Audio Bus Stop – a New Way to Navigate for Visually Impaired

HKSB Rehabilitation Centre collaborated with The Kowloon Motor Bus Co. (KMB), Sham Shui Po District Office and students from True Light Girls’ College to create the pilot Audio Bus Stop – using the wireless radio frequency identification system ("RFID"). It helped the visually impaired to find the right bus stop efficiently for their travel.

KMB helped to set up 15 Audio Bus Stops in Sham Shui Po District, mainly located along Cheung Sha Wan Road, using RFID devices. When individuals with system identification cards approach the designated bus stop within 3 metres, the system device will emit sound and announce the bus route, aiding visually impaired individuals in locating the correct bus stop.

One of the bus stops equipped with the new system is Cheung Sha Wan Playground Bus Stop. The site consists of three consecutive bus stops, with the RFID device installed at one of them. Leveraging the penetrating transmission capability of the RFID technology, even if visually impaired individuals keep their identification cards in their pockets or bags, the system can still be triggered, thus broadcasting bus route information.

“Many visually disabled locals reside in Sham Shui Po District, it’s evident that the new system provides clearer bus route information for them when waiting for the bus,” remarked Sean Fong, Chief Executive of HKSB.

The concept for the device originated from a group of students from True Light Girls’ College who had participated in a competition organized by The Hong Kong Council of Social Service, which focused on addressing the issues in Sham Shui Po District with innovative ideas and technological solutions. With the support from the Sham Shui Po District Office and HKSB, the students’ idea came to reality. In 2023, HKSB signed the Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) with KMB and selected fifteen bus stops to install the RFID devices.