GB2523161A

GB2523161A - Aids for sight impaired people

Info

Publication number: GB2523161A
Application number: GB1402694.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jonathan Hamp; David Leslie Mcneight
Original assignee: THERMAGRIP Ltd
Current assignee: THERMAGRIP Ltd
Priority date: 2014-02-16
Filing date: 2014-02-16
Publication date: 2015-08-19
Also published as: GB201402694D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a ground marking indicative of a trip hazard that can be detected by sight impaired people, and may comprise a code marking 12 associated with steps, such as a kerb. The marking may indicate whether it is a step up or a step down, and how high the step is, and may comprise a van Dyke or zig-zag marking 12a. Different colours may be used to indicate whether the marking is on a step or a riser. A simple code expressed in two contrasting colours and comprising simple geometric shapes may be used. A machine vision system, such as a smartphone (31, fig 3) having a built-in camera, may be provided that recognizes the ground marking, and which has an app that analyses an image of the camera and gives an audible or other indication of the presence of coded information.

Description

Aids for Sight Impaired People This invention relates to aids for sight impaired people.

Sight impairment may take different forms, hut many sight impaired people have at least some vision. Sight impaired people, whether possessed of some vision or none at all, have a comnion prnhlem it trip hazards when walking, and this is particularly the case when navigating steps and stairways.

The present invention provides assistance for sight impaired people in regard to this problem.

The invention comprises placillg ground marking indicative of a trip hazard that can be detected by sight impaired people.

One form of ground marking comprises a code marking associated with steps. A step maybe a kerh or a single step between levels in a shop or mall, for example. A code marking detectable by sight impaired people could indicate the presence of a step, whether it was a step up or a step down (depending, obviously, on the directioll from which it was approached) and perhaps how high a step it was.

As a step may be approached from either direction, marking may be placed both on the step surface and on the riser. Different colourways may be used to indicate whether the marking is on the step or the riser.

On a staircase or flight of steps, the last step, or the last two or three steps, may be coded.

It would be particularly beneficial if a code could be standardized so that it would be universally recognized by all sight impaired people. It may be the case that research would show that a particular form of marking was visible to a great many sight impaired people, hut it is likely, and it is proposed as an aspect of the present invention, that it is a simple code expressed in two contrasting colours (black and white being regarded as colours for present purposes) comprisi ig simple geometric shapes.

Such codes could also be easily recognized by a machine vision device carried by the sight impaired person, and it is also an aspect of the present invention that codes be adapted to he read' by such a device.

One such device is a srnartphone with a built in camera, which, if he or she does not already have one, would be a beneficial thing to provide for a sight impaired person in any event, hearing in mind the number of other uses to which it might he put.

A smartphone may be loaded with an app so that its camera may be pointed at the ground, the app analysing the camera image and giving an aLidible or other indication of the presence of coded information. Instead of the smartphone camera, a camera, or a pair

I

of cameras, may he deployed on, or built into, a spectacles frame, communicating with the sinartphone app by a wired or a wireless connection.

The code marking maybe comprised in a step as disclosed in British Patent 2483750, which has the additional safety feature of being non-slip and of being durable in terms both of visibility and slip resistance.

Ground marking according to the invention and a machine vision device for reading the same will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FigLire I is an illustration of a step edge marking: Figure 2 is an illustration of end of staircase marking; and FigLire 3 is an illustration of a machine vision device.

The drawings illustrate comprises placing ground markhig indicative of a trip hazard that can he detected by sight impaired people.

Figure 1 illustrates one form of ground marking, comprising a code marking 12 associated with a step II. The step II may he a kerh or a single step between levels in a shop or mall, for example. The code marking 12 detectable by sight impaired people indicates the presence of the step, whether it is a step up or a step down (depending, obviously, on the clirectioll from which it was approached) and how high a step it is.

