iBeacons to guide the visually impaired on the London Underground

Le Royal London Society for
Blind People's Youth Forum is at the origin of a great initiative.

It aims tofacilitate the movement of blind or disabled people
clairvoyants on the London Underground. As a reminder, San
Francisco had already set up
a similar service.

It’s with “iBeacons” that this happens:

Apple has been offering since iOS 7iBeacon technology
which allows interactivity and geolocation between the iPhone and terminals
Bluetooth. The system is therefore relatively well suited for
indoor navigation.

The Wayfindr project is currently in the testing phase in the station
Pimlicoof the London Underground. To guide themselves, people
use ageolocation application operating using
balises Bluetoothlocated in different locations across the
station. Instructions are given through bone conduction headphones
thus preventing the user from being deprived of the ambient sounds of the station.

Thanks to this system, people suffering from a vision-related disability
can then move independently in the metro while assistance
of another person was necessary until now.

After a month of trial, the Wayfindr project aims to be extended to the rest
of the London Underground network.