The technological system verified at the National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management was further modified by simplifying the messages provided and miniaturizing the portable terminals. Field trials were then conducted in February and March 2002 in the five cities of Sapporo, Tokyo, Osaka, Okayama and Kochi to evaluate the technological performances under actual road conditions and collect data for implementation, such as evaluation feedback from disabled users.
The experiments involved 145 visually disabled and 71 wheelchair users walking through downtown and underground shopping streets in these cities using the navigation guidance from portable terminals. In questionnaires after the tests, many users praised the effectiveness of the service and gave various opinions and requests.
Field trials by visually disabled and wheelchair users
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The system has been verified by field trials in five cities in Japan
