however, makes the visually impaired person highly dependent upon other, sighted persons.

It is an object of the present invention to'alleviate the problem described above.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided mobility apparatus for a visually impaired person, the apparatus comprising a guide means arranged to define a path of travel for a visually impaired person and information conveying means associated with said guide means, wherein said information conveying means is arranged to convey information to the person by stimulating tactile senses of the person.

Said guide means is preferably arranged to be fixed relative to an upright structure, for example a wall. The wall may, suitably, be within a building so that the mobility apparatus may be used by a visually impaired person to travel around the building, guided by said guide means.

Said guide means is preferably elongate. Said guide means preferably includes securement means for securing the apparatus relative to an upright structure. Said securement means may comprise an adhesive means or a screw opening arranged to receive a screw which may be screwed into the upright structure.

Said guide means is preferably relatively thin. For example, said guide means preferably has a thickness of less than 10 cm and, more preferably, less than 5 cm.

Said guide means preferably has a width in the range 5 cm to 30 cm, more preferably in the range 10 cm to 25 cm.

Said guide means is preferably substantially smooth.

Said guide means is preferably substantially planar.

Said information conveying means is preferably fixed relative to said guide means. Said information conveying means is preferably superimposed upon a main surface (which surface is an outwardly facing surface, in use) of the guide means.

Said information conveying means preferably protrudes from a surface of said guide means. Said information conveying means preferably protrudes away from said aforementioned main surface of the guide means. Said information conveying means is preferably raised relative to said main surface of the guide means.

An outwardly facing surface of the information conveying means and said main surface of the guide means are preferably visually contrasting. Preferably, said outwardly facing surface of the information conveying means is brightly coloured, suitably by being fluorescent.

Said information conveying means is preferably arranged to convey spatial information, for example relating to the layout of a building. Said information conveying means preferably includes alphabetical symbols.

Preferably, said information conveying means includes alpha-numeric symbols.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an assembly comprising a mobility apparatus as described in said first aspect, fixed relative to an upright structure.

Said upright structure is preferably a wall, for example in a building.

Preferably, said guide means of said mobility apparatus is fixed directly to a wall in the building, suitably with its axis of elongation extending substantially horizontally. Said guide means preferably extends substantially along the extent of said wall and suitably provides a generally uninterrupted path of travel for a visually impaired person. It will be appreciated that the guide means may be interrupted by an opening, for example, a door opening.

Said guide means is preferably secured to the wall between 50 cm and 200 cm from the adjacent floor.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of constructing the assembly of the second aspect, the method comprising fixing a mobility apparatus according to said first aspect relative to an upright structure.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the use of a mobility apparatus according to said first aspect for guiding a visually impaired person, for example, around a building.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of guiding a visually impaired person, for example around a building, the method including the step of providing a mobility apparatus according to said first aspect or an assembly according to said second aspect.

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a section of a mobility apparatus; Figure 2 is a cross-section along line II-II of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-section along line III-III of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a plan view of another section of the mobility apparatus.

The section 2 of the mobility apparatus shown in Figures 1 to 3 comprises a base member 4 including an outwardly facing face 5 from which a plurality of characters 6 project. The section 2 is secured, in use, to a wall of a building approximately 1 metre from a floor, so that the elongate axis of the section 2 extends horizontally. When so disposed, a visually impaired person may walk adjacent to the section 2 and run his/her hand along the face 5 of member 4. When a character 6 is contacted, the person identifies the character using the sense of touch, in order to comprehend the information intended to be imparted by the character 6. The characters 6 are arranged so as to provide information, for example, concerning the position of cloakrooms and exits within the building.

The mobility apparatus is arranged in the building so as to define a continuous path of travel (except for breaks where doors or other openings are encountered) throughout the building which visually impaired persons can follow unaided.

The mobility apparatus is now described in greater detail.

The section 2 is suitably made substantially of a plastics material, for example from PVC. The base member 4 may simply comprise a sheet of plastics material to which the characters 6 are fixed, for example, using an adhesive or other means. Preferably, however, the section 2 comprises a unitary component, with the characters 6 being an integral part thereof. For example, the base member 4 and characters 6 may be formed from a sheet of PVC by blow moulding. A moulded section 2 may be advantageous over a section 2 wherein the characters 6 are fixed to a sheet of plastics material since, with the moulded section, the characters cannot easily be removed, for example by vandals.

