Recently, safe walking by the visually impaired has become a socially important issue. It is especially dangerous when a totally blind person crosses an intersection, so some safety measures must be taken. Installation of an audible signal is fundamentally a top priority and it's desirable to increase the amount of information with an additional device. Some trial equipment was made with consideration for the advice from the users, with which verification tests were made. The paper discusses how the trial equipment could easily be used in the field after some modifications. About 3 million Japanese struggle with disabilities, 300,000 of which are visually impaired, as reported by the Ministry. In 1990 "the Barrier-free Law" was established by the related Ministry, with which much planning is being promoted in various circles to assist the handicapped in supporting themselves and participating freely in society. This project, which aims to enhance the mobility of the visually impaired, conducted a study on measures to eliminate difficulties associated with crossing intersections. One of the main problems is that there is no uniformity between audible signals at intersections among the different prefectures. With consideration for user-friendliness, safety and amenity, a new system of audible signals, which enable navigational guidance to the handicapped with uniformed sounds in Japan needs to be developed.
Samenvatting