JPH10149091A - Guiding board, guiding device and guiding system for visually handicapped persoms - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a guiding board with which a visually handicapped person easily knows a way to a destination. SOLUTION: A guiding board 102 for visually handicapped persons has a convex lines 104a which a little rise from a surface of the board and represent inner walls or an outer wall of the building, inking characters 104b and brailles 104c which show names of each room in the building, passage indications 104d which represent user passages, and a present location mark 104e which shows a position of the guiding device in the building. The passage indications 104d are drawn in double fine convex lines and also the present location mark 104e is convex. When the user traces passage indications 104d with his/her finger and touches each of location marks P1 to P10, a sensor works and a speaker sounds guiding voice depending on the location.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a guide plate for the visually impaired, and more particularly to a guide plate designed so that a route to a destination can be easily recognized.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, guide boards for visually impaired persons (guidance boards in outdoor rooms such as buildings, facilities, parks, shopping malls, etc.) are generally made of Braille or convex lines. For example, in the case of a guide board of a building or a facility, a wall or a partition (partition of a room) of the building is indicated by a convex line, and a description of Braille is given. The user first touches the guide map as a whole, and searches for his or her destination. Once you know your destination, you'll find your way from your current location to your destination.

[0003]

According to the above-described conventional method, it takes time to determine the route of how to actually go from the current location to the destination, and depending on the location, I didn't know how to get there, and I was worried. In particular, if there is a relatively large space such as a lobby or a plaza in a facility or building, it is often difficult to know what route to go to the destination.

[0004] In addition, it is said that 90% of visually impaired persons cannot identify Braille. For such persons, it is difficult to find the way to the destination with a conventional Braille information board. Was the current situation.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to enable a visually impaired person to easily and quickly find a route to a destination when using a guide board. A further object of the present invention is to make it easy for a person who cannot read Braille to understand the route to a destination.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a guide plate for a visually impaired person using braille or a convex line, which indicates a route to various places indicated on the guide plate. An aisle indication is provided.

Further, a plurality of detecting means are provided at predetermined positions along the passage display, and voice output means for providing voice guidance at a position where the activated detecting means among the plurality of detecting means is attached is provided.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a guide device according to the present invention. A guide device 101 includes a guide plate 102 and a base 103 that supports the guide plate 101. A tactile diagram 104 is drawn on the upper surface of the guide plate 102 as shown in FIG.

Tactile FIG. 4 shows a convex line 104a slightly protruding from the surface of the guide plate, representing the inner or outer wall of the building.
Inking 104b and Braille 1 indicating the name of each room in the building
04c and a passage display 104d displaying a route to various places
And the current value mark 10 indicating the installation position of the guide device 101
4e is drawn. The passage display 104d is drawn by a double thin convex line, and the current position mark 104e is also convex. The passage display 104d is not limited to a double line, but may be any other form that can be touched, such as a dotted line or a chain line.

[0010] Convex line 104a and present value mark 104e
Is painted in colored resin so that it can be seen by healthy people. The Braille 104c and the passage display 104d may be colored, but may be colorless, so that a healthy person can easily see the guide map as a guide map, while a visually impaired person can also feel it.

The method of forming the guide plate is not particularly limited, and a conventional method, for example, a method of forming a convex portion by pressing a substrate made of metal or the like from the back, a method of screen printing, or the like can be used. In addition, the inventors of the present application independently developed,
A method of drawing braille or a convex line drawing using a dispenser may be used. This method will be described later.

[0012] In passage display 104d, the location of each room entrance and stairs, position mark P ₁ to P ₁₀ (short thin line) is inserted between the double convex line 104d. Then, in the vicinity of the position mark P ₁ to P _10, the sensor S ₁ to S ₁₀ are respectively attached. FIG.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing an example of the position mark P ₃ ,
Sensors S ₃ , S ₄ , S ₅ , near the P ₄ , P ₅ , P ₆ respectively
S ₆ is attached. In addition, the current location mark 104
sensor S ₀ is attached in the vicinity of e. The sensors S _{1 to} S ₁₀ are embedded in the guide plate 102, for example, a reflection sensor (photo interrupter or the like) or a proximity sensor that receives reflected light of the projected light and detects the presence or absence of an object (such as a fingertip of a user). Use However, the detecting means is not limited to a non-contact type sensor such as a reflection sensor, but may be a contact type sensor or a mechanical switch such as a micro switch. If the sign is installed outdoors,
A non-contact type proximity switch embedded from the back of the guide plate is preferable. The mounting location of the detecting means is not limited to the position shown in FIG. 3 and may be provided so as to be tactile along the passage display 104d.

