Technology company Continental, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, and non-profit technology start-up Raised Lines Foundation (RLF) have come together for the deployment of “OnBoard,” a technology solution for assisting people with vision disabilities to board public buses.
Societies worldwide recognize the link between the movement of people and goods with economic growth, although traveling for persons with disabilities is still difficult, reducing their life opportunities. With the introduction of OnBoard, individuals with vision disabilities will have easy access to public buses, making their Mobility to a larger geographical area possible. OnBoard is a technology that is symbolic of inclusivity and freedom of movement.
“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, inclusivity is often 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.” according to Prof. P.V. Madhusudhan Rao, Mechanical Engineering Department, IIT Delhi.“OnBoard helps take one step forward towards making public transport in India more inclusive,” he added.
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. This device also helps in diagnostics.
