Navigation and Wayfinding
It can take a lot of work and effort to get around when you’re blind. Assistive technologies and
GPS make it so much easier, and make me feel a lot safer.
-Amanda Clift, individual with sight loss
-Amanda Clift, individual with sight loss
Education can be challenging enough for a student who is blind, without adding the challenge of navigating to
classrooms and lecture theatres. CNIB Frontier Accessibility provides customized solutions to support ease of
both internal navigation and external wayfinding for students. Each custom solution integrates with existing
infrastructure and embedded technology, while leveraging our team of experts who use a variety of tools and
resources, to best support students in navigating the built environment.
Our custom plans include:
- Beacon positioning systems
- LiDAR mapping
- GPS integration
- Accessible navigation apps
- Tactile signage
- Point of interest mapping
Imagine arriving on campus for the first time. A student with sight loss will almost certainly have to rely upon the assistance of others to navigate around this new environment – meaning that their privacy, independence and safety could be compromised. But it doesn't have to be.
Our Partners
Technological advances are breaking down the barriers to independence for Canadians living with sight loss, but the pace of change can be bewildering. At CNIB Frontier Accessibility, we are closely monitoring these advances, as well as being directly involved in both the conversation around, and the development of, new navigation and wayfinding solutions. We are proud to call include the following ground-breaking technology providers amongst our valued partners.
- BlindSquare: BlindSquare is the world’s most widely used accessible GPS app developed for people who are blind, deafblind or partially sighted. Paired with third-party navigation apps, BlindSquare’s self-voicing app delivers detailed points of interest and intersections for safe, reliable travel both outside and inside.
- GoodMaps: Imagine being in an airport and not knowing how to get to your flight gate or shopping at the mall and not
knowing what stores are around. GoodMaps helps everyone, whether they're visually impaired or not, navigate safely and
efficiently. GoodMaps utilizes the new and revolutionary technology of camera-based positioning) to determine a user's position
with an accuracy of between two inches and one metre.
Learn more about Goodmaps - Key2Access: Removing the need to find and reach a button, whether for a crosswalk or an automated door opener, makes accessible navigation a reality for all. Key2Access provide solutions that challenge our current “one size fits all” infrastructure by offering a customized response to each user's unique needs. Using Bluetooth and mobile integration technology, Key2Access allows users to interact with the built environment from their smartphone.
