Student Design Awards winners: Active journeys

Brief 8: How might we make multi-modal travel (a combination of walking, wheeling, cycling and sustainable rail networks) accessible and inclusive to improve the experience for all? 

Winner:

  • PATH: Travel Aid for the Visually Impaired - Che Antoine, Safa Ikheria and Zahra Mandviwala, Loughborough University, England

Commended entries

Winner: PATH: Travel Aid for the Visually Impaired 

A thermal imaging camera and haptic pad phone attachment that work with an app to enhance the experience of bus travel for the visually impaired.

A full shot of an Iphone with the prototype shows that it has two components, the round unit in the middle of the phone on the back, called the Haptic Pad and the top left unit which is a thermal camera. The thermal imaging camera attaches on the top of the phone case opposite the phone’s own camera Uses infrared and MSX Technology to provide detailed images of the surroundings. The image recognition software then differentiates between occupied and vacant seats on the bus to advise user.
The image highlights the elements to the device. Thermal Camera: The thermal imaging camera attaches on the top of the phone case opposite the phone’s own camera. Uses infrared and MSX Technology to provide detailed images of the surroundings. The image recognition software then differentiates between occupied and vacant seats on the bus to guide the user. Braille Compass: The haptic pad is supplemented by Braille lettering: Up, down, left and right. This subtle addition provides a familiar guide for the visually impaired user. Haptic Pad: Using built-in actuators, the haptic pad provides intuitive vibrations at every step of its use. Its circular shape allows for clock-like, directional pulses to provide accurate navigation. USB-C charging port: PATH utilizes its own battery, so as not to use up the phone battery. It uses a standard USB-C cable to recharge when necessary.
The benefits of PATH are highlighted: Getting on the right bus: Having my vision decline over time, using public transport has often been a difficult experience. Users have issues identifying the correct bus for their route and don’t always feel comfortable asking for assistance. They value their independence. Identifying empty seats: Users have difficulty quickly identifying vacant seats, which trigger negative emotions such as anxiety and frustration. This can also trigger negative responses from passengers. Getting off at the right stop: Unintelligible or absent audio announcements and drivers that forget to notify users means that missing their stop is a common occurrence.

Public transport can sometimes fail to be accessible to groups with disabilities, including those who are visually impaired. PATH aims to support this specific user group to use transit networks with greater independence. It is a phone accessory, working in conjunction with an app, that provides haptic feedback to guide the user through the travel experience, from start to destination. This includes identifying the correct bus through Bluetooth/ NFC, detecting an empty seat on the bus via thermal imaging, and alerting the user on arrival at their destination through vibrations. These features remove the dependence on unreliable bus hardware, such as announcements, and reduces the need for travel with a personal aide.

Che Antoine, Safa Ikheria and Zahra Mandviwala

Loughborough University, England

The HS2 award of £2,000

Che’s website

Commended entries

Highly Commended

WheelableEugene Woo, Hayden Duncan, Kavya Somala, Maggie Jarrett, Rebecca Rainhart and Victor Cummins, Boston College, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and North Carolina State University, United States of America

Wheelable: A navigational application that empowers users with mobility impairments to navigate the urban environment.

Commended

The Ace CardCynthia Mangueira and Daniela Linger, Kingston University, England

The Ace Card: A smart card that pertains to a mileage counting system and encourages environmentally positive transportation for working travellers in the UK.

In partnership:

The quality of the winning and commended entries was truly outstanding. It is great to know that there are such allies of disabled people in the up-and-coming design community.

Disability activist, 2022 Judge Doug Paulley

See the 2022 winning entries