BlindSquare

The City of Oshawa has installed the wayfinding technology known as BlindSquare at City Hall that enables individuals who are blind or experience low vision to navigate the building, and surrounding property. Oshawa is the first City in North America to install the technology in a City Hall. 

BlindSquare uses a series of beacons and G.P.S. capabilities to look up and relay information indoors and out. Indoors, the app describes the surrounding environment and announces points of interest. When in a BlindSquare coverage zone outside, the app will identify the location and inform users about their immediate surroundings including points of interest and street intersections. Presently, the coverage includes a two kilometre radius surrounding City Hall and can communicate information regarding The RMG, the Oshawa Public Library McLaughlin Branch, Durham Regional Police Station, transit stops and more.

The technology is designed to help users who are blind or have low vision to navigate safely. Visitors to Oshawa can also benefit from its clear and easy-to-use interface. Additionally, BlindSquare is available in 26 languages.

The free BlindSquare Event app is available for iPhone users through Apple’s App Store. Currently, an Android version of the app is in development with a launch date targeted for late 2018.

Visit BlindSquare's website to learn more about the products updates and features. 

Where can I download the BlindSquare app?

BlindSquare Event is a free version available for iPhone users through Apple’s App Store. Currently, an Android version of the app is in development with a launch date targeted for late 2018.

What tools does the app offer?

BlindSquare's features/tools can assist you with scanning and previewing your environment, determining your location, as well as locating a destination. Your location feature While stopping or walking BlindSquare users can obtain information about their current location by selecting the menu item "Your Location" within the "Tools" menu. When you shake your phone BlindSquare will announce your current location by the closest street address to you, the street you are travelling on, your direction of travel or heading, as well as the name to the next upcoming intersection and distance from it.  Look around feature The look around feature allows a user to the ability to obtain information about street names, intersections, points of interest, and businesses around them by pointing their device in that direction.  The look around feature can be activated by pressing the look around button in the tools menu or using the audio menu.  Around me feature  Using the around me feature will announce a list of Foursquare places and your saved points of interest/landmarks located around you. The points of interest are stored in my places. Points of interest can be your favourite destinations, businesses, obstacles or actual landmarks utilized by travellers to maintain orientation or to re-orientate themselves to their environment based on the travellers location. Nearby intersections feature This function provides the name of intersections around you announced by name, heading or direction and approximate distance from you.   G.P.S. information feature Provides additional accuracy to your current location.

Does the BlindSquare Event app need the internet to work?

The BlindSquare Event app provides the same functionality as the paid version of BlindSquare as long as it is used at the time and location of an event that has been registered with the developer of BlindSquare Event. Since BlindSquare Event does not include offline maps, you will need an active internet connection while using it. Additionally when setting up the app it is recommended to enable share location and Bluetooth.

How can BlindSquare Event app benefit sighted users?

Sighted users who are visitors to Oshawa can also benefit from its clear and easy-to-use interface. Visual scanning: to preview, search, spot, locate and access a users environment while travelling. Time and distance estimation: users can visually confirm how far away an object or destination is and estimate the amount of time to reach it.  Visual landmarks, clues and signs: allows travellers to identify, confirm, or problem solve their current directional heading, location or approaching destination.