As the relationship between people and technology continues to merge, it is imperative that we are actively accounting for those who society could potentially leave behind in the process in order to ensure their inclusion in the long run. NaviLens saw the need for further innovation in bridging the gap in functionality that disabled people experience in an attempt to prevent that future scenario that could quickly become a Human Rights concern. Just as they reinvented the QR code, they have lofty plans of bringing life to the already-existing Tactile Paving.

By overlaying a large, colorful NaviLens code over the existing tactile paving, it creates this new form of linguistic expression — a Visual and Auditory Braille.

Using one’s phone camera via the NaviLens app, it can provide improved autonomy and independence for someone who is disabled; it can provide a world of possibility such as the use of WayFinding within public spaces of all types like transportation stations, malls, museums, parks, and even whole cities.

This type of implementation could potentially show where the nearest store is, pharmacy, hospital, bus stop, post office, or even directions to one’s own neighborhood and house in the event the user happens to be lost. All of this happens right on the user’s display along with the in-app voice assistance that they will be hearing at the same time — perfect for those who use the “display curtain” option from their accessibility settings.

These are also features sighted users can benefit from as well using NaviLens Go; it displays the information in a manner more dedicated to Augmented Reality.

There are so many more possibilities with this technology that have yet to be conceptualized. All it takes is for one city to visualize those possibilities of this technology for the dream of complete autonomy for disabled persons to become a reality.