In FIG. 1, a speaker 105 and a reflection sensor 106 are attached to a front end face of the guide device 101. The speaker 105 gives voice guidance to the user, and the sensor 6 detects that the user is standing in front of the guidance device 101. A button switch SW is attached to the lower right of the guide plate 102, and when this button is pressed, the usage of the guide device 101 is guided by a speaker 105 by voice.

[0014] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control system of the guiding device 101, as shown in FIG, button switches SW, the sensor 106, the signal from the sensor S ₀ to S ₁₀ is input to the control circuit 107 You. The control circuit 7 controls the speech synthesis circuit 8 according to each input. The voice synthesis circuit 108 drives the speaker 105 to provide voice guidance to the user.
The control circuit 107 is, for example, a microcomputer or the like, not limited to, voice synthesis circuit 10 on the basis of the switch SW, the sensor 106, the signal from the sensor S ₀ to S ₁₀
Other components may be used as long as they control the component 8.

[0015] Using a device as described above, if we follow the user path display 104d with a finger, fingers, come to the location of each of the position marks P ₁ to P ₁₀ sensor is activated, the speaker 5 outputs voice guidance corresponding to the position.

Hereinafter, this operation will be described in detail.
First, when the user stands in front of the guidance device 101, the sensor 10
6 detects this, and the control circuit 107
8 and a voice guidance is output from the speaker 105. The content of the voice guidance is, for example, "This guidance device can also be used by those who cannot read Braille. If you wish, please press the square button at the lower right of the guidance board."

When the user presses the button switch SW according to the voice guidance, the method of using the apparatus is explained from the speaker 105. The content of the voice guidance is, for example, as follows. "In this map, the passage is drawn as a thin double line. Follow the sign with your finger. There are three lines in the middle of the passage, and if you touch it, We'll tell you where you are. "

When the user follows the path display with a finger, any of the reflection sensors S _{0 to} S ₁₀ detects this, and the control device 107 drives the voice synthesizing circuit 108 to output the voice from the speaker 105. The guidance is output. Voice guidance at each position is, for example, as follows.

[0019] "Here is the current location. If you go to the left there is a tournament assembly hall. You go to the right and a small conference room, toilet, there is a management office." You are here mark 104e ... position mark P ₁ ... "tournament to the left There is a assembly hall. "P ₂ ..." There is a large conference room to the left. "P ₃ ..." There is a staircase to the right on the second floor. "P ₄ ..." and go to the right, small conference room, toilet and management office There it. There is a straight forward and a small conference room. "P ₅ ..." There is a small conference room to the right. "P ₆ ..." There is a small conference room to the left. "P ₇ ..." There is a men's toilet to the right. " P ₈ ... "There is a disabled-accessible toilet on the left.""There is a women's toilet on the right." P ₉ ... P ₁₀ ... "management to left office, there is a staircase to the right."

In the course of following the above-mentioned passage display 104d, if guidance is provided by voice at each of the above-mentioned positions,
Even if you cannot read Braille, you can easily find the destination, and the user can simulate the route to the destination without actually moving within the facility by simply following the passage display 104d. (Simulation experiment). In the case of a conventional guide map, it is necessary to first find the destination by groping, and then further groping for the route to reach the destination.
By following the 04d, the path to the destination can be understood with a single operation.

Once the route to the destination is known, the next step is to actually move, but at this time, the floor material of the building or facility is placed at a position corresponding to each of the position marks P _{1 to} P ₁₀ on the guide plate. A warning display may be provided. FIG. 5 shows an example of this, in which the position marks P ₃ ,
At the positions corresponding to P ₄ and P ₅ , point-like floor members (warning floor materials) 109, 110, and 111 having point-like projections that call attention are laid, respectively. In the figure, a dotted floor 112 indicates the installation position of the guide device 1, and a dotted floor 113 indicates a turning angle of the passage. A linear floor material (guide floor material) having linear projections indicating the direction of movement is laid between the point-like floor materials.

