FR2826486A1 - Tactile information to assist blind people in crossing roads, uses vibratory source fitted to posts adjacent to crossing and controlled by state of crossing control lights - Google Patents

Abstract

The tactile aid assists blind people in crossing a road. A post adjacent to the crossing contains a vibration source which produces vibratory impulses that can be detected by blind people using their sense of touch. The generation of impulses is linked to the state of the traffic lights, and is encoded to ensure that legitimate signals can be distinguished from vibration induced by the traffic.

Description

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 The present invention relates to an information method, for the use of the blind, intended to help them cross the streets.

 In town, traffic lights control traffic and the passage of pedestrians by visual signals. These signals have the drawback of not being perceptible to visually impaired pedestrians, who therefore find it difficult to determine the right moment to cross a street. A solution to this problem has been found in the form of audible signals, ringtones or voice messages, synchronized with the visual messages of the traffic lights. However, these sound signals are a nuisance in an urban environment because of their uninterrupted repetition.

 The invention therefore proposes to use a new information method for the use of the blind, using the sense of touch. According to this process, the signal consists of vibrations or pulses that the blind can pick up by touching the posts of the signal lights or any other terminal provided for this purpose.

 Vibrations or pulses are emitted by one or more vibrators or other devices placed on or incorporated in the posts of signaling lights. These vibrations or pulses are modulated so as to represent a characteristic signal that the blind can identify and distinguish from possible vibrations due to automobile traffic. The tactile signals are synchronized with the light signals in order to transmit a message similar to that which is sent to ordinary pedestrians.

 According to one embodiment, when the traffic light is green or orange, there is no emission of vibrations or pulses and this indicates to the blind that they cannot to cross. In this way, in the event of a system failure and therefore in the absence of tactile signals, the blind are not misled and do not risk crossing in the wrong time. Conversely, when the traffic light is red and there is still time to pass, the existence of vibrations or pulses in the pole indicates to the blind that they can cross. On the other hand, an alternative solution consists for example of installing around

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 from the post a ring fitted with a vibrating system. In this case, blind people only touch one area of the pole.

 The blind can catch vibrations by touching the posts with their hands, but it is also possible to emit vibrations or pulses strong enough for them to just touch the posts with their cane in order to feel the tactile signals in their hands.

 The method according to the invention can dispense with a detailed technical description here because such a device consisting in installing a vibrator on a pole and in synchronizing its action with the alternation of the light signals, does not pose any implementation problem. in the state of the art. What is new in the method according to the invention is the use which is made of a tactile signal for transmitting information to the blind on the operation of signaling lights.

 This process applies to all pedestrian crossings equipped with traffic lights. It is intended to help the blind while avoiding creating noise pollution.

Claims (5)

1) Information method intended to help the blind to cross a street and consisting in converting the visual signal of the traffic lights into a signal perceptible by the blind, characterized in that this signal is a tactile signal that the blind people pick up by touching the traffic light poles or any other terminal provided for this purpose.  2) Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the signal is a continuous or discontinuous vibration.  3) Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the signal is a train of pulses.  4) Method according to claims 1,2 or 3, characterized in that the vibrations or trains of pulses are perceptible by the blind by contact of their cane with the posts of the traffic lights.  5) Method according to claims 1,2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the absence of vibrations or pulse trains indicates to the blind that they must not cross.