WelcomeHomeWorld is an app that allows people with visual impairments to to navigate the world as safely and easily as they do in their own homes. People who are visually impaired find that being at home the safest because of the familiarity that they have with their house. Our mission is to bring the world to them, make it familiar, and make it as easy to navigate in other buildings as it is in one’s own home. Our app uses bluetooth beacons placed at key locations around the building to notify the differently-abled when they are nearby the nearest bathroom, elevator, or staircase.
The application runs on a mobile device so that the user can walk around with the app helping the user navigate through the building and making the building more accessible and visually impaired friendly. When a user comes within 3 meters of a beacon, the app buzzes, reads a location message, and changes color. Because this is an app for the visually impaired, the visual side of app design is very simple.
This is a cost effective way to make up for our lack of accommodation for the visually impaired, as beacons can be purchased and installed for less than $10 each. We want to stress that even while we developed this app with visual impairment in mind, the app can be used by people of any ability to navigate confusing buildings. We feel that this is important because it helps to remove some of the stigma that may be associated with using a device meant for those with impairments. And let’s be honest, wouldn't you like to know what floor of the science center you have found yourself?
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