Airports turn to new technologies to help improve accessibility
Technological advancements are helping to bring about a much-needed change in the way airlines and airports assist travellers with additional needs. Airports can be challenging and complex environments for anyone, especially for passengers with reduced mobility or hidden disabilities. Improvements have been made by many airports and airlines, and here we provide a round-up of some of the latest technological advancements that can help create a more inclusive experience for all.
The Port of Seattle, Houston Airports and Memphis International Airport are among the airports that have in the last couple of years launched programmes to help blind and low vision passengers access a new assistive technology to safely and independently navigate through their terminals.
In partnership with technology company Aira, the airports have introduced smart glasses and a mobile app, which connect visually impaired passengers to certified, live agents to help navigate every step of the airport experience, from kerb-to-gate.
The technology uses smart glasses and a mobile app to seamlessly connect the user to a live, human agent that can see the environment around the user in real-time. Agents can then serve as visual interpreters to accomplish a variety of tasks in the airport – from viewing a flight information board to finding the queue line at a security checkpoint to verifying their luggage at a baggage carousel.
The agent narrates what is in the user’s field of vision, assisting them with navigating the terminal, locating and identifying luggage, reading flight boards, dining and shopping options, and arranging ground transportation.
Gatwick Airport is also among those to have trialled Aira’s app to assist visually impaired passengers in Europe. Instead of using Aira’s smart glasses, passengers at Gatwick can now use the camera on their mobile phone to get help from professionally trained agents. The system is currently being trialled for six months at Gatwick in partnership with easyJet.
Self-driving electric wheelchairs for passengers with reduced mobility
All Nippon Airways (ANA) has partnered with Panasonic Corporation to test the latest generation of personal mobility self-driving electric wheelchairs, as part of a far-reaching plan to increase mobility and accessibility options at Tokyo Narita International Airport. Incorporating robotic elements, these wheelchairs will be able to safely navigate through the airport independently, making them an ideal mobility solution for passengers with connecting flights.
The self-driving electric wheelchair jointly developed by Panasonic and WHILL Co., Ltd., is capable of independently detecting and avoiding people and obstacles on the way to their destinations.
The wheelchairs function by following a predetermined leader to a common destination, and ANA staff will be on hand to serve as guides. The smart elements and adaptability make the wheelchairs a perfect fit for Narita Airport, particularly in helping passengers reach their connections on time.