SBIR Phase II: LookingBus: Improving Public Transportation Services for the Blind

这项小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是开发一项行业就绪的服务，以改善残疾乘客，特别是视力障碍乘客的公共交通。LookingBus技术可以帮助司机适应某些乘客的需求，同时限制他们从安全驾驶的主要任务中分心。视障人士严重依赖公共交通作为日常生活、社会活动和就业的基本服务。然而，他们经常面临以下挑战：(1)找到正确的公共汽车站，(2)决定上哪辆公共汽车，(3)在正确的车站下车。通过开发一种先进的通知服务来提醒公交车司机，LookingBus将满足社会和市场的需求，以减轻这些挑战。该产品将促进视力受损的乘客独立、自信地使用公共交通工具，这也可能促进更大的机会追求和维持就业。拟议中的项目将进一步发展和商业化LookingBus，这是一项行业准备好的服务，旨在改善视力受损等残疾乘客的公共交通体验。LookingBus提供了一个先进的通知系统，提醒司机即将到达车站的乘客和他们计划的目的地。拟议中的系统将把公交车站的信标与公交车上的显示器结合起来，该显示器与用户手机上的应用程序相连。这确保了残疾乘客可以安全地使用固定路线的公共交通工具。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to develop an industry-ready service to improve public transportation for riders with disabilities, specifically visual impairments. The LookingBus technology helps drivers accommodate the needs of certain riders, while limiting distractions from their primary roles of driving safely. Individuals with visual impairments depend heavily on public transit as an essential service for daily life, social activities, and employment. However, they often face challenges with (1) finding the correct bus stop, (2) determining which bus to board, and (3) departing the bus at the right stop. By developing an advanced notification service for alerting bus drivers, LookingBus will address the societal and market needs to mitigate these challenges. The product will promote independent, confident use of public transportation for riders with visual impairments, which may also promote a greater opportunity to pursue and maintain employment. The proposed project will further develop and commercialize LookingBus, an industry-ready service to enhance public transportation experience for riders with disabilities, such as visual impairments. LookingBus provides an advanced notification system alerting drivers about riders at upcoming stops and their planned destinations. The proposed system will integrate a beacon at the bus stop with a display on the bus connected to an app on the user's mobile phone. This assures that riders with disabilities can safely utilize fixed-route public transportation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.