As described above, if a warning sign is provided on the floor of an actual building in correspondence with the position mark of the guide plate 102, it functions as a signpost to the destination. You can easily reach the ground. For example, taking the case where the destination is a small conference hall as an example, the position of the small conference hall is 3 counting from the corner on the right of the current location mark 104e.
Since there is the third position mark, even in an actual building, counting from the floor material 113 at the corner, 3
When the user goes to the place where the th floor material 111 is located, the place becomes the entrance of the small meeting room, and the user can easily move to the destination. Similarly, at other positions, it is possible to accurately arrive at the destination just by counting the passing point-like floor materials.

Although the above-mentioned device is provided with voice guidance, even if there is no voice guidance, the user can immediately find the route to the destination by following the passage display 104d. It can be moved safely and easily.
That is, if the user can read Braille,
By palpating the entire area, a destination is found, and the path from the current location to the destination can be known by reversely following the path display 104d from the destination to the current location.
That is, by providing the guide signs on the guide plate, it is possible to quickly grasp the overall arrangement in the facility or the building and the directions to the destinations.

Next, a method of forming the guide plate will be described.
FIG. 6 shows an example of a guide plate making apparatus, which is provided with a moving table 5, and two Z-axis driving devices (not shown) which move up and down independently of each other are attached to the moving table 5. . A drawing tool 2 for drawing black ink on the guide plate 1 and a dispenser 3 for drawing braille, convex lines, and passage displays are attached to the two Z-axis driving devices. A height gauge 7 that has a contact for contacting the guide plate 1 and detects the height of the surface of the guide plate 1 is attached to the movable base 5. The height gauge 7 measures the height of the surface of the guide plate 1 over the entire surface, stores the measurement data in a memory, and thereafter is raised to a standby position so as not to interrupt drawing.

The movable table 5 is attached to a guide 9 and is movable in the Y direction. The guide 9 is fixed to a frame 11. A ball screw 13 is installed on the frame 11 in the X direction, and a moving table 15 is mounted on the ball screw 13 so as to be movable in the X direction. The guide plate 1 is fixed on the moving table 15. Here, a method in which the movable base 15 is fixed and the guide 9 is moved in the X direction instead may be adopted. A controller 17 for controlling the pressure of the dispenser 3 is mounted on the guide 9.

The material of the guide plate 1 is not particularly limited, but when it is used outdoors, a material having good weather resistance such as a metal such as stainless steel or an engineering plastic such as polycarbonate is used. Of course, paper or other materials may be used.

The drawing tool 2 includes, for example, a felt pen, an ink jet head, a CO ₂ laser, and a YA.
Although a G laser or the like can be used, a dispenser may be used. As the ink, a low-viscosity (for example, 150 cps or less) ultraviolet curable resin or the like is used.

The dispenser 3 is filled with a transparent or ultraviolet curable resin of each color and can be replaced with a single touch. For this, a resin having a high viscosity (for example, about 40,000 cps) is used.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a control system of the apparatus shown in FIG. The control device 19 is, for example, a personal computer and includes a CPU, a memory, and the like. The height gauge 7 detects the height of the surface of the guide plate 1 and outputs the result to the control device 19. The control device 19 drives the drive motors 21, 21 based on the black ink, braille, convex line data, and path display data to be displayed on the guide board 1 in accordance with the determined program.
3. Drive the drawing tool drive motor 25, dispenser drive motor 26, and height gauge vertical movement mechanism 27. The drive motor 21 moves the movable table 15 in the X direction,
The drive motor 23 moves the movable base 5 in the Y direction, the drawing tool drive motor 25 moves the drawing tool 2 in the Z direction, and the dispenser drive motor 26 moves the dispenser 3 in the Z direction. Vertical movement mechanism 27 for height gauge
In measurement, the height gauge 7 is lowered to make contact with the guide plate 1 during measurement, and the height gauge 7 is lifted when drawing with the drawing tool 2 or the dispenser 3. The control device 19 outputs the pressure information to the dispenser controller 17 according to the determined program, whereby the pressure of the dispenser 3 is controlled.

Next, the operation of the above apparatus will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the height of the surface of the guide plate 1 is measured by the height gauge 7 (step 30).
1). There are various methods for detecting the surface shape of the guide plate 1. For example, the guide plate 1 is moved in the X and Y directions to measure the height of the surface at predetermined intervals, and interpolation between the measurement points is calculated. The height can be calculated over the entire surface. After the measurement is completed, the height gauge 7 is retracted upward by the height gauge vertical movement mechanism 27.

