Se analizan la utilidad y fiabilidad de los Sistemas de Posicionamiento Global (GPS) para los usuarios con discapacidad visual, senalando sus deficiencias y las posibles soluciones a los problemas que plantean. Se presenta la situacion actual del Proyecto HaptiMap (Haptic, Audio and Visual Interfaces for Maps and Location Based Services), un proyecto integrado de ambito europeo cuyo objetivo esencial es facilitar herramientas de desarrollo que permitan a la industria optimizar la accesibilidad de los Sistemas de Posicionamiento Global.
Se describen las principales herramientas disponibles (acceso a datos geograficos en formato vectorial, adquisicion de datos geograficos de otras fuentes, representacion cartografica), asi como los diferentes metodos de diseno y la aportacion de la ONCE en las fases de desarrollo y pruebas del navegador NavEscort. Se valoran los resultados de estas pruebas, se sintetizan los logros obtenidos y se indican las futuras lineas de actuacion en este proyecto.

Haciendo accesibles a las personas con discapacidad visual los Sistemas de Posicionamiento Global (GPS): el Proyecto HaptiMap

This work deals with the problem of personal localization and guidance for impaired people. The authors analyze the user requirements of two groups: elderly and visually impaired people. The goal is to provide users with the most accurate and reliable technology depending on users' profile, adapting the information's contents to their specific needs. Location based services (LBS), integrated in a mobile device, will serve as a pervasive system which ensures the availability of the proposed solution. An initial study has been carried out to know user opinions and experiences about their habits in their routes as well as strategies and utilities users make use of in their urban routes. In order to fulfill the user requirements identified, several wireless technologies have been integrated and location-based services have been developed in mobile devices, under a common service platform using the "Design for All" principle. The main innovation for the developed system is the option of profiling features, which adapt the way of providing information to the user's special needs.

Alfonso Dominguez

Papers

Mobile Systems and Services for Guidance of Dependant People