Environmental Descriptive Data Collection Standards. SightCompass LLC

Transcription

1 Environmental Descriptive Data Collection Standards SightCompass LLC

2 Table of Contents Introduction Getting Started Environmental Description Techniques Example Hotel Room Orientation and Mobility Closing 2

3 Introduction Welcome to SightCompass! We are proud to serve you and thank you for choosing to help make an accessible world for all to enjoy. First, we need to answer the question What is SightCompass? Secondly, we need to explain to you, the user, a simple standard for data input. This data will be the end-user s ultimate experience and therefore needs to be uniform, clear, and concise. Let s start with the basic question of What is SightCompass? SightCompass is a powerful tool used for sending and receiving information relating to one s current environment. Our original digital descriptive service used with a Bluetooth 4.0 enabled device (iphone, ipad, Droid, Windows Mobile, PC, Mac and more) is truly life changing. SightCompass is for everyone and provides detailed access for those with vision loss, hearing loss, deaf & blind, dyslexia, anxiety disorders and more. The FREE App provides detailed information in and around the user s location as well as location directions without the dependence of GPS. Our Staffel box network sends the user information about the site, areas in the site, objects in the areas and object instructions. If the user is in range of a SightCompass enabled network indoors or out, many items will appear in a 'list link form view' or a menu within the app. It is easily accessible with a screen magnifier, mobile screen reader such as VoiceOver and a Bluetooth portable Braille display. It is very simple to use! SightCompass is a powerful tool, yes, but how does it work? To keep it simple, SightCompass is an application for mobile devices that decrypts a Bluetooth signal that is being broadcast via a Staffel Box. The end-user s app will display the information that the box is broadcasting. Simply put, your phone reads the info that it is receiving from a box via a Bluetooth signal. This information is text based and standardized for a uniform experience no-matter one s current environment. We now know that the mobile app is receiving a signal, decoding it and providing the end-user with information; but, how does the Staffel Box know what to broadcast? This question is where you, the data collector/entry person, come into action. With your Staffel Box license number you will log-in to the SightCompass website and begin to enter data. The data you enter is exactly what the end-user will be presented with and therefore needs to be clear, accurate and concise. As a data collection person you will need to follow the standards we outline below as it directly impacts the experience of the person receiving and relying on the information they are provided. As you can see, SightCompass is an amazing tool for all to enjoy. With disabilities set aside, everyone can benefit from instant, accurate and real-time information. By following the standards listed in the below pages we will create an experience that is understandable and uniform regardless of one s location on Earth. Enjoy, The SightCompass Team 3

4 Getting Started As we get started with collecting, interpreting and entering data, we will need to understand a few basic concepts. First we will discuss how a person retains information audibly and secondly we will explore the standard for describing one s environment using SightCompass. Through our research, SightCompass found that people who listen to the description of a room can more accurately describe it back to you later than a person who has simply been shown a picture of the room. With this being said, and going back to the importance of standards, the actual information that you input is vital to the enduser s experience. As we have learned, audio is more easily retained in the brain than images. This makes SightCompass a very powerful tool for navigation. By knowing this we need to understand that our data must be precise and therefore we must be current. We will explain the importance of currency in a moment. By following the standards listed below we will create a world that can be accessible for all. So we now know that a description of a room can be retained more easily than viewing a photo of a room. But, how do we create a uniform method of description? Well, we create standards. By standard we mean the typical method in which a SightCompass enabled site will provide data/information pertaining to the site or location. We do this by setting a system that is easy for all to use and understand. To create a system or method of data entry that will set our standard, we have established 3 descriptive terms for our customers to rely on. These terms will be the foundation for all of your data entry and become second nature to you. In order for us to describe a particular environment to someone we must be able to define specific locations within this location. We do this by labeling an environment a SITE. A SITE is simply the entire location of the position to be described further. A SITE can be a hospital, city park, hotel, airport, office building or subway system. A SITE is simply your starting point and should be named accordingly. After a SITE is established we can begin to create AREAS within our SITE/location. An AREA is simply a more specific location within a single SITE. For instance, if your SITE is Hospital, you could create AREAs named Lobby, Waiting Room, Vending Area, Patient Room 200, or Parking Garage. An AREA is simply used to further define a SITE and provides more specific information about the location. When providing data for an AREA it is important to note that descriptions to and from other AREAs might be needed. For instance, if a SightCompass user is attempting to navigate from the Lobby of a hospital to the Vending Area of the hospital it would be useful to provide those descriptions. This can be easily done by simply adding links 4

