Responsive Bus shelter

DBA Design Challenge

Working with the Helen Hamlyn Centre ‘Is that my bus?’ was developed in response to the DBA Design Challenge 2004. The project explores issues of accessibility at the bus stop for a wide range of people with varying abilities and impairments.

The scheme proposed reformatting the shelter environment and an improvement in the provision of real time information via smart technology.

A fob is used to trigger an announcement that helps the visually impaired traveller locate the shelter. A smartcard, the same one as used for paying the fare (Oyster or similar), is used to trigger next bus announcements.

The smartcard carries information regarding the user’s specific impairment and sends this to approaching buses to forewarn the driver of any assistance waiting passengers may need.

The project further investigated the benefits audible signing could offer in the wider context of the community.