Manhattan streets are a unique navigational challenge for the visually impaired. GPS, an otherwise helpful technology, is rendered useless in the cavernous landscape. The many wayfinding and location-based applications now available on mobile phones are impractical for the blind.

In order to use them, it is essential that one's mobile device know its location. Constellation is a city-wide network of RFID tags that, upon being read by a custom-built device, will communicate the user's current location to their mobile device, which can then act on that information to retrieve location-based information and directions.

An interest in mobile phones, maps, orientation, and the challenge of developing alternative interfaces for the visually impaired.

Visually impaired pedestrians in Manhattan

A user wants a list of Italian restaurants in the area. Ordinarily, this could be done through one of many mobile tools that provide directory information based on ZIP code. For the blind, the first step is to tell their phone where they are, and ideally, they would be able to do this with as little effort as possible.

The user nears a street corner and approaches and strategically located patch of RFID tags, each with the same information. Using a custom-made Bluetooth-enabled RFID reader, they scan the tag and then pass the information via Bluetooth to their mobile device (which could be in their pocket). Our software then gives the user an audio interface of options (get directions, find places, etc.), using the current location as a search filter throughout the process.

In the show, we plan on having at least one such "patch" of tags at the station (and possibly others throughout the floor that provide different location information), along with our RFID reader and Series60 telephone so that guests can run through hypothetical scenarios.

Several passive 13.56 Mhz RFID tags; one Bluetooth-enabled RFID reader; one Nokia Series60 phone loaded with Python-based, audio-enabled mapping and directory information software. Users will be able to swipe tags installed on the walls of the room and hear location-specific information.