GatePal - Universal design for airport navigation to allow departing travellers to stay informed

Abstract

Airports are challenging for travellers with disabilities and senior travellers with functional limitations due to the complexity of terminal environments and the variety of activities (e.g. navigation, check-in, security check) required for one to successfully depart or arrive. Without sufficient information associated with the context of airport environments, travellers with disabilities and functional limitations are not able to plan their activities or efficiently navigate through terminals and surrounding areas. For departing travellers, time is the most important contextual information due to constraints and potential barriers. Without providing the necessary information about the time it takes to complete each activity, especially when navigating, travellers with disabilities and functional limitations are not able to plan or anticipate any upcoming situations. This paper introduces a universal mobile application called GatePal that was designed based on the results of a preliminary user study and utilizes universal design principles to assist travellers with diverse abilities with navigation at airports.