Next, a black ink is drawn using the drawing tool 2 (step 302). In the example of the guide plate 102 in FIG. 2, the portion of the ink painting is the ink character 104b. As a black ink pen (drawing tool), either a natural curing ink pen or a UV drying ink pen may be used. In the case of using a UV curing ink pen, a UV dryer is used to irradiate the drawn black ink with ultraviolet rays. It is cured (step 303). After curing, the dispenser 3 draws braille, convex lines, passage displays, and the like (step 30).
4). In the example of FIG. 2, the convex line 104a, the Braille 104
c, draw a passage display 104d, and a current location mark 104e. The braille character 104c may be drawn using a transparent resin so as to overlap the ink character character 104b. As described above, the convex line 104
The a and the current value mark 104e are drawn with a colored resin so as to be visible to a healthy person. The passage display 104d may use a transparent resin or a colored resin.

When drawing using the drawing tool 2 and the dispenser 3, the height of the drawing tool 2 and the dispenser 3 is moved up and down in accordance with the height of the surface of the guide plate 1 detected in step 301. Accordingly, it is possible to freely draw even if the guide plate 1 is warped or curved.

The thickness (height from the surface of the guide plate) of the ink painting and the Braille or convex diagram is related to the readability of the Braille. Good because it gives a tactile sensation. In the case of a Braille or convex diagram, it is preferable that the cross-sectional shape be tactile if the skirt is not widened and the skirt is widened. As the resin for the ink painting, a resin having a low viscosity (for example, 150 cps or less) is used, and its thickness is preferably such that a step is not felt by touching with a finger, for example, 20 μm or less.
Preferably, it is 10 μm or less. The braille or the convex line has a pointed shape using a resin having a high viscosity (for example, about 40,000 cps), and the thickness is preferably 400 μm to 800 μm in consideration of the resin viscosity, the feel, and the like.

However, among the convex lines, the convex line 104a representing the inner wall or the outer wall of the building shown in FIG. 2 is made thicker, and the passage display 104d representing the passage of the user is made thinner than the convex line 104a so that they can be distinguished. To The thickness of the convex line can be changed by adjusting the viscosity of the resin, the drawing speed, the height of the dispenser, and the like. By using the dispenser 3, not only the Braille but also the height of the convex line and the line type (double line, dotted line, chain line, etc.) can be freely written, whereby the passage, the outer wall, the partition, the stairs, the passage, etc. It is easy to represent a branch point or the like with each line type. For example, by giving each protruding line a meaning, such as a thick line for the outer wall of the building, a medium-thick line for the partition, and a thin double line for the aisle display, the entire building can be quickly recognized. .

Next, the braille and the convex lines are cured by ultraviolet rays (step 305), and finally, a coating for applying a transparent film on the ink characters, the braille and the convex lines is performed. The method of coating, spray type, coating type, film type and the like are known,
Any method may be used. It is also possible to use UV-curable materials. It is also possible to impart antibacterial and antifungal functions to the coating.

According to the above, a Braille guide board can be created by drawing ink and Braille.
It is possible to make a braille guide plate extremely easily and at low cost without making a printing plate every time as in conventional screen printing. Also, by using an ultraviolet curable resin as in the above example, the curing is accelerated. Furthermore, convex line with resin,
By forming Braille and using a coating material with a high surface on it, it is possible to have resistance to mischief such as coins, knives, and the like, such as coins and knives, and to improve weatherability.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When the visually impaired uses the information board, the route to the destination can be easily understood. Further, the present invention enables a person who cannot read Braille to understand the route to a destination well.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a guide plate device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a guide plate according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a passage display.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a guide system for the visually impaired according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an apparatus for creating a guide plate for the visually impaired.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the device of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the device in FIG. 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

 102 guide map 104e passage display

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A guide board for a visually impaired person using braille or convex lines, wherein a guide path that can be tactilely provided to display a route to various places indicated on the guide board is provided. 2. The guide plate according to claim 1, a plurality of detecting means provided at predetermined positions along the passage display, and a position where the activated detecting means among the plurality of detecting means is attached. A guidance device for the visually impaired, comprising: voice output means for providing voice guidance. 3. The guide device for a visually impaired person according to claim 2, wherein a tactile position mark is provided at the predetermined position. 4. A guidance system for a visually impaired person, comprising: the guidance device according to claim 3, wherein a warning display is provided at a position corresponding to the predetermined position in a facility where the guidance device is arranged. .