The sections 2 may be fixed to a wall by any suitable means, for example using a double-sided adhesive backing or using screws.

The characters 6 are preferably fluorescently coloured and the base member 4 is preferably contrastingly coloured, so that a partially sighted person may be able to visually recognise the characters. In this case, a fluorescent dye may be used to colour the plastics material from which the characters 6 are made.

The base member 4 of the section 2 may have a nominal thickness (e.g. i inch (ca. 1.3 cm)) and width of about 8 inches (ca. 20 cm). The characters 6 may have a thickness of about 1-1i inch (ca. 2.5 to 3.8 cm); a height of about 4 to 5 inches (ca. 10 - 13 cm); and a width of about 3 inches (ca. 8 cm).

The characters 6 selected for a particular section will, of course, depend upon the information to be conveyed. A non-exhaustive list of characters 6 and their intended meaning is provided below: [ - start of message ] - end of message EX - exit W - window - - direction of intended path of travel FX - fire exit WCL - ladies toilet WCM - mens toilet WCD - disabled toilet C - cafe.

The characters 6 may include numbers in order to specify, for example, room numbers. Thus, it will be appreciated that the characters 6 are generally alphanumeric and are arranged to define abbreviated forms of words.

Referring to Figure 1, the characters 6 on section 2 are [WCL] which indicate the position of a ladies toilet. Referring to Figure 4, the characters are [~-EX~-] which direct a person to the position of an exit.

Small sections of mobility apparatus may be secured directly to, for example, doors, in order to convey information, for example, "ladies toilet", "elephone" etc.

When, for the first time, a visually impaired person visits a building which includes the mobility apparatus described above, the person may be provided with a personal audio tape player which is used to convey information aurally to the person concerning the layout and facilities within the building. The information may be such as to allow the visually impaired person to make a tour of the building unaided by another person.

It will be appreciated that the provision of mobility apparatus as described above, within buildings or other public or private places (whether inside or outside) may allow visually impaired persons to lead more independent lives.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

MOBILITY APPARATUS 1 A method of providing information in a tactile form for persons with visual impairment to allow them to move around without a sighted companion in unfamiliar surroundings.Only a small number of visually impaired persons are able to read braille,the mobility apparatus is therefore to assist these persons,although not exclusively. The apparatus may help improve the safety of visually impaired persons in unfamiliar public buildings - assisting them to locate exits and such hazards which may not pose a threat to sighted persons.
2 A tactile mobility apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a plastic or other suitable material fixed to an upright structure with information to be conveyed super-imposed upon the main outward surface,protruding from that surface allowing the sight impaired person to feel the shape of the symbols and alpha numeric combination of same,thus providing a means of identification of travel to a sight impaired individual.
3 A tactile sign system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the symbols,letters and numbers are brightly coloured preferably fluorescent.
4 A tactile sign system as claimed in claim 3 which base and projected materials are contrasting in colour and maybe of different materials to create a clearer image and tactile sensation.
5 Mobility apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the alpha Numeric and symbols maybe of differing size so that the individual letters,numbers and symbols maybe clearly distinguished by touch.
6 A mobility apparatus as claimed in claim 2 may comprise of combinations of symbols,letters and numbers in diverse and various combinations or in singular form to convey information to vision impaired persons in diverse places.
7 A mobility apparatus as claimed in any one of the claims 2 to 6 including a fixing means secured to other objects or surfaces.
8 A mobility apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the fixing means is screw or adhesive or composite substance or a magnet such that the mobility apparatus maybe attached to ferrous objects.
9 A mobility apparatus as claimed in claims 2 to 8 which is attached to another surface in such a manner as to reduce the likelihood of misappropriation.
10 A mobility apparatus as claimed in claims 2 to 9 in which a audio tape and/or a large print explanatory guide maybe used to assist sight impaired persons use of the mobility apparatus as a means of guiding themselves in their chosen direction of travel.
11 A mobility apparatus for use of vision impaired persons according to claim 1 comprises of suitable material with raised characters,symbols and numbers attached to an upright structure adjacent the proposed path of travel for a Blind or Partially sighted person,for example a public building with corridors and floors on different levels although not exclusively.