Travel Assistant Device (TAD) Aids Transit Riders with Special Needs

Passengers with cognitive disabilities have difficulty using public transportation and often must travel with a personal assistant to ensure that they get to their destinations. But recent advances in mobile technology may soon lessen the need for such assistance. Global Positioning System {GPS)-enabled cell phones are being used for a variety of novel services based on the phone's ability to pinpoint geographic locations. One such service is the Travel Assistant Device (TAD), a software system designed to aid transit riders with special needs. Developed by faculty members at the National Center for Transit Research at the University of South Florida, TAD provides the riders with customized real-time audio, visual, and tactile prompts to aid them in their travels.