Continental, IIT Delhi develop solution for visually impaired in public buses

The OnBoard solution helps a visually impaired person independently board a public bus by identifying the route number of the bus, and identifying the location of the door of the bus using an audio cue generated by a  speaker on the bus. 

Technology company Continental, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and non-profit technology start-up Raised Lines Foundation (RLF) have collaborated for the deployment of ‘OnBoard’, a technology solution for assisting visually impaired people to board public transport buses. RLF was incubated at IIT Delhi, supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and OnBoard development was sponsored by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India. 

With the introduction of OnBoard, visually impaired individuals will have the advantage of easy access to public buses, making their mobility to a larger geographical area a possibility. OnBoard is a technology that is symbolic of inclusivity and freedom of movement. 

OnBoard solution for visually impaired 

The device consists of three separate units. 

• A bus unit that contains a controller and speaker and is connected to the electrical system in the bus. 
• A user device that allows users to query all bus numbers in the vicinity and select the desired bus for audio response. 
• A programming and diagnostic unit at the bus depot that helps program a set of numbers in a bus device from which the driver can select the specific route number the bus is operating on. The device also helps in diagnostics. 

“Mobility has to be accessible for all, and technology is the key. Even as we discuss the future of mobility as being connected, autonomous, shared, and electric, often inclusivity is overlooked. Modern technology has created a range of possibilities, but there is room for more. As part of our social responsibility, Continental is glad to partner with IIT Delhi and Raised Lines Foundation to support further development and trials of the OnBoard solution”, says Prashanth Doreswamy, President & CEO of Continental India. 

“IIT Delhi has been a hotbed of innovation, and we believe in the power of technology to make a difference in the lives of people. Industry academia partnership can further strengthen such R&D initiatives,” said Prof PV Madhusudhan Rao, Mechanical Engineering Department, IIT Delhi.  

“OnBoard helps take one step forward towards making public transport in India more inclusive,” he said. OnBoard addresses specific challenges associated with access of public buses by the visually impaired in India. The OnBoard solution helps a visually impaired person independently board a public bus by solving two challenges they face, viz. Identifying the route number of the bus, and identifying the location of the door of the bus using an audio cue generated by a speaker on the bus. 

Read more: 

• JEE Main 2023 admit card Session 1 to be out soon at jeemain.nta.nic.in 
• Meghalaya gets its first govt engineering college 
• JEE Main aspirant hangs himself to death in Kota