5 to follow. A link could say from here to Vending or from here to Lobby. The idea of an area is to make a SITE further explorable by the end-user. Now that we understand the standard of SITE and AREA we can begin to further explain the AREA by breaking it down into OBJECTS. An OBJECT is an item within an AREA. To put things simply, look around the room that you are currently in. OBJECTS are everywhere. So, with this said, an OBJECT is simply anything within an AREA. You can label your OBJECTS as telephone, TV remote, Thermostat or refrigerator. With OBJECTS you can provide an extreme amount of detail relating to a specific item in the AREA. Now, before your mind runs wild, let s discuss the importance of keeping your Staffel Box up-to-date or current. We mentioned currency earlier and that was for a reason. Keeping your information current is vital to not only the end-user but also the entity broadcasting the data. When adding data to your Staffel Box you must realize that your audience is relying on this information as though it were real-time. After all, this technology does have the ability to be just that very thing! Also, familiarity is key when collecting data to program a Staffel Box. Consider your main audience when deciding between using the English System or Metric System of measurement. Also in naming an object, such as water closet versus restroom. Also, using degrees is a universal way to further describe direction. Example: turn 90 degrees to the left. Keeping an OBJECT up-to-date is just as important as keeping everything else up-to-date. This is your link to the user and therefore this is your portal to accessibility. Imagine how grateful the guest at a hotel would be to know that the hotel pool is out of order prior to leaving her room in a bathing suit. The SightCompass website/app offers the ability to transmit real-time information at the click of a button. Everything mentioned above is and will always be the foundation for your Staffel Box and directly relating to the SightCompass end-user s experience. Now that the basics are covered we will further inspect the descriptive service known as SightCompass! 5

6 Environmental Description Techniques As learned above, we have the ability to make any environment accessible. Now, the terms SITE, AREA and OBJECT will come into great meaning. These terms are used throughout your data collection process and will be referred to often by SightCompass app users. Both SITE and OBJECT are fairly simple concepts to understand; however, AREA can and will need greater explanation. The reason for this is because SightCompass needs to be a standardized method of delivering information. By this we mean that whether the end-user is at a grocery store in Ohio or a gas station in Arizona, information about each location will be presented in a familiar and consistent fashion. By keeping AREAs standardized the end-user will begin to visualize locations more quickly and effectively which ultimately makes for a more enjoyable experience. To create a standard of describing an AREA we will need to learn a few more terms. The keywords we will use to describe an AREA may seem obvious to some but are vital in creating a standardized method of information delivery. We will begin describing every AREA in a clockwise manner. To do this we will need to describe WALLS. When entering a room there is naturally a wall on the opposite side of the room. This far or rear wall will be referred to as the BACK WALL. When first entering a room you are naturally facing the BACK WALL and will have a RIGHT WALL to your right and a LEFT WALL to your left. The wall with the door you passed through will be called the ENTRANCE WALL. This may seem elementary but by using these simple terms for all AREAs we are creating a standard experience for all users. To further describe a room or AREA we have additional terms for each WALL. This will be described as though you are standing in the doorway to a room and facing towards the BACK WALL. We will go around the room in a clockwise manner just as if you were entering data into SightCompass. Let s begin by turning 90 degrees to the left and assume the doorway is near the center of the wall. As we make our way around the room the WALLS would be listed as follows. ENTRANCE WALL LEFT, NEAR LEFT WALL, CENTER LEFT WALL, FAR LEFT WALL, BACK WALL LEFT, BACK WALL CENTER, BACK WALL RIGHT, FAR RIGHT WALL, CENTER RIGHT WALL, NEAR RIGHT WALL, ENTRANCE WALL RIGHT, ENTRANCE WALL CENTER. Don t let this be confusing as it will become second nature in no time at all. See the diagram below for more clarification. 6

