Google has invested $1 million in Wayfindr, which is the first smartphone platform to help the blind navigate through towns and cities. This comes as no surprise after Facebook revealed that it would make their platform usable for the blind.
Wayfindr is Audible Navigation for the Blind
The technology is still on trial, currently at London Underground’s Euston Station. This station sees plenty of traffic daily. Users are prompted on how to move around through audio provided by the prototype app. It uses beacons dotted around the station to help the blind better navigate.
The Bottom Line: Giving The Disabled Independence
Wayfindr ultimately seeks to help people with vision impairment navigate cities with total independence and as easily as everyone else. Wayfindr will greatly benefit from having Google as an investor, since it can now partner with great navigation apps like Citymapper or Google Maps to develop the technology.
With a reliable way to navigate, the blind will have a much easier time getting around. This project is not a small scale one, either, since having beacons would require a large scale construction and agreements with many government authorities. Thankfully, this is a step in the best direction. New technology is quieter, more efficient and cleaner, and it is only fair that it accommodates the disabled community as well as the abled one.
