Vibration Assist

vibration assistinclusive cities

rsa student design awards

2015 \ 2016concept manual

emma nicholsontypographer







2015 \ 2016contents


contents

project synopsis project purpose

project task

colour typography

small format signage

large format signage wireframes large format signage full colour

symbol wireframes symbol full colour

3D model concepts

floor plan

concept user experience

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2015 \ 2016project synopsis


This concept aims to provide a tactile reaction to the sounds of a train station so the hearing impaired are included in the system of notifying sounds most take for granted.



2015 \ 2016project purpose


I aim to work towards the comfort of everyone the rushed and stressful environment of a train station. Comfort and convenience is highly regarded when planning these environments, however only the majority is addressed. The minority group I will be focusing on, the hearing impaired, need to be considered as equally as the majority and their comfort and convenience should match that of the rest. The train station and public transport experience needs to be equally pleasant.











2015 \ 2016project task


The common beeps and voices make a train journey that bit smoother for the daily commuter or leisure seeker. That can be through the beeping at a cash machine to notify you your cash is being presented, at a ticket gate when your ticket has been accepted or denied and the important announcements to changes to the services. All these sounds have their visual counterparts which is the basics of what we need, but when we are not paying attention or are in a rush, those small sounds can make our journey stress and worry free. If a time has changed on the electronic time table, we would not know unless we stood staring at the board until the train arrived, that is why audio announcements are made so we are notified to look. However those with hearing impairments do not hear these notifying and reassuring sounds which can make a train journey a tiresome experience.

I aim to provide them another level of reassurance that most get with these small sounds. This is by integrating small vibrations into facilities like cash machines and ticket gates, so you get a small buzz instead of the beep. These small and easy changes can enable the hearing impaired to relax so they are not



2015 \ 2016project task


constantly strained by staring at a board or cash machine waiting for something to happen. When I use a cash machine or ticket gate, I am usually glancing here and there checking where I am and where I need to go, and then turn back to what is happening when I hear the familiar beep, these small vibrations provide this reassurance to the hearing impaired too.

There is still the key issue of announcements. How do I enable a relaxed and convenient way to notify the hearing impaired of time or platform changes, or simple security reminders. The solution is this: a short, waist high pillar or long rail which someone can lean on casually which will vibrate either wildly or softly depending on the importance of the announcement. The person leaning on it is notified and then looks at a notice board for confirmation on the change. This allows a hearing impaired person to lean back and relax rather than staring at notice board or other people around them in case something changes. There is the problem of crowds however, one post can not serve a group of people. So you could expand this to long rails down the middle of the platform, marked areas of vibrating floors and even signed vibrating seats or benches.

the colour orange was used as it is rarely used among train stations so it would be

easily distinguishable from other services.

2015 \ 2016colour


c: 0 m: 80 y: 94 k: 0

c: 0 m: 0 y: 0 k: 15

c: 0 m: 0 y: 0 k: 0

most train stations use the helvetica typeface for their signage so i have employed it here,

it can be changed to the local typeface if need be. for clarity against the dark orange

background i have used the bold font family

2015 \ 2016colour


helvetica neue bold



2015 \ 2016small format signage


smaller signs like this will be used on smaller VA assisted areas like cash machines and ticket gates.

2015 \ 2016small format signage


wireframe visuals for the directional and signalling signage

2015 \ 2016large format signage wireframes


full colour visuals for the directional and signalling signage

2015 \ 2016large format signage full colour


arrow wireframe visuals. characteristics include rounded corners and

balanced top and tail

2015 \ 2016symbol wireframes


2015 \ 2016symbol wireframes




2015 \ 2016symbol full colour




2015 \ 2016symbol full colour




2015 \ 2016

area for signage and various graphics

leaning contact point

standing contact point

3D model concepts




2015 \ 20163D model concepts


area of vibration

area of vibration

area of vibration

the platform vibration assists take the form of waist high rails surrounded by some marked

ground. The rail and surrounding floor area will vibrate according to verbal announcements.

The rail has a panel within it to display signalling signage and other graphics like

advertisement or information.



















2015 \ 2016floor plan




2015 \ 2016concept user experience


How will this concept will work in the perspective of a common journey of someone with a hearing impairment.

They walk into the train station and check on the large notice boards in the entrance to see if their train is scheduled on time and which platform to head to, they see where they need to go and head on their way.

They stop to quickly draw some cash out from a cash machine for lunch later. They put their card in and begin to press in their pin, however they are unsure if they pressed a button properly or not but they remember the buzzing they felt and knew they must have pressed it properly. They request some cash and give a sideways glance at the queue at the ticket gates where they then feel a buzz and turn back to see their cash is waiting to be collected along with their card.

They put their ticket in the ticket gate but it buzzes on their hand and they realise they put it in the wrong way round because they were in a rush, they put it back in and carry on through.



2015 \ 2016concept user experience


Knowing they are a bit early and their train will not arrive for another ten minuets they lean against the Vibration Assist Rail and start to read their book. They are anxious about a change being made whilst they are not looking at the board but they remember the rail will notify them and they can relax into their reading.

A last minuet announcement is made about a slight delay and the post vibrates which prompts them to look up at the board to confirm what the announcement was about and they go back to their book.

The train arrives so the post rhythmically buzzes which prompts them to look up and see the train arriving at the platform. They get up and climb on the train and commence their journey.







2015 \ 2016signage


emma nicholsonrsa student design awards

vibration assista concept manual

Documents

Vibration Assist