For low-vision people and elderly people with decreased vision and cognitive function, the legibility of signs (character size, position, etc.) is an important issue. Graphic floor signs are considered more effective for low-vision people and elderly people than typical hanging signs because they are closer to pedestrians and can be larger in size. There is a growing number of improved graphic floor signs, but there are no guidelines for character sizes, colour scheme, and layout. Therefore, this study considers the character size ofgraphic floor signs that are legible for elderly people. In this study, we aimed to verify the legibility of characters installed on the floor. The test was conducted on 30 non-elderly and 30 elderly people, about Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) S 0032 “Guidelines for the elderly and people with disabilities-Visual signs and displays-Estimation of minimum legible size for a Japanese single character”. Experiments on minimum legible sizes of characters and experiments on readability were conducted in that order. In the experiment on the minimum legible sizes of characters, we found that the minimum legible sizes of characters written on the vertical surface can be converted to the minimum size of legible characters written on the floor surface by multiplying with the coefficient of minimum legible characters on the floor surface by 2 to 3 times. In the experiment on readability, we found that the optimum character sizes are about 90 mm and 80 mm in height at a minimum for vertical and horizontal characters, respectively. These results showed that the optimum size of characters on graphic floor signs is about 90 mm.

In recent years, barrier-free of public transportation facilities is promoted and sign systems also make progress. However, some people with low vision and elderly people hard to use some guiding signs because they cannot get near these signs. The purpose of this study is to verify the effect of graphic floor signs from a viewpoint of visual search characteristics of elderly pedestrians. An experiment was carried out around a railway station by elderly pedestrians wearing an eye tracking system. As a result, the graphic floor signs had lower marks by elderly participants for an inducibility than that of ordinary suspended signs. On the other hand, the signs had higher marks for a readability and get good impressions that the signs were useful for themselves. Moreover, after they found one of the signs, their visual search characteristics tended to change to pay more attention to the road surface. In addition, the difference between elderly and younger pedestrians was verified by comparison to our previous research. It was found that elderly pedestrians enabled to read guiding information from the graphic floor signs although their average gaze time and average discovery distance of the signs were shorter than that of younger pedestrians.

 The activity of low vision people is multifarious because of difference of their visual function, ability of walking and consciousness of mobility. The characteristic of low vision's visual function and activity is not considered enough, when the environment is improved. We have to consider not only relationship between low vision person's visual function and activity but also environmental factors. The purpose of this study is to apply the concept of ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health) to evaluation of activity of low vision people. Especially, we consider the relationship between visual function, activity and environmental factors. As a result, the public transportation facility was important for activity of low vision people who were able to walk alone.

Ota City is renovating by universal design its facilities to provide all the citizens with a much easier accessibility to the city facilities. It has been a very demanding task, however, to deal with existing municipal buildings which need renovating by universal design and on a large scale. We worked toward Universal Design of existing buildings and have been renovating Ota city main building with PDCA cycle. We have exchanged views to improve the building with different civic groups of the handicapped citizens. As a result, accessibility of the building improved for not only non-handicapped person but also totally blind people and low vision people. This paper describes the factor and the problem of improvement of existing buildings with PDCA cycle.

Some people with low vision or elderly persons tend to walk while watching a nearby floor, therefore, they often overlook or hard to read suspended signs. In this study, we propose two kinds of voice guides, and an experiment is conducted by participants with low vision using these voice guides and graphic floor signs in order to investigate effectiveness of these combinations. In clock position method (CP), each direction of near facilities are described in using an analogy of a 12-hour clock. Meanwhile, in numbering method (NU), near facilities are put the number in clockwise order, however, each direction are only illustrated in a crossing sign. As a result of an experiment, it is showed that both voice guides are effective for pedestrians with low vision. NU is used as a complement of graphic floor signs. Meanwhile, CP is used independently with graphic floor signs, however, there is a risk in the case of using in the environment where pedestrians are easy to mistake the reference direction defined by the sounding speaker.

