A mockup of the (fake) cell phone app Beacon, an accessible navigation tool.
My goal for this project was to create a navigation app (like Google Maps and Waze) that could be accessible to legally blind people. There are many different methods of mobile navigation that have been created to help disabled people navigate their environments; one such method is the idea of Bluetooth beacons.
These beacons are small wireless devices that transmit a radio signal that other devices can detect if connected. For instance, in an accessible hotel, there may be beacons situated at the entrance, elevators, staircases, front desk, bathrooms, etc. Someone with the technology to connect their personal device to these beacons would be able to find these locations, even if they are unable to actually see them.
Below are a couple examples of existing accessible wayfinding apps, BlindSquare (left) and Lookout (right).
Beacon (stylized as "beacon") is my personal contribution to the accessible wayfinding world, inspired by the Bluetooth beacon method. The contents of my app are specific to a generic American high school, but in theory, this app has beacons in all sorts of buildings and environments.
Below are screenshots of each screen in my app, followed by a 1-minute walkthrough.
I also created an abstract mockup of some of the screenshots as a part of my final deliverables.
If I were to continue this project in the future, I would definitely want to expand upon the loading screen and perhaps make it animated. It would also be neat to design for more complex environments, such as big museums or malls.
