Blind and visually impaired spectators can benefit from a cutting-edge personal navigation app by Waymap to help find their way to seats, facilities and exits at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. The app offers users step-by-step audio directions as they move about.
England’s visually impaired cricketer Moshfique Ahmed trialled the system for the Guardian and described it as “amazing for blind people”. The app’s performance improves over time as it learns each user’s walking style.
“I know so many people who are into sports but don’t go. This would push the door completely open for them,” said Moshfique.
Waymap hopes to roll out the technology in other major sports venues and has already deployed it in Washington DC on public transport.
One remaining challenge is navigating around people who aren’t paying attention, such as those absorbed in their phones, which the app doesn’t yet detect.
Lord’s is the world’s first sports stadium to offer this level of personalised indoor navigation. This pilot signifies an important step towards inclusive stadium design, showing how technology like Waymap can empower visually impaired fans by giving them independence and confidence at sports venues.
