what3words Wembley Stadium image

Sight loss charity RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) and technology firm what3words are calling on event organisers and venue managers in the UK to provide additional address information to help blind and partially sighted people to arrive exactly where they need to be.

This new partnership aims to highlight how inadequate location information remains a significant barrier to independence for many, and how simple it is for businesses to inspire positive change by finding and sharing what3words addresses.

Robin Spinks, RNIB Senior Manager Inclusive Design and Innovation, said: “As someone with sight loss, I know from experience that street addresses often don’t provide precise locations. They might take you to the right building but then you’ve got to work out if you’ve come to the right entrance or need to be on the other side of the building entirely.

“Using what3words can help to reduce that anxiety and uncertainty and the extra time saved can be spent catching up with a friend or kicking off a business meeting rather than apologising to them for arriving late.”

There are around 340,000 people registered blind or partially sighted in the UK, according to RNIB, and an estimated two million people living with sight loss affecting their daily lives.

Technology can play a key role in empowering many of those to maintain greater independence, the partnership emphasises.

Globally, 70 percent of addresses will not take people to the front door, the charity underlines, and for those with sight loss, the critical need to find specific entrances to buildings, meeting points at busy venues, or a taxi drop-off can be a daily source of frustration. Journeys to new locations can be an exasperating experience if the individual cannot see landmarks and other markers that feature in many directions, RNIB explains.

what3words technology aims to tackle these issues.

It has taken the globe and divided it into a grid of three metre squares and assigned each square a unique combination of three random words: a what3words address. For example, the three-word address for the square at entrance to RNIB’s London office is ///rooms.herbs.cars.

what3words Soho London travel imageThe system has been designed with voice input in mind, enabling people to easily convey specific locations including those with no street address, such as beaches, national parks and bus stops, by speaking three-word addresses aloud.

Chris Sheldrick, Co-Founder and CEO of what3words, added: “It’s been amazing to hear from RNIB how technologies such as what3words can make a huge difference to the day-to-day experience of blind and partially sighted people.

“As businesses across the UK plan for a return to public events this spring and summer, we’re encouraging them to publicise their three word addresses to give people more ways of finding exactly where they need to be.”

Among the many venues already displaying their what3words address to help people find them more easily are The 02, Wembley Stadium, Alexandra Palace, University College London, The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland and Arsenal FC’s Emirates Stadium.

what3words is free to use, covers the entire world, never neeps updating, and works offline. As an app, it is available for both iOS and Android, and the online map allows people to find, share and navigate to what3words in 50 languages.

Alongside working with the technology sector, RNIB continues to campaign for more inclusive street design so those with sight loss feel confident getting around our towns and cities.

RNIB recently launched Hable One, a pocket-friendly braille keyboard device that can connect to any iOS or Android smartphone or tablet through Bluetooth to help blind and partially sighted individuals. It uses a selection of braille key combinations to help users navigate their mobile or tablet.

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