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Abstract
The aim of the study is to determine and prioritise the characteristics of the built environment that increase the effectiveness of the walking surfaces for blind and vision-impaired people. Tactile walking surface indicators are installed on the floor of indoor and outdoor built environments for guiding blind or vision-impaired people. These people perceive the walking surface by a long white cane, through the soles of their shoes or impaired vision. Based on the relevant research and published standards there is a consensus on the characteristics of tactile working surfaces in terms of design specifications, visual contrast, material and installation requirements.
In order to have the right decision while using the related knowledge, the designer of a built environment should identify and prioritise the characteristics of the users. The findings of factorial analysis showed that the individual characteristics such as shoe width, stature, gender, and frequency of leaving residence and experience alone, or with help, determine the effectiveness of tactile surface indicators as the primary factor. The second important factor that can be named as perceptual characteristics of the individual is composed of long white cane usage, time of sight loss and visual efficiency type. It is found that ease of walking on tactile surfaces as ease of change in direction, ease of stay on proper course of walking and transition from truncated domes to bars are third in priority as long as they comply with the standards.
Keywords: Tactile Walking Surface Indicators, Design For All, Blind, Vision -Impaired People.
INTRODUCTION
Tactile ground surface indicators enable the safe movement of people with impaired vision. A tactile walking surface indicator (TWSI) is defined as a "standardized walking surface used for information by blind or vision-impaired persons" (ISO 23599: 2012:2.1 6). These surfaces make it easier for blind and vision-impaired people to move and find their way in the built environment. Also, they can help any pedestrian such as elderly, children, wheel chair user in wayfinding as a landmark. There is a vast amount of literature related to tactile surfaces on experimental basis in various countries such as USA, UK, Sweden and Japan (Bentzen, Barlow, Tabor 2000, Fujisawa et al. 2010, Nakamura, Noriyoshi, Tauchi 2010, Ovstedal, Lid, Lindland 2005). Investigations on practices and research for...