Announcing London Underground Trial and Google.org Funding

Wayfindr
December 3, 2015

Today we have some pretty awesome news. Not only are we announcing a major London Underground trial at Euston, we have also received a grant from Google.org.

We are currently testing our prototype app with blind, and partially sighted people in London Euston station. Once they have selected their destination they are guided, via audio directions triggered by signals from beacons installed throughout the station.

David Waboso, Capital Programmes Director for London Underground said:

“Our trial at Euston is really putting the system through its paces, to see whether it can fulfil its promise at one of London’s busiest Tube stations.”

Through the RLSB, Wayfindr was awarded a grant by Google.org in 2015 as part of the Google Impact Challenge: Disabilities program, which invites applications from projects that seek to solve problems for people living with disabilities through technology. The grant will accelerate the work of Wayfindr over the next three years.

Google’s UK Managing Director Eileen Naughton comments:

“We’re extremely proud to support this project through Google.org, and to see multiple UK partners working together to improve access for visually impaired people.”

We plan to build on our experience in London to set the standard to make cities worldwide more accessible to vision impaired people. Having developed our expertise alongside London Underground, in 2016 we will begin trials in other urban settings, including retail environments and hospitals.

Former Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said:

“I look forward to the results of this hugely exciting trial, which is making use of the latest smartphone technology to help vision impaired people get around our city more easily.”

Commenting on the power of technology to improve the lives of vision impaired people, RLSB Chief Executive and Wayfindr Chair, Dr Tom Pey said:

“What makes Wayfindr so strong is the focus on smartphones, meaning blind people don’t have to spend hundreds of pounds on different gadgets – they have everything they need in their pockets.”

Wayfindr CEO, Umesh Pandya said:

“Through our open and inclusive design approach, the Wayfindr standard has the potential to change the lives of vision impaired people across the globe.”

Speaking on the impact this will have on vision impaired young people, RLSB Youth Forum member, Ashar Smith said:

“It’s fantastic to see concepts developed by the RLSB Youth Forum materialise into something useful that will change the way vision impaired people participate in society on a global scale. Wayfindr will allow us to travel independently, which will facilitate accessibility to jobs, reduce the risks of isolation, and allow us to enjoy the city that we live in. Only an innovative organisation like RLSB would encourage such a wide reaching project to be user led, allowing the project to be streamlined for those who will benefit from it most.”

The Wayfindr Standard will launch in early 2016.  Setting the first guidelines for audio navigation for vision impaired people. The Standard was developed through rigorous user research, in live environments. It will give location owners, and makers of digital navigation services, the tools to empower vision impaired people to navigate urban settings with the phone in their pockets.

Find out more about Wayfindr here.

Wayfindr

Our team combines the digital product and user centred design expertise of ustwo, with the Royal London Society for Blind People’s 175 years of experience working with blind people.