Exit Finder – navigational assistance for VIPs

Through interviewing Visually Impaired Person(s) (VIPs) from the Hong Kong Society for the Blind, our team identified the struggle that VIPs face when having to use the MTR. VIPs have difficulty travelling to new places with the MTR on their own due to the lack of accessibility in the MTR stations. The mobile application “The Exit Finder” aims to provide an offline in-station barrier-free navigational assistance for VIPs. The proposed mobile application will present text-to-speech information about the directions towards the chosen MTR exit based on the tactile paths available in every MTR station. The success of this strategy, without the requirement of installation of additional facilities, improves the railway travelling experience of VIPs particularly travelling around unfamiliar stations, as public transport should be accessible for everyone.