Selecting the Right Tactile Indicator For You

When you are looking for tactile indicators to install at a site, there are many things to consider. The most important thing is to find the right one for your needs.

Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSIs) assist blind and visually impaired individuals to navigate the public realm safely by providing important orientation cues, and tactile feedback on any potential dangers. Tactiles are frequently added to built areas such as pedestrian crossings, steps, ramps, escalators, and moving travelators in order to supplement other environmental information.

In general, TGSIs may be divided into two categories: warning and directional. Much like a stop sign, warning tactile alerts warn pedestrians of impending dangers in their route. On the other side of things, directional tactile indicators provide directional orientation and indicate the best accessible route to follow. Tactiles work in tandem with vision-providing visually impaired pedestrians with enhanced mobility while navigating cities.

Ask Yourself What You Need

When you’re looking for a tactile indicator, there are many things to consider. The most important thing is to find the right one for your needs. Here are some things to think about when selecting a tactile indicator:

• What will the indicator be used for?

• What is the environment like where it will be used?

• What is the user’s level of blindness or visually impairment?

• What’s the budget?

Once you’ve decided which type of TGSI you need, evaluate the best option for your project’s goals. In addition to considering the overall aesthetic, required functionality, interior or outdoor installation, and finances, this considers the entire look and required functioning.

Multi Coloured

Yellow Tiles

Yellow tactile indicators are great for transition areas, such as near stairs or ramps. Their bright colour makes them stand out in the crowd. Yellow has been shown to be one of the best colours when it comes to increasing visibility.

Black Tiles

Black tiles are commonly used for floor-based tactile indicators, such as those which indicate a change in direction or warn of the presence of stairs and drop-offs. Black is usually chosen because it does not detract from other colours seen by those with low vision.

White Tiles

White tiles are often used for ground surface indicators that need to stand out, such as near-road crossings or in busy areas. These tiles are usually made with white plastic or rubber material.

Warning

Alerts those who are blind or visually impaired to any danger in their path. These tiles inform pedestrians who are blind or vision-impaired of a hazard in their route and urge them to stop and investigate it. These tiles are essential when warning pedestrians about traffic signals, speeding vehicles, and other hazards in the area.

Warning tactile tiles can be installed with litter bins or hand railings so they will not be tripped over. They may also be strategically placed to prevent accidents. These tiles usually come in yellow or black colours, but it is possible for them to be made in other colours.

Directional

Tactile directional bumps help vision-impaired and blind pedestrians navigate open areas and guide them to a specific, continuous path. These tactile signals are made up of raised directional bars. Bars indicate the orientation of travel and help with navigation. The bars in tactile directional signals correspond to similar features in adjacent sidewalks, streets, or other barriers in order to guide pedestrians.

These might be used when there is a lack of visual clues where there are no buildings near but is difficult for blind people to determine what is on either side of them.

Tactile directional bumps are also commonly used on railway platforms to indicate the direction of train travel and help passengers board trains correctly. They are sometimes integrated into tactile guidance systems that provide path information for people with visual impairments at platform crossings, intersections, or airports.

When you are selecting a tactile indicator, it is important to consider what the end-users needs are. There are many types of TGSI available and each serves a different purpose. Here at CME Tactile, we have a range of directional bumps, warning tiles, and multi-coloured tiles to choose from. Get in touch with our team today and we can point you in the right direction.