Chopin Airport currently has four typhlographic terminals, which can be found in front of the departure hall, at the bus stop at the departure hall, in front of the arrivals hall and at the Chopin Airport train station. The project was carried out in cooperation of the airport with the experts from Chance for the Blind Foundation.
Typhlographic plans were made using cutting-edge technology and are a permanent element supporting communication at the airport. Voice messages in Polish and English can be played using special buttons. After pressing the button, the user will hear, where the most important objects in her or his environment are, in which direction she or he should go and where she or he can get help.
Castings of the typhlographic plans are made from a combination of transparent resins placed on a coloured imprint. This technology has been used in Poland for the first time. Thanks to its characteristics, the cast is pleasant to touch, and at the same time is highly resistant to mechanical damage. This is important because they are typhlographic plans, which have convex lines representing the walls, paths, symbols, objects, descriptions in Braille or buttons that anyone can touch. Plans have been prepared primarily for the blind and visually impaired people. Also the choice of colours is not accidental. They have been selected, so the visually impaired, elderly or suffering from colour blindness could easily interpret what is on the map.
All the plans are equipped with beacons – modern bluetooth transmitters. As a result, a person with an Your Way application will be able to find the plans using her or his smartphone. Your Way is an application to remotely replay the messages of all the typhlographic plans located nearby. Those who do not have the application yet, can download it from the manufacturer’s site Altix or scan the QR code on one of the typhlographic plans.
The producer of the plans, the company Altix, is the market leader in the fight against digital exclusion of blind people. For more information about the application visit the manufacturer’s website: Altix
Source: Warsaw Chopin Airport
Photo © Przemysław Przybylski