Of the estimated two million vision impaired people in the UK, almost half say they would like to leave their home more often. Many are unable to travel independently, relying on other people to help them get around or just not venturing out at all. As a result sight loss can often lead to isolation, poverty and depression. Recognising the potential of smartphones, Wayfindr have developed the world’s first internationally approved standard for accessible audio navigation. As well as providing tailored augmented reality guidance to meet the needs of persons with different impairments, audio navigation can also improve the wayfinding experience for all users: optimising the flow of people through space; and reducing overcrowding and stress to improve the overall customer experience.
Tiernan Kenny’s talk focussed on wayfinding for persons with vision impairment. Specifically the use of audio navigation technology, an augmented reality wayfinding solution, which can allow vision-impaired people to travel independently by providing step-by-step route guidance. He also spoke about the internationally approved standard for accessible audio navigation (ITU-T F.921), and Wayfindr’s work to encourage the development and adoption of accessible audio navigation solutions in the UK and beyond.
About our speaker
Tiernan Kenny Head of Communications, Public Affairs and Standards at Wayfindr, leads the company’s standards work and community engagement in the UK, Europe and beyond. Before joining Wayfindr, Tiernan spent several years in Brussels working in public affairs, mainly on technology policy and standards.
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