The marking 12 comprises a van Dyke or zig-zag marking 12a on the step edge in a colour coiltrasting that of the rest of the step II. Figure 1 may be viewed as a plan, the marking being on top of the step ii, or as an elevation, the marking being on the riser.

Different colourways will be used for step and riser.

The marking 12 also comprises a riser height indicator 12b, its leuigth equal to the riser height.

Such markings are large enough to be seen by many sight impaired people who have at least some vision. However, they are also readily recognisahle by machine vision and Figure 3 illustrates one arrangement comprising a smartphone 31 that may be used on its own, its camera being used to scan the ground in front of a sight impaired pedestrian, or in combination with spectacles 32 incorporating cameras 33. An app downloaded in the smartphone 31 uses machine vision to recognise the van Dyke marking and warn of a step, to determine the height of the step by measuring the indicator 12b and to determine whether it is a step up or a step down.

The screen image on the smartphone may, depending on the particular impairment of the user, be sufficient indication -the use may, for example, be able to see near field images, hut generally an audible warning will he used, again, possibly, coded' to indicate a step up or a step down, and this maybe delivered through the speaker on the smartphone or, with the spectacle option of Figure 3, through speakers 34 on the spectacles.

FigLire 2 illustrates, on a staircase or flight of steps, the last three steps, having code marking 21. The marking comprises ovals, one on the last step, two on the penultimate step and three on the antepenultimate step. As before, marking may be on step and riser, differentiated by different colourways.

The code marking is comprised in a step, at least the step surface, as disclosed in British Patent 2483750, which has the additional safety feature of being non-slip and of being durable in terms both of visibility and slip resistance. That patent discloses applying to a step a gritted plastics material surface that incorporates an appliqué that may be a promotional logo or a row/seat number indicator. In the present instance, the appliqué, of course, comprises the coded marking. The riser does not need to be of the same material IS as the step surface, as it does not need the slip resistance -it may comprise a printed plastics material sheet adhered to the riser, for example It will he desirable that coded markings are Liniversally adopted, and the ones shown in Figures 1 and 2 may well be suitable for universal adoption, but research may show that other distinctive markings may be more easily recognised by sight impaired people and/or machine vision systems.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to ground marking in regard to steps, kerbs and flights of steps or staircases, it is generally applicable to other potential hazards such as platform edges in train stations

Claims

Claims: 1 Groulld marking indicative of a trip hazard that can be detected by sight impaired people.

2 Groulld marking according to claim 1, comprising a code markillg associated with steps.

3 Ground marking according to claim 2, in which a step is a kerb or a single step.

4 Ground marking according to claim 3, indicating the presence of a step, and whether it is a step up or a step down.

Grornd marking according to claim 4, indicating how high a step it is.

6 Ground marking according to any one of claims 2 to 5, placed both on the step surface and on the riser.

7 Ground marking according to claim 6, in which different colourways are used to indicate whether the marking is on the step or the riser.

8 Ground marking according to any one of claims 1 to 7, on a staircase or flight of steps, the last step, or the last two or three steps, being coded.

9 Ground marking according to any one of claims I to 8, compnsing a simple code expressed in two contrasting colours (black and white being regarded as colours for present purposes) comprising simple geometric shapes.

Ground marking according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising coding that can be recognized by a machine vision device carried by the sight impaired person.

II A machine vision system adapted to recognize ground marking according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising a srnartphone.

12 A machine vision system according to claim I I, in which the smartphone has a built in camera, which images the ground marking.

13 A machine vision system according to claim I I, in which the smartphone is used in conjunction with a camera, or a pair of cameras, deployed on, or built into, a spectacles frame, communicating with the smartphone app by a wired or a wireless connection.

14 A machine vision system according to any one of claims I I to 13, loaded with an app analysing the camera image and giving an audible or other indication of the presence of coded information.S

Ground marking according to any one of claims I to tO, comprising a 1]astics material matrix with an appliqué comprising the code marking.

16 Ground marking according to claim 15, having slip resistance properties.