BASIC STUDY ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LIGHT EMITTING CURBSTONES OF NIGHTTIME WALKING FOR PERSONS WITH LOW-VISION

Abstract

In a rapidly aging society with a low birth rate, it is important to ensure barrier free access by all types of people, including the elderly and the disabled, to basic social infrastructure, including buildings, public transportation, pedestrian spaces and others. However, if our goal is to enhance the mobility of elderly and disabled persons, the current level convenience and safety of public spaces is not necessarily adequate. This is particularly true of people with visual handicaps. For example, current nighttime lighting conditions cannot be considered adequate to allow persons with low vision to walk comfortably. The present study attempted to address this issue by examining the visual activity and clarifying the walking characteristics of persons with low vision under nighttime lighting conditions in an indoor experiment, in order to help improve the safety of persons with low vision when walking at night. Results suggested that the effectiveness of the visual information used by persons with low vision to guide them when walking at night may be enhanced by taking advantage of to the ability of light to attract and guide the eye.