Smart pedestrian crossing for Elder and disabled
In Singapore, you may find people swipe their ID cards before crossing the street. The magic happens when the reader receives personal info. The pedestrian signal will extend several seconds of green light if you are a senior or disabled. This unique pedestrian signal plan is allocated in 1,000 pedestrian crossings in Singapore since October 2009.
Singapore is a modern country with an aging population. Moreover, at least three percent of people in Singapore have disabilities. The Green man + initiative aims to provide a safer, efficient solution for the elder and the disabled to cross the street. Based on the Transportation authority’s analysis, they advised allocating more crossing time at certain pedestrian crossings.
Thus, they create a reader to achieve people’s identity. Hence, the system will allocate more seconds (up to 13 seconds) for green man time.
Simple, easy, and direct. These are three words that come to my mind when I first saw the Green Man + initiative. Simple, as they only add a reader. Easy, as users need to swipe when they need help. Direct, as extending greenlight can solve the problem immediately. There is no complicated technology involved, and it can be implemented in many other cities to help senior and disable community. For Jersey City, they could replace or add a reader on the pedestrian signal lamp to approach their Vision Zero goal.
