Canadian Council of the Blind – Gateway Navigation

Making Complicated Transit Hubs Easier to Navigate

In our role as a social impact company. Gateway Navigation CCC Ltd. has been promoting the technology of accessible digital augmented reality (AR) wayfinding since 2017. Which is why we are so excited with the ground-breaking work being implemented by tech start up companies, Waymap, Accessibuild and Goodmaps. Using standardized accessible digital maps of the built environment to create inclusive digital wayfinding tools.

These companies are applying their innovative and unique proprietary solutions, enabling all users to navigate with confidence and enhancing the opportunities for everyone to explore and better understand their surroundings. These initiatives are being supported by forward thinking and socially progressive municipalities elsewhere in the world. However, across Canada, it is only a handful of public institutions and private corporations that have recognized the importance of universal accessibility and have taken the lead. While this is encouraging, these scattered islands of accessibility can only be connected if municipal and regional institutions step up.

Recently, Gateway Navigation partnered with Waymap, Accessibuild and wayfinding experts at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), to respond to an RFP call for submissions from TransLink for an accessible digital wayfinding pilot for Vancouver Metro Transit. The proposal outlined a pilot to use the Accessibuild digital mapping expertise with the Waymap app at Waterfront Station, one of Metro Vancouver’s busiest transit interchanges.

To implement these solutions in BC and across Canada, we need local and regional governments, transit authorities and others to step up as they recently did in Washington DC. The attached article and interview, with Tom Pey, CEO Waymap, describes the accessibility service now being implemented by Washington DC Metro across its entire network of stations and bus stops.

App to Help Blind People Navigate Public Transit to Debut in Washington – Inside Telecom - Inside Telecom

It remains our vision to implement a similar digital navigation system across the transit system in Metro Vancouver.

How can you help? Share our vision with your friends, family and colleagues.

For more information email us at partners@gnc3.com

Happy travels,.

The Team at Gateway Navigation.

Accessible Audio Based Navigation Panel Discussion

Picture spelling R I G H T H E A R Right Hear with radio signal sprading out from the top of letter i

Exploring accessible audio wayfinding through beacons and beyond

This event happened February 9^th, 2018. An audio recording of the panel discussion. Can be accessed at the bottom of the post by clicking on the audio file link.

Free - Educational Series – Accessible Smart Cities

The Beacon Navigation Project hosts the first indoor audio navigation experience in Canada. Using Bluetooth low energy BLE proximity beacons, smartphone and Right-Hear accessible solution software to assist blind, visually impaired or anyone requiring audio augmented reality digital information to more effortlessly, confidently and independently navigate their surroundings.

Join us and our Panelists:

Mike May, Executive Director, BVI Workforce Innovation Center, Wichita, Kansas.
Steve Barclay, President Canadian Assistive Technology
Albert Ruel, Manager Western Canada, Get Together with Technology (GTT), Canadian Council of the Blind
David LePage, Principal Accelerating Social Impact

On Friday, February 9th, 2018 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm in the Alma Van Dusen Room located on the lower level of Vancouver Central Library, 350 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 6B1.

Learn and experience: indoor audio navigation. Through an overview and discussion of proximity beacons / smartphone navigation technology. Focusing on current and future expansion and use of this innovative, ground-breaking, technology. And how it assists independent travel. Followed by hands-on navigation over three levels of the Central Library complex. Including, indoor and outdoor navigation to the Accessibility Resource Centre.

Space is limited. Please confirm your attendance via mailto:partners@gnc3.com. Include your name and organization, if applicable and we’ll reserve your seat.

Remember to download the free Right-Hear App to experience indoor audio-based navigation:

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/right-hear-righthear/id1061791840?mt=8

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.righthear&hl=en

For best audio experience when using Right-Hear. We recommend using a bone conducting headset to permit users to both hear the app and surrounding environment.

Click this link to go to audio file