Recently, sign system standardization in public pedestrian space is going on as part of a promotion of barrier-free space. The purpose of this study is to investigate effectiveness of graphic floor signs for pedestrians with low vision and normal vision in order to accumulate expertise about an effective installation of the signs. An experiment was conducted at a railway station, and as a result, the signs were effective at readability for low vision and normal vision participants, and both participants gave the signs a good evaluation that the signs were useful for oneselves. On the other hand, there was a difference between each participants in their discovery rates of the signs, and the sign discovery rate of normal vision participants tended to be higher in the second half of the walking path. Additionally, it was suggested that there were different causes of dismissing the signs between them.

Some people with low vision or elderly people walk looking down at a floor, thus, they often pass without finding or hard to read suspended signs. Therefore, it is required for them to establish a sign system which makes good use of floor or road surfaces in order to provide for more information. This paper proposes a new graphic floor sign system which consists of two designs. A crossing sign is set on a floor of a crossover point, and indicates a direction of neighborhood facilities. A direction sign is set on a floor of a walkway, and indicates a direction and distance to a destination facility. An experiment was conducted at a railway station in order to clarify effectiveness of proposed sign system for people with low vision and the difference of usage between low vision participants and normal vision ones. As a result, it is showed that the floor signs are effective at readability for both participants. However, they have different factors to pass without finding the floor signs. © 2013 The authors and IOS Press. All rights reserved.

TWSIs compliant with the JIS could be an extra barrier for pedestrians, wheelchair users, and baby carriage users. We have considered that bump heights should have been lower for lower limbs disabled and prosthesis users. We developed newly developed Indoor tactile guidance having 2 mm height or less. Especially, this tactile guidance targets indoors. Because indoors are less danger than outdoors and the floor faces are comparatively flat. On the other hand, some studies have suggested that the vibration caused by manual wheelchairs running over the sidewalk and tactile walking surface indicators have risk of secondary disorders for the wheelchair users. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the body vibration for wheelchair users running over newly developed Indoor tactile guidance. Results for the manual wheelchair showed that significant differences existed between TWSIs compliant with JIS and the indoor tactile guidance in body vibration and dis comfort level. TWSIs compliant with JIS are approximately five times as large as the 1 mm height of the indoor tactile guidance and are approximately three times as large as the 2 mm height of the indoor tactile guidance. The development of the indoor tactile guidance in consideration of body vibrations for wheelchair users is necessary. © 2013 The authors and IOS Press. All rights reserved.

Objective Many people with low vision have walking difficulty at darkened conditions because it is hard to get sufficient contrast from road surface. We have proposed the walking support system with LED lighting. This system irradiates some beams of the light on road surface at regular interval, and low vision pedestrian uses the spots on the road to find one's way. However, it is difficult for low vision pedestrian to distinguish variations of color or shape of the spots. In this study, we propose the method to give walking support information for the pedestrian to the LED beam at the right time by using visible light communications (VLC). Main Content Proposed system adds the information to the light by modulating an applied voltage of the LED at high speed. The fluctuation of the luminance is indistinguishable to a human sight. On the other hand, a receiver of the VLC consists of a receiving unit, a controller, and an information presentation unit. The receiving unit is mounted on the edge of a white cane of a pedestrian. The controller is mounted on the grip. The information presentation unit is composed of a vibration motor and battery cells, and this unit is separated from the white cane. When the receiving unit catches direct beam with the fluctuation, the vibration motor vibrates for a given period of time. This vibration means "warning surfaces" which warn of a potential hazard. Results We conduct an experimental test in order to determine the level of the reception. Test course is 20 meters long. Five LED lightings are installed along the side of the course, including three lightings with VLC. 12 subjects make 10 round trips. As a result, total reception rate is 78%, and the reception rate by irradiating direction represents the highest performance when the pedestrian is irradiated from diagonally forward right. On the other hand, there is weak negative correlation between walking speed and reception rate. Conclusion It is found that VLC are effective to give walking support information to low vision pedestrians without dependence on one's visual function. Additionally, the result of reception rate by irradiating direction leads to the suggestion that LED lightings with VLC should be installed in consideration of moving direction of pedestrians as well as surrounding environment.

