Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38059065›Full record

ArticleIEEE journal of translational engineering in health and medicine2023

Commute Booster: A Mobile Application for First/Last Mile and Middle Mile Navigation Support for People With Blindness and Low Vision.

Junchi Feng, Mahya Beheshti, Mira Philipson, Yuvraj Ramsaywack, Maurizio Porfiri, John-Ross Rizzo

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in IEEE journal of translational engineering in health and medicine, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
2.6field-weighted citation impact, top 10% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 15 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Residual gaze behaviour during navigation in blindness and low vision.Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technology · 2026
    Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Re-imagining sensory substitution through gestural control: Point-To-Tell 2.Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technology · 2026
    Article
  6. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Junchi FengDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringTandon School of EngineeringNew York University Brooklyn NY 11201 USA.ORCID 0009-0008-5274-3160
Mahya BeheshtiDepartment of Mechanical and Aerospace EngineeringTandon School of EngineeringNew York University Brooklyn NY 11201 USA.
Mira PhilipsonMetropolitan Transportation Authority New York NY 10004 USA.
Yuvraj RamsaywackMetropolitan Transportation Authority New York NY 10004 USA.
Maurizio PorfiriDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringTandon School of EngineeringNew York University Brooklyn NY 11201 USA.ORCID 0000-0002-1480-3539
John-Ross RizzoDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringTandon School of EngineeringNew York University Brooklyn NY 11201 USA.
New York City Department of Transportation · USNew York University · USNYU Langone Health · US

Funding

VIS4ION-Thailand (Visually Impaired Smart Service System for Spatial Intelligence and Onboard Navigation) - Resub - 1R21EY033689 · NEI · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI RIZZO, JOHN ROSS, VEDANTHAN, RAJESH · 2021 to 2022
$358k
NEI NIH HHS R21 EY033689
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivePeople with blindness and low vision face substantial challenges when navigating both indoor and outdoor environments. While various solutions are available to facilitate travel to and from public transit hubs, there is a notable absence of solutions for navigating within transit hubs, often referred to as the "middle mile". Although research pilots have explored the middle mile journey, no solutions exist at scale, leaving a critical gap for commuters with disabilities. In this paper, we proposed a novel mobile application, Commute Booster, that offers full trip planning and real-time guidance inside the station. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Our system consists of two key components: the general transit feed specification (GTFS) and optical character recognition (OCR). The GTFS dataset generates a comprehensive list of wayfinding signage within subway stations that users will encounter during their intended journey. The OCR functionality enables users to identify relevant navigation signs in their immediate surroundings. By seamlessly integrating these two components, Commute Booster provides real-time feedback to users regarding the presence or absence of relevant navigation signs within the field of view of their phone camera during their journey.

resultsAs part of our technical validation process, we conducted tests at three subway stations in New York City. The sign detection achieved an impressive overall accuracy rate of 0.97. Additionally, the system exhibited a maximum detection range of 11 meters and supported an oblique angle of approximately 110 degrees for field of view detection.

conclusionThe Commute Booster mobile application relies on computer vision technology and does not require additional sensors or infrastructure. It holds tremendous promise in assisting individuals with blindness and low vision during their daily commutes. Clinical and Translational Impact Statement: Commute Booster translates the combination of OCR and GTFS into an assistive tool, which holds great promise for assisting people with blindness and low vision in their daily commute.

Indexed as

Mobile ApplicationsSelf-Help DevicesVision, LowBlindnessHumansTransportationGeneral transit feed specificationindoor navigationlow-vision aidmobile applicationoptical character recognition

Identifiers

PMID38059065
PMCPMC10697290
OpenAlexW4383503794

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.