Quarterly Report of RTRI
Online ISSN : 1880-1765
Print ISSN : 0033-9008
ISSN-L : 0033-9008
PAPERS
Research on Utilization of Tactile Tiles and Behavior of Visually Impaired Persons on Railway Platforms
Naoki MIZUKAMIKohei FUJINAMIHisato OHNOHiroaki SUZUKI
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2002 Volume 43 Issue 2 Pages 58-62

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Abstract

In order to improve guiding systems like tactile tiles for the visually impaired on the railway platform, we need to know how tactile tiles are used and how these people behave on railway platforms at present. But there are few reports on this theme. In this study, 67 visually impaired persons who use railways alone were interviewed. This research revealed that (1) dot type tactile tiles are used by 84% as a guide to follow when they walk parallel to the rail, although the main purpose of those tiles are to give warning of the platform edge; (2) 76% utilize bar type tactile tiles crossing dot type tactile tiles at a right angle at the platform edge as a cue to detect stairs; and (3) 70% walk along dot type tactile tiles on island platforms. The percentage of the people who walk along dot type tactile tiles is equal to that of those who walk along the wall side of the platforms, 33% each on opposite platforms.

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© 2002 by Railway Technical Research Institute
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