Many people with low vision have waking disability at night in the road environment In this study, it is proposed the guidance system using LED (Light Emitting Diode) for supporting a walk in low illumination environments We experiment in the walk supporting system using LED, and clarify the effect and problem of this system In order to experiment, two kinds of walk supporting systems using LED were installed in the road, and the walk experiment was conducted on 21 people with low vision Two kinds of systems are the type which attaches LED to poles, and makes the mark of light, and another type embeds LED on the ground The result of comparison of two types, It is almost the same the walk speed and the swerved distance from a straight line But the result of the questionnaire survey, evaluation of the embedding type is better than the irradiation type

Visually impaired persons tend to be considered to totally blind person. Therefore, improvements of the walk environment for the low vision are not progressing. The purpose of this study is obtaining data applicable to the plan and evaluation of guidance systems for visually disabled The questionnaire survey was conducted about visual performance and mobility problems of people with the low vision. Consequently, when people with low vision are walked, important visual performance is field of view and contrast sensitivity. Moreover, people with low vision have problems in a walking at night, obstacles and steps.

Departmental Bulletin Paper

This research evaluatedt the guidance system for the visually disabled using sense of direction capability. Sense of direction capability of the totally blind person and the seriousness partial sight person was measured by sense of direction questionnaire-short form. In social experiment of guiance system, the visually disabled was classified into the high group and the low group by the score of sense of direction questionnaire-short form. Each group evaluated the guidance system. Evaluations of each group differed and evaluation of the system using sense of direction questionnaire-short form was effective.

Recently, in Japan, improvements in infrastructures, such as guiding blocks, signal intersection, and pedestrian ITS, have been developed for visually disabled. In addition, the international standard and the domestic standard are improving. Thereby, the safety of visually disabled has been improved in pedestrian crossing. However problems continue. For example, that guiding systems do not have a clear evaluation method, and visually disabled accidents with pedestrians, bicycles and cars. In this paper, the crossing behavior of visually disabled and the effectiveness of guiding system are analyzed. One of the purposes is to obtain data of crossing behavior of visually disabled who are always passing through the specific crossing. The second, the effectiveness of guiding system continues to have analyzed by not subjectivity evaluation but by objective evaluation. Consequently, visually disabled who are always passing through the specific crossing were crossing safely. And the effectiveness of guiding system was shown to be effective.

The study aims to construct barrier free systems for pedestrian ITS. The social experiment of these systems was took place at underground malls of Osaka station area. Needs and necessary condition of non-disabled, wheelchair users, visually disabled and hearing disabled for using pedestrian ITS were surveyed. Finally, development framework of pedestrian ITS was discussed from point of barrier free.

1998年に自主返納制度が開始され，免許返納者は2019年まで増加傾向にあり，2020年にコロナ禍の影響もあり，約55万人（前年比約5万人減）が自主返納を行っている．一方，2020年の免許返納者の上位都道府県を見ると，東京都，神奈川県，大阪府，埼玉県，愛知県となり，都市部と地方部の格差が大きいことがわかる．これらは，運転免許返納後の代替交通手段の存在や地域特性が影響していると考えられる．そこで，本研究では，地域特性が免許返納者の交通行動およびQOLに影響を与えると考え，地方部と都市部において，免許返納者の交通行動がOQLに与える影響について考察することを目的としている． 調査対象は，大阪市生野区および滋賀県米原市である．アンケートは無作為に世帯を抽出し，ポスティングで配布を行った．米原市の調査期間は2020年11月15日～2020年12月6日までとした．回収方法は郵便回収とし、2666部配布を行い，有効回答数は400部であった．生野区の調査期間は，2021年11月8日～2021年12月20日までとし，4000部配布を行い，有効回答数は222部であった．回答は，65歳以上の方のみとした． その結果、都市部の生野区と地方部の米原市では，免許返納理由，健康関連QOL，運転停止後の外出頻度，買い物，通院頻度，買い物，通院への活動能力に違いが生じている．また、 地域別の運転停止者の外出頻度に影響を与える利用交通手段は，生野区では，自転車，米原市では，自転車とデマンドタクシーであり，都市部では自転車が利用できるか，地方部では，自転車に加え，公共交通の利用も外出頻度に影響していることがわった．さらに、運転停止後の健康関連QOLの維持に有効な手段と市は，自転車を活用することが有効であることがわかった．

In order to guarantee the right of mobility, standardization of sign system in public transport facilities is going on as part of a promotion of barrier-free space. Guideline of the sign system in Japan describes desirable font type, font size, pictograms, color combinations. This guideline covers such as suspended signs and self-standing signs. On the other hand, some low vision or elderly people walk while watching floor, and they often overlook or hard to read suspended signs. Therefore, they have requests for new sign system which makes good use of floor for way finding. However, graphic floor signs are not covered in this guideline. We have investigated the validity of the graphic floor signs for persons with low vision and persons with normal vision. This study examined legibility of the graphic floor signs for persons with normal vision.As a result, We found that the good level of legible font size was about 120 mm.

