Finding the right path
Blind and visually impaired people are being helped to navigate a city’s streets thanks to a network of concrete tiles that allow them to identify shops and businesses.
The SightWalks system uses tactile symbols that can be interpreted through a user’s feet or their guide cane.
Horizontal lines indicate that there’s an establishment nearby while vertical lines reveal what sort of establishment it is.
One vertical lines represents a restaurant, two lines are used to indicate a bank and there are also patterns for services including hospitals, bus stops and supermarkets.
The project has been launched in the Miraflores district of Lima, Peru, and is expected to help more than 500,000 people.
It was created by cement brand Cemento Sol, who have made their design free form copyright and available on their website in the hope that it can be implemented in other cities.
Speaking at the launch of the project, Miraflores mayor Carlos Canales said: “We want to be the most inclusive district in Peru and to incorporate people with disabilities and offer them solutions.”
