This brief article describes the results of a pilot study into the use of the visual communication network (VCN), a unique communication system which provides real time information inside transit vehicles. Developed by Telecite, a Canadian company specializing in innovative communications technologies and services, the technology has been designed to provide pertinent and current audiovisual information to passengers, especially to persons with reduced mobility such as elderly and visually and hearing impaired persons. The initial study, conducted by dr. Doer from the University of Calgary, was done with people who have reduced mobility, thus allowed the specific needs of the various disabled groups to be incorporated into the design process. The VCN system provides rapidly updated visual and auditory information in real-time to passengers inside metro vehicles with the objective to making travelling easier, entertaining them, making the trip more enjoyable. The results indicate that all three disabled groups tested ("visually impaired, hearing impaired and elderly") were enthusiastic about the system, with 72% rating the system as either excellent or very good. Although the VCN system's first objective is to respond to the needs of visually and hearing impaired passengers, the system caters to all passenger groups, and increases the attractiveness of the metro resulting in increased ridership.
Abstract