ScienceDaily (Jan. 28, 2011) — Disabled and elderly people could find it easier to navigate around town and city centres with a new hand-held computer being developed by a geographical information systems professor at Kingston University in South West London.
A Kingston University professor is developing a hand-held computer that could help disabled and older people to find their way around town and city centres.
Nigel Walford, Professor of Applied Geographical Information Systems, said the device would allow people with mobility problems to make their way more easily around an unfamiliar place by alerting them to hazards like steep slopes, stairs, physical obstructions and poorly lit streets.
After two years in development, Professor Walford said he was ready to produce a prototype that he hoped would attract the interest of industry backers. Rather than working like a satellite navigation device which gives directions to and from a specific location, the new tool would provide a survey of a town or city highlighting areas that might cause difficulties to someone with disabilities, to older people or to anyone who might want to avoid streets that were difficult to navigate. It could also help users find services such as public toilets or children's play areas.
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