It is necessary to consider the visual performance and mobility problems of people with low vision . But it is not clear that the way people with low vision receives mobility information from vision and other sensation. In this paper, we analyzed impacts of visual performance to information for mobility in people with low vision . It is cleared that visual performance has influenced use of auditory and tactile information ,and has not influenced use of visual information. Visual information is important for people with low vision, it is effective to offer visual information at terminals.

2006年12月に施行されたバリアフリー新法では、精神・知的・発達障害者を対象に含めており、公共交通を中心とした環境整備が重要となる。一方、彼らに配慮した整備手法については関連する情報が少なく、模索段階にある。この研究では、知的・精神・発達障害者のモビリティ確保のための外出実態から交通需要を把握し、各種バリアフリー整備への提案を目的としている。これまで障害当事者を対象としたヒアリング調査を中心に、交通手段および潜在交通需要に関する特徴やバスおよび鉄道利用時の職員対応をはじめとするソフト的なアプローチの調査を実施した。さらに、欧州で近年このテーマに類似したレポートがあり、本研究の調査結果との比較を行っている。今年度の知見として、発達障害者について、路面を活用した道案内は非常にニーズが高いことがヒアリング調査から得られ、認知を高める整備の必要性が示された。また、従来研究を活用する形ではあるが、路面案内サインの提案をすることができた。同様に、券売機のひらがな対応、従業員の接遇トレーニングの実践、わかりやすいマップなど関係各位のヒアリングを通じてそのヒントを得ることができた。また、券を購買するときの障害者手帳提示などについても一定の配慮をしてほしいなど、行政的な配慮についても必要と分かった。海外事例においても対応は少ないが、Cognitive Impairmentについて、ICTを活用した道案内などいくつかの先行的なプロジェクトが存在することが分かった。また、学校教育の一環で交通することを学習することの必要性やボードゲームを活用したプロジェクトが存在しており、活用する価値のあることが分かった。

For wheelchair drivers, when driving on the curve section which requires speed and steering control at the same time, they receive greater driving load, and the vehicle swerves strongly on the section from leaving the curve to a straight course. There is a reduction in controlling the body trunk, and the driver has to drive with an unstable seating posture, therefore, an instructional method of entering the curve and also some extra space for the section of leaving the curve are necessary. The measure for the vehicle is a development of body support equipment which is able to provide stable seating style with no change to posture and operation depending on the driving conditions.

これまで、視覚障害者のためのシステム開発等において、厳密に評価者となる視覚障害者をスクリーニングしている例はほとんどなく、協力が得られる視覚障害者に意見聴取や評価実験に参加してもらっているというのが現状である。 そこで本研究は、視覚障害者用歩行支援システムの開発時あるいは評価等において、被験者となる視覚障害者のスクリーニング方法、評価等に参加協力が得られた視覚障害者の特性を把握する方法を開発することを目的とし、11項目の質問により、視覚障害者の歩行特性を調査できることを明らかにした。

Special transport service became lawful by partial amendment of the road transport law in 2006. It became possible for NPO to offer onerous service of Special transport service by this. But there are many problems of special transport service. In the one of those problems, the issue of risks such as accidents. For example, a wheelchair user falls to from the lift and many drivers are volunteers who are insufficient driving skill. So, the purpose of this study is to analyze the risk about special transport service. Therefore three investigations were performed. (1)It was a questionnaire for NPO groups or drivers. And the content such as accidents became clear. (2) It was a questionnaire for drivers who transport mentally-disabled person or mental patients. And the use situation of mentally-disabled person and mental patients, the content of the accident became clear. (3)The details of the danger behavior of special transport service were became clear by putting the Drive Recorder on the vehicle. From results of these three investigations, that it is necessary for the contents of the risk management manual to be subdivided is supposed. Item to subdivide are [user attribute], [the presence of user], [having dangerous behavior or not at the difference of the service route], [driver attribute], [risk of according to the situation].