7 The standard for labeling WALLs is nearly identical to the method used to describe the center of a room or AREA. The middle or center of a room would use the following terms to describe it. NEAR CENTER, CENTER OF AREA, FAR CENTER, NEAR LEFT CENTER, LEFT CENTER, FAR LEFT CENTER, NEAR RIGHT CENTER, RIGHT CENTER, FAR RIGHT CENTER. Once again, this may seem confusing but rest assured that these terms will quickly become common sense to you. By using the terms listed above and creating this standard we are essentially creating a verbal indoor grid system to accurately describe the location of any OBJECT in a room. Now that we have set the standard for creating a verbal grid system for any given AREA we can begin to discuss how to implement this grid. To make our grid functional for the end-user we employ a term we learned earlier- OBJECTS. The grid alone is a fantastic tool for orientation, but simply knowing where the TV in a hotel room is located might not be enough information. By this we mean that the grid could describe to a person that the TV is located on the BACK WALL CENTER but having information on how to operate the unit surely would be useful. So, to give more information about a specific item on the grid you can use the OBJECT description tool provided by SightCompass. An OBJECT, as described previously, can be anything in an AREA. By using OBJECTs to describe an AREA SightCompass is able to offer the user an extreme amount of vital information. Be creative and do not assume that the end-user already knows the information. OBJECTs can describe how to use a television remote control, the color of the walls and carpet, the layout of products on a hotel room counter, operating instructions for a microwave, the order of beverages on a soda fountain, the menu items at a restaurant, just to name a few. By using the verbal grid system combined with the use of OBJECTs SightCompass is able to offer the end-user a priceless amount of information in a clear, accurate and concise manner. The standard that we have set will be greatly appreciated by the user and ultimately become a natural method of describing one s environment. Back wall left Back wall center Back wall right Far left wall Far left center Far center of area Far right center Far right wall Center left wall Left center Center of area Right center Center right wall Near left wall Near left center Near center of area Near right center Near right wall Entrance wall left Entrance wall center Entrance wall right *Blue wording will be used most often. Black wording is optional depending on area. 7

8 Example Hotel Room The following text will be of a hotel room. The SITE, for our example, will be Bed and Breakfast. The AREA will be Room 12. And the OBJECTS will be listed below. We will begin as though the SITE and AREA have been selected. Welcome to room 12. Door opens inward by inserting key in slot located just above door knob. Please note that your door will lock automatically. Along Entrance Wall Left you will find a dresser. Near left wall has a nightstand with lamp. Lamp has 2 power outlets located in the base. Center left wall has 1 queen size bed. Far left wall has nightstand with lamp and hotel informational booklets. Back Wall Left has a small desk. Located on the desk is a television, lamp and coffee maker. Select any of these objects in the list below for more information. Back Wall Center has a small couch with coffee table located in front of it. Back Wall Right has a closet with ironing board and iron located in it. Far Right Wall has opening to bathroom. Bathroom door opens pushing inward on right. Center right wall has a power outlet 5 inches off the ground. Near right wall has a painting- select painting in the objects list below for more information. OBJECTS LIST Lamp: this lamp has a twist-style on/off switch located below the light bulbs towards the top of the lamp. In the front of the base of the lamp you will find 2 standard (US) power outlets. Television: remote is located on desk in-front of lamps. Power button is locate at the top right corner of the remote. Volume up and down is the largest button on the left middle of the remote. Press the volume button towards to top to increase and towards the bottom to decrease. The channel button is on the right side and operates like the volume button. Press towards the top to move up one channel or towards the bottom to move down one channel. The numeric keypad is marked with a tactile dot on the number 5. Coffee Maker: Coffee is located left of machine in a small basket. The top 2 packages are regular and the bottom 2 are decaf. Place 1 packet into slide-out tray located above glass pot. The water is added by lifting the lid on the top of the machine. Turn machine on by pressing switch upward. Switch located on right side of base. 8

9 Orientation and Mobility Understanding orientation and mobility techniques used by persons with vision loss will be a crucial role in building your information on SightCompass. In no way should this intimidate you. We are not asking you to be an instructor- that is what our O&M consultants are for. We simply want you to know some common practices and terminology used by both instructors and persons with low vision or blindness alike. A few key terms will be outlined here as we need to keep a standard of navigational description just as we do for AREA or OBJECT description. Generally speaking, the visually impaired community frequents a few words to describe navigation. Such words include: trail, follow and forward (guide dog users). Using the keyword trail when describing directions to a person is useful in building a standard for navigation. An example of this word being used while giving directions would be, To get from the lobby to the restroom TRAIL left wall to the second doorway and turn left into restroom. Methods of obtaining functional O&M 1. Cane skills: The use of various cane techniques. How to clear one's path. How to locate objects along the way. 2. Independent movement: which may include crawling, rolling, walking, running etc. 3. Protective techniques: specific skills which provide added protection in unfamiliar areas. 4. Sensory awareness: gaining information about the world through hearing, smell, touch and proprioception. 5. Spatial concepts: realizing that objects exist even if not heard or felt, and understanding the relationships which exist between objects in the environment. 6. Searching skills: locating items or places efficiently. 7. Sighted guide: using another person to aid in travel 9

10 Closing As you can see, the Environmental Descriptive Data Collection Standards are not difficult to learn, understand and then implement. However, adhering closely to the grid and vocabulary is critical to maintaining consistency across SightCompass enabled sites for the end user. As the end user navigates this digital world, a familiar dialog description will become natural and assimilating the data received will become second nature. If you have questions, comments or ideas, please contact us at: [email protected] 10