What is Navilens?
Have you ever noticed the little multi-coloured square symbols printed on some cereal packets and other items in the supermarket? These are Navilens codes, designed to help vision impaired and blind people find what they are seeking in such diverse situations as their home, a supermarket or a bus stop. Information is contained in each Navilens code, which guides the user to the TV remote in their sitting room, to a specific cereal packet on the supermarket shelf, or lets them know that the number 23 bus does stop here, but it’s running ten minutes late. This information appears on the phone screen and is read out loud by the smartphone’s voice and the phone directs the user ‘ahead’ ‘left’, ‘right’ and ‘ closer’ and at the same time, for those who can see the screen, the camera shows a large arrow to guide the user’s hand to the packet or their feet to the bus stop.
Navilens at the Museum
Blandford Town Museum is using the power of Navilens to improve the experience of visually-impaired visitors. Codes are placed at strategic points to guide visitors through the Museum, pointing out and describing selected exhibits. Our Stewards are on hand to help you download and use the Navilens apps to find the exhibits and information you want to listen to. We have a small number of smartphones available to borrow if you don’t want to put the apps on your own phone.
The two videos below show how Navilens is used at the museum.
In the first video, Museum Director Sylvia Hixson-Andrews shows how to access our iGuides with Navilens and your phone.
The second video is to help blind users or those with severe vision loss.
The Navilens Apps
Two Apps are available to interact with Navilens:
The NaviLens App is designed specifically to help blind and visually-impaired users, giving accurate information that replaces printed signage. Users can scan the codes without needing to know exactly where they are, helping to locate obstacles and useful information as well as