Accessibility Rail Passenger Tool to be trialled

Gazooky Studios is aiming to improve the future of accessible train travel with the development of ChapARone.

An innovative Augmented Reality (AR) platform, Chaparone, is designed to help passengers, especially those with disabilities, navigate train stations and improve their overall experience.

Funded by Innovate UK in collaboration with Network Rail, Gazooky is currently trialling the system in partnership with Avanti West Coast at Birmingham International Train Station.

The Challenges of Travel for People with Disabilities

As Transport for All reports, traveling by train can be especially challenging for people with disabilities. Navigating complex station layouts, locating essential facilities, accessing  real-time updates in the right places, and finding accurate assistance can be daunting tasks that often deter disabled passengers from using train services.

Recognizing these challenges, Gazooky Studios conducted extensive research with a number of disabled user groups to understand their specific needs and frustrations. This invaluable feedback has informed the development of ChapARone, ensuring that the technology directly addresses the most pressing issues faced by disabled travellers.

 

Key Challenges Identified

1. Navigating Station Layouts

   • Complex and unfamiliar station layouts can be difficult for people with additional needs to navigate without assistance.

2. Locating Facilities

   • Finding essential facilities such as accessible toilets, help desks, lifts, and platform access points can be stressful and time-consuming.

3. Getting Real-Time Updates

   • Keeping track of real-time updates about train schedules, delays, and platform changes is critical but can be challenging, especially for those with additional needs.

On top of these challenges to the passenger, Gazooky have also been addressing the problems for train station managers and staff. Rail stations and operators are under huge pressure to get the right information to disabled passengers at the right time.

“We’ve created a digital platform which is super-easy for rail staff to use,” says Armin Aghili the Chief Product Officer of Gazooky. Using copy and paste, or drag and drop functions, staff can disseminate accessible information to a network of information points around the station. So staff can quickly and easily adapt and update information at the click of a button. And Gazooky have also designed it to capture any automatic, location-based feeds to update information instantly, during disruption and changes to services. Brandon Peat, Avanti West Coast‘s Accessibility and Inclusion Manager, trialled the CMS platform, and instantly found exciting ways to connect critical interactive information to passengers.

 

Key Features of ChapARone

1. Way-Finding Tools

   • Way-finding guides lead passengers through the station, making navigation straightforward and less anxiety-inducing.

2. Device Agnostic

   • The platform works seamlessly across all smartphones, accessed via strategically placed information points throughout the station.

3. Location-Based Services

   • Content, accessible throughout the station, ensures passengers receive timely updates on disruptions, platform changes, and other relevant information, in a number of easily accessible forms.

4. User-Friendly Content Management System

   • ChapARone’s CMS is designed to be intuitive and easy to use, allowing station staff to create, update, and manage content effortlessly. This system empowers staff to communicate instantly and effectively with passengers, enhancing the overall travel experience.

 

ChapARone: Transforming Accessibility with Augmented Reality

ChapARone is an end-to-end AR solution that aims to enhance the travel experience for disabled passengers by providing real-time, location-specific information through a user-friendly platform. The tool is designed to be accessible to everyone, allowing passengers to access essential travel information on their smartphones.

• No-Code AR Content Creation

  • Station staff can create AR characterse simply by choosing from drop down menus. Then to make the character speak, they just type in the desired words. The innovative AI-assisted text-to-speech feature enables AR characters to speak these words directly to passengers, making interactions more engaging.

Instant Messaging

• • AR messages and characters appear in real-time, ensuring passengers receive the information they need when and where they need it. This instant communication is crucial for maintaining an informed and smooth travel experience.

Benefits for Passengers

1. Increased Accessibility

   • ChapARone ensures that passengers with disabilities can navigate stations independently and confidently, reducing stress and confusion.

2. Real-Time Information

   • Passengers receive up-to-the-second updates on train schedules, delays, and platform changes, improving overall travel efficiency.

3. Engaging and Informative

   • content, including videos, infographics, stories, fun-fact trails and interactive characters, makes the travel experience more engaging and informative.

 Enhanced Convenience

With this system, passengers can avoid standing around staring at  information screens, making travel more convenient. They can have the real-time information in their pockets. And what’s more, there are a variety of different ways they can receive the information depending on their needs – it could be videos, images, sounds, text, as well as the engaging AR interactive characters. And the platform also allows station staff to direct passengers to useful apps, such as GoodMaps, a navigational aid for passengers with visual impairment.

 

Impact on the Rail Industry

ChapARone not only enhances the passenger experience but also aims to support the rail industry as a whole. Gazooky’s ultimate aim is to contribute to a seamless end-to-end journey experience, joining up all the fragmented elements of rail travel. By improving accessibility and customer satisfaction, the project aims to attract more passengers to train travel.

Benefits for the Railway Industry

1. Increased Passenger Numbers

   • By reducing barriers to travel for disabled passengers, ChapARone encourages more people to choose trains as a mode of transport.

2. Social Media Engagement

   • The platform is designed to encourage passengers to share their positive travel experiences on social media, promoting train travel and attracting new customers.

3. Data Collection

   • ChapARone gathers valuable data on passenger preferences and behavior, helping railway operators improve services and tailor offerings to meet customer needs.

Collaborative Effort for a Brighter Future

The successful implementation of ChapARone has come about through the collaboration of unique partnerships:

• Gazooky Studios

  • Lead organization and technical solution provider.

• Costain

  • handling engineering project management and railway integration.

• Network Rail

  • Providing access to trial stations, datasets and mapping information.

• Avanti West Coast

  • • Giving access to Birmingham International Station, where the joint launch will take place.

   

 

 

ChapARone is set to revolutionize the way passengers navigate train stations. This AI-assisted, interactive AR tool is poised to make train travel more accessible, enjoyable, and efficient for everyone, particularly those with disabilities. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and user-friendly design, ChapARone is paving the way for a more inclusive future in rail travel.

“We are excited to launch this AR tool, which we believe will make a difference in the travel experiences of individuals with disabilities,” said Rose Kay, CEO of Gazooky Studios. “Our goal is to create a world where everyone has the freedom to travel independently and with dignity.”