Beryl is an organizer of the blind in Canada.  Forwards an article from
the Los Angeles times about a demonstration of a talking traffic signal.
The article is preceded by her reflections and useful questions.

kelly

>>From: "Beryl Williams" <[log in to unmask]>
>>
>>,TALKLIGHT,hello everyone,
>>As judy has already mentioned,in saskatoon, the TALKLIGHT APS technology
has
>>been operating at key intersections for the past 10 years.  The message
has
>>been designed to give very specific information; when the pedestrian walk
>>signal is on to cross the  street.  It does not tell the pedestrian that
it
>>is safe to cross a busy intersection, any more than the visual signal
tells
>>the sighted pedestrian, that it is safe to proceed. It is left up to each
>>individual to judge this for him/herself.   I am pleased to learn that
this
>>type of technology is being more widely experienced by blind and visually
>>impaired pedestrians.  it will be most interesting to learn what is the
>>concensus of opinion  on the voice component.  There has always been
>>reluctance to adopt this particular feature in canada because of the
>>bi-lingual nature of the country.  I am sure there more spanish speakers
in
>>the U.S. per capita than french speakers per capita in this country.  I
>>wonder if similar objections will be raised in the states.  I believe that
>>the Talklight we have in saskatoon, has been under going tests in several
>>large American cities.  The one described in Los angeles has an added
>>feature to make the crosswalk accessable by persons who are deaf/blind, a
>>excellent  additional feature.  I wonder if this particular system has
been
>>tested in extreme climatic conditions i.e. 40 degrees below C   The
>>Talklight is equipped with an ambiant noise monitor, allowing increasing
or
>>decreasing volume of the signal according to the traffic noise at any one
>>time.
>>One very irritating description of audible signals is to refer to them as
"
>>an audible traffic signal".  This is a mis noma, as they are there to
>>provide information to pedestrians not the drivers of vehicles.  It is
hoped
>>that a visual signal is quite sufficient for anyone who is driving!!
>>REgards, Beryl
>>  -----Original Message-----
>>From: Chris Stark <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: Multiple recipients of list APS-L <[log in to unmask]>
>>Date: Saturday, July 10, 1999 2:55 PM
>>Subject: talking cross walk
>>
>>
>>>Blind Pedestrians Get a Helpful Voice at Crosswalks
>>>Technology: Automated Century Boulevard signal announces and
>>>vibrates when it is safe to cross the street.
>>>By BOB POOL, TIMES STAFF WRITER
>>>
>>>Los Angeles Times Saturday July 3, 1999
>>>Home Edition
>>>Metro, Page 1
>>>
>>>Say hello to the talking crosswalk.
>>>
>>> The first one in Los Angeles introduced itself Friday to 2,500 blind
>>>and visually impaired people gathered at Century Boulevard and Concourse
>>>Way for a convention.
>>>
>>> The automated voice system is connected to the pedestrian signals in
>>>front of the Airport Westin hotel. It tells when it is safe to cross the
>>>busy, 120-foot-wide boulevard, and when it is safer to stay on the curb.
>>>
>
>>> "Crossing Century at Concourse," the signal announced as pedestrians
>>>pressed the "walk" button. When boulevard traffic came to a halt a few
>>>moments later, the voice advised: "The walk sign is on to cross Century."
>>>
>>> Los Angeles transportation officials installed the unusual pedestrian
>>>signal in time for the start of the 38th annual national convention of
>> >>the American Council of the Blind.
>>>
>>> Along with conference meetings scheduled at the Westin through Friday,
>>>the convention will include a trade show at the nearby Marriott hotel
>>>that will feature such advances as computers that translate books and
>>>magazines into artificial speech.
>>>
>>> The talking crosswalk was unusual enough to leave some
>>>convention-goers speechless.
>>>
>>> "I've never seen anything like this," said Jean Mann, a 45-year-old
>>>blind computer programmer from Guilderland, N.Y. "I wish we had something
>>>like this at home. We could definitely use these on some of our corners."
>>>
>>> The signal gives pedestrians 25 seconds to cross the 10-lane
>>>boulevard--which is the main entry to Los Angeles International Airport.
>>>A beeping loudspeaker next to the button alerts the blind that the
>>>crosswalk is there.
>>>
>>> As an extra touch, an arrow above the signal button vibrates when it
>>>is safe to cross the street.
>>>
>>> "It works well. It gave me all the information I needed," said Judi
>>>Cannon, 48, a tour guide at a school for the blind who lives in Quincy,
>>>Mass. "It would be totally impossible to cross this street without it.
>>>I'd take this system over one that uses a buzzer or chirps or does
>>>coo-coos any time."
>>>
>>> Noisemaking pedestrian signals are used at about 30 intersections in
>>>Los Angeles, including corners near the Braille Institute on Vermont
>>>Avenue and around Cal State Northridge in the San Fernando Valley. They
>>>make coo-coo sounds for north-south crosswalks and peep-peep sounds for
>>>east-west crossings, said Brian Gallagher, a transportation engineer in
>>>charge of signal timing for the city.
>>>
>>> "The verbal message is an alternative we wanted to try," he said.
>>>"This convention is a chance for us to get some feedback."
>>>
>>> The talking signals are manufactured by Polara Engineering Inc. of
>>>Fullerton. Company President John F. McGaffey--who was adjusting their
>>>volume Friday afternoon--said he is loaning the $485 signals to the city
>>>for testing.
>>>
>>> Convention coordinator John Horst of Elizabethtown, Pa., said the
>>>American Council of the Blind has prepared guidelines for traffic
>>>engineers across the country to use for making street crossings safer for
>>>sightless pedestrians.
>>>
>>> Mitch Pomerantz, who serves as Los Angeles' compliance officer for the
>>>Americans With Disabilities Act and is blind, arranged for the Century
>>>Boulevard signals.
>>>
>>> He predicted that the convention-goers would have plenty to say about
>>>the talking crosswalk.
>>>
>>>
>>>------------------------------------------------------------------------


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