DIRECTIONAL PEDESTRIAN INFORMATION AID

DISPOSITIF D'ASSISTANCE AUX PIETONS PAR INFORMATIONS DIRECTIONNELLES

English Abstract

A tactile directional pedestrian information aid which has raised or indented
features (11 and 12), which are capable of imparting
directional information by tactile interrogation, such as by the hand or
fingers brushing over the raised features. The distinct difference in
tactile qualities of the raised or indented features, e.g. shape or texture of
(11 and 12), are capable by interpretation of imparting correctness
of travel direction, incorrectness of travel direction, or a requirement for a
change in direction of travel. This tactile directional pedestrian
information aid shall be capable of attachment to, or form an integral part of
a suitable supporting medium (10).

French Abstract

L'invention concerne un dispositif d'assistance aux piétons par informations directionnelles, tactile, pourvu d'éléments en relief ou en creux (11,12), qui peuvent donner des informations directionnelles par interrogation tactile, telle qu'un effleurement de la main ou des doigts sur ces éléments en relief. Les qualités tactiles distinctes des éléments en relief ou en creux, par exemple leur forme ou leur texture (11, 12), peuvent indiquer par une interprétation si une direction sur un parcours est exacte, inexacte, ou s'il convient de changer de direction. Ce dispositif d'assistance aux piétons par informations directionnelles, tactile, pourra être monté sur un support adapté, ou en faire partie intégrante.

Claims

3
What Is Claimed:
1. A method for a person to move and be guided along a route by
touching tactile indicators affixed to a suitable supporting medium
comprising the steps of:
providing a first set of raised or indented distinctively shaped or
textured features;
assigning a first direction of movement to said first distinctive features
according to the least resistance when said first features are tactilely
interrogated;
providing a second set of raised or indented distinctively shaped or
textured features, said second features being distinctive in shape or texture
to
said first features;
assigning a change in direction of movement to said second features
different from said first direction of movement;
affixing said first features to a suitable supporting medium to mark a
first route in said first direction of movement to be followed by a person;
affixing said second features to a suitable supporting medium to mark a
change in direction away from said second features;
touching said first features;
moving in said first direction of movement once one of said first
features is touched;
continuing movement in said first direction of movement past further
said first features;
touching said second feature;
stopping movement in said first direction of movement once said
second feature is touched;
moving away from said second features in said second direction of
movement once said second feature is touched;
characterised in that a series of said first shaped features and a series
of said second shaped features are arranged in separate distinct groups in a
linear manner such that a series of the first shaped features are positioned
prior to and/or following a group of said second shaped features.

Description

07-12-2000 GB 000000151
CA 02360601 2001-07-24
. = 1
Directional Pedestrian Information Aid
This invention relates to a tactile directional pedestrian
information aid.
Exit signs are a well known and adopted method of directing
people towards stairways and safe exit points during everyday
use and in the case of an emergency such as a fire. Such signs
are often illuminated to assist safe exit in low light situations.
These signs are, however, limited in their effectiveness by the
essential necessity of the exiting person being able to see them.
The ability to assimilate the directional information may be
impaired or negated by either the physical capabilities of the
exiting person, for example partial sight or blindness, or by local
conditions such as smoke, fumes, low-light or darkness.
According to the present invention there is provided a tactile
directional information aid for a person, said aid comprising
raised or indented distinctive features which act to determine
the direction of exit by tactile interrogation when contacted by a
sensory part of the body, such as a hand, according to the
features' distinguishing shape or texture, said features capable of
being affixed to a suitable supporting medium and wherein said
raised or indented distinctive features change in shape and/or
texture to indicate a change in direction, to be followed by the
person.
The suitable supporting medium can be in the form of a material
being adapted to fix to a wall or wall feature, or may comprise
part of the wall or building feature itself and which act to
determine the proper direction of exit when contacted by a
sensory part of the body, such as a hand, according to the
feature's distinguishing shape or texture. Suitable signs or
AMENDED SHEET

07-12-2000 GB 000000151
CA 02360601 2001-07-24
2
other such instructional material shall avail the person of the
interpretation of the taction.
A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described
by way of examples with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:-
.
Fig. I shows in perspective the raised features on a suitable
medium;
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Figs. 2-4 illustrate the transmission of tactile
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information to the pedestrian or evacuee.
. .. ~
Referring to the drawings, the tactile directional pedestrian_
information aid comprises raised or indented distinctive features
11 and 12 having a distinguishing shape or texture which are
capable of being affixed to a suitable supporting medium 10 as
shown in Fig. 1 which may be, for example, a strip of self-
adhesive vinyl fixed to a wall at a reasonable height, or other
suitable form of a material being adapted to fix to a wall or wall
feature (not shown).
In order for the person to assess the correct direction in which
to move towards the exit from the aid, the hand or other
suitable part of the body must brush over the raised features 11
and 12. Referring to Fig. 2, if the hand moves across the
features 11 in the direction as illustrated, a very distinct step is
belt, indicating movement in the wrong direction, away from the
exit.
Referring to Fig. 4, a distinctly different =feature 12 indicates
that the person must make a turn, for example at 90 , and walk
forward towards an exit or more tactile directional information
aids.
AMENDED SHEET

Representative Drawing