Public transport challenges and technology-assisted accessibility for visually impaired elderly residents in urban environments

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2601.15291v1
• Date: Mon, 08 Dec 2025 13:14:44 GMT
• Title: Public transport challenges and technology-assisted accessibility for visually impaired elderly residents in urban environments
• Authors: Jason Pan, Ben Moews,
• Abstract summary: This study investigates how real-time data feeds and developments in artificial intelligence can enhance navigation aids.<n>We find that participants already use navigation technology to varying degrees and express a willingness to adopt artificial intelligence.<n>Our analysis highlights the importance of dynamic tools in terms of sensory and cognitive needs to meaningfully improve independent travel.
• Score: 0.0
• License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Abstract: Independent navigation is a core aspect of maintaining social participation and individual health for vulnerable populations. While historic cities such as Edinburgh, as the capital of Scotland, often feature well-established public transport systems, urban accessibility challenges remain and are exacerbated by a complex landscape, especially for groups with multiple vulnerabilities such as the blind elderly. With limited research examining how real-time data feeds and developments in artificial intelligence can enhance navigation aids, we address this gap through a mixed-methods approach. Our work combines statistical and machine learning techniques, with a focus on spatial analysis to investigate network coverage, service patterns, and density through live Transport for Edinburgh data, with a qualitative thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with the mentioned target group. The results demonstrate the highly centralised nature of the city's transport system, the significance of memory-based navigation, and the lack of travel information in usable formats. We also find that participants already use navigation technology to varying degrees and express a willingness to adopt artificial intelligence. Our analysis highlights the importance of dynamic tools in terms of sensory and cognitive needs to meaningfully improve independent travel.

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