by Daniel Parker, RDPFS Contributor:
This part of the navigation series focuses on apps designed to aid with indoor navigation. In some ways, this field is still in its infancy, due to the unreliability of smartphone location data within buildings. Both mainstream options and apps specifically developed for the blind are available. The key for using these apps is to know that the venue must have partnered with the app and provided maps for navigation. It is important to find this out via the app’s location directory before taking a trip. In the mainstream category are Google Maps and Apple Maps, each with a slightly different focus. While Google Maps has a wide selection comprising over ten thousand partner locations worldwide, Apple Maps concentrates on indoor navigation of airports, shopping malls, and train stations. Two apps specifically designed for people with vision loss are GoodMaps Explore and Waymap. Both provide turn-by-turn navigation using tailored directions and from the phone’s location and motion data. They also feature directories of supported venues, allowing the user to explore them virtually and test out routes before a trip. These apps add locations often, so it is advisable to check the directories regularly. Lastly is Microsoft’s Seeing AI, whose indoor navigation feature is powered by a technology it calls LiDAR. A user can record a route using the app and share it with others, who can then follow that route with Seeing AI providing assistance. Demonstrations of this can be found at the Double Tap podcast and Vision Forward’s Tech Connect. Further information on each app can be found at the above links.
