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Dubai: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) exhibited a number of solutions at AccessAbilities Expo in Dubai, including a ‘nol’ public transport card modelled after Braille, whereby visually challenged individuals can differentiate it from other cards
The card can be used by the blind thanks to its embossed letters. RTA also displayed a mobile phone app with a design featuring artificial intelligence and algorithms enabling the visually impaired to use their mobile phones to identify places they want to go to via Bluetooth. It can also respond to voice commands to figure out important areas of the stations.
RTA exhibited a ‘Service Directory of People of Determination’ encompassing all initiatives customised to serve this segment to make their mobility easier, be it on public transport means, RTA facilities, footbridges or others, in line with RTA’s social responsibility.
Services customised to people of determination include exemption from Salik tolls (except audio disabilities), exemption from vehicle registration and renewal fees (including first-degree relatives). They also include 50 per cent exemption from driving license renewal fees, exemption from application fees of parking card, 100 per cent exemption from fees of nol card for senior Emiratis, 50 per cent exemption of nol card for students, and 50% per cent exemption on taxi fares.
Exhibits included the ‘A06’ model enabling smooth access for people of determination to RTA’s website for browsing in enlarged letters, dedicated screen for those experiencing colour blindness, and a voice service for benefiting from RTA services, in addition to other features relating to vision, hearing disorders and inability to use the mouse among others.
RTA also promoted Dubai Audio Library, established in collaboration with Bookshare website. The initiative, launched in 2018 by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, enables access to more than 400,000 digital books for various categories, including the visually impaired. It also explained procedures of obtaining free membership of the library.
RTA also exhibited other plans, initiatives and services tailored to the use of people of determination, such as the ‘Qualifying Environment for People of Determination Code’. It supports the “My Community... A City for Everyone” initiative.
Box: Smart watch to trace missing people with autism
Ministry of Interior in association with Emirates Autism Society showcased at the AccessAbilities Expo a smart watch called ‘Smart Shadow’, which helps to trace missing people with autism.
Dr Brigadier Salam Al Ghul said: “We have seen it takes a lot of time to trace the people with autism once they are lost in the parking lots, malls and in general. The device which comes in the form of a watch is connected to the police control room. The watch is worn by person suffering with autism and it has a platform which is provided to the family members once they press the emergency button, once the person is missing. The police control room gets activated and the position of the person is traced with the help of GPS or 3G and 4G.”