The University of Pune (UoP) is all set to improve accessibility for visually impaired students on its campus.
The department of education and extension, headed by prof Sanjeev Sonawane, is working on a project to install advanced sensors at various locations often accessed by students to help needy students navigate through the campus.
Department officials said the project, which took several months to develop, would take up to 3 months to implement.
“Visually impaired students face a lot of problems while navigating and asking for directions as the campus is very large. The project is aimed at making their lives easier by helping them get better access to important buildings,” said Sonawane.
Dhananjay Bhole, co-ordinator of UoP’s Advanced Technology Blind Student Learning Centre (ATBSLC) that is working on the project, said visually impaired students would be given a device, either an iPod or a cellphone.
“The phone would have special software. When they pass a building with sensors attached to it, a signal would be transmitted to the device and the special software would announce the name of the place aloud, thereby making the student aware of his location. The idea is to make visually impaired students independent,” he added.
Sensors will be installed at all important buildings: main building, library, departments, study rooms, canteens, hostels and other places the students visit. The cost and other details of the project are being worked out, but the department is hopeful of implementing it soon.
Around 10 blind students take admissions every year in various departments of the UoP, while around 90 visually impaired students take admissions in the 620-odd colleges affiliated to
the UoP.
