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Innovation Standard

Standards: Inclusive Audio-Based Navigation Systems

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Standards for Inclusion and Equal Access for all Persons

Why Are Standards Important? One needs to look no further than to the emergence of the World Wide Web launched in 1989. A fully accessible platform that through a lack of standardization and best practices resulted in systemic barriers of access to the internet for people who are blind, deaf-blind or visually impaired. Although accessibility standards were published, by the World Wide Web, over a decade later in early 2000. It has not been a quick fix to poor design practices. Currently, of the one million most visited websites globally only one percent are fully accessible to users who are blind.

In 2015, learning from history and recognizing, the opportunity indoor audio-based navigation systems holds for people with vision loss and the importance of having industry accessibility standards in place at the start of a product’s development. A collaboration of individuals, organizations and stakeholders created the Wayfindr Open Standard for Accessible Indoor Audio-based Navigation Networks. Whose creation involved input from vision impairment organisations, academics, application developers and people who were blind or visually impaired. Using consensus and user-centred design with the help of a range of experts. The Standard gives building owners and application developers all the information they need to develop and deploy, well engineered and impactful, accessible audio navigation systems.

The International Telecommunications Union, a branch of the United Nations dealing with standards for telecommunications. In early 2017, the Wayfindr Open Standard was officially adopted as an ITU Recommendation, meaning it is officially recognised in 193 countries all over the world as the open standard for designing accessible and inclusive indoor and outdoor audio-based navigation networks.

In June 2019, the Consumer Technology Association, the US Trade Organization whose technology member companies represent an annual economic output of over $380 Billion US$ annually and support the employment of over 15 million Americans. Published the Inclusive Audio-Based Navigation Network Standard. As with the ITU TF.921 Recommendation. It builds on the standard in the context of the North American market. Providing a detailed road map for venue managers and app developers to create and implement inclusive audio-based navigation systems for all persons,

For more information on the standards and how they can be applied to create inclusive and accessible solutions by app developers, venue managers or users. Please contact us at Gateway Navigation CCC Ltd via email: partners@gnc3.com

View ITU Standard by clicking the link below:

ITU Standard Wayfindr Open Standard TF.921

View CTA Standard by clicking the link below:

CTA Standard Inclusive Audio-Based Navigation Networks for all Persons

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