Apps for an 'appier life
So many apps leave me underwhelmed, and it feels like many are created just for the sake of being able to say "Our company has its own app" and are a messy aggregate of all possible bells and whistles, (much like some websites in fact), but every now and again I find a truly imaginative app which takes a simple idea and uses it to greatly improve quality of life, developed not because someone wanted to develop an app and put it on their CV, but because its a great way to solve a genuine problem.
Wayfindr, a London-based not-for-profit technology company, has received a £300,000 grant from the The Big Lottery to develop its indoor navigation system into an open standard.
Wayfindr was developed and trialled on the London Underground a couple of years ago. When you get off a tube train in London, the first thing you do is look around trying to find signs to guide you through the maze of tunnels and escalators, either to get you to the exit, or to change to a different line. Imagine the scale of that problem if you are unsighted. Wayfindr's solution was to install small bluetooth beacons at key points throughout the station and combine that with a smartphone app which, like a satnav, guides the user with step by step and turn by turn instructions.
After successful trials in London, the development of an open standard could see this system implemented in bus and rail stations across the country, to give more freedom and independence to people with visual impairments.
Wheelchair users face a different set of problems when using public transport. They might need a ramp or assistance to get on and off a train or a bus, and at some rail stations, getting from one platform to another can be challenging. These problems can be easily overcome, but it requires the station staff to know that a passenger is arriving who needs a ramp, for example, and to know which carriage that passenger is seated in. Problems arise not because of unwillingness to help, but because of miscommunication.
An app is being trialled in the West Midlands which aims to improve the communications in these situations, to ensure transport staff have all the info they need to find and assist the passenger. Following the trials, it is hoped the system will be rolled out across the UK in time for summer 2018.
Many people with visual impairments can lead mostly independent lives but need help sometimes from a sighted person to do things which we all take for granted. For instance, microwave ready meals are easy to cook, but rarely are the cooking instructions printed in big bold lettering. Whilst friends and neighbours are usually happy to help, they are not always available. Hans Wiberg came up with the idea of using the cameras in smartphones and the goodwill of people worldwide to create an elegantly simple solution called Be My Eyes which has now matured into an impressive product with a wide network of users and volunteers.
At the time of writing, over 50,000 blind people are registered with the Be My Eyes, along with over 600,000 sighted volunteers.
21st December 2017
This article comes from the SKILLZONE email newsletter, published monthly since January 2008, and covering topics related to technology and the internet. All articles and artwork in the SKILLZONE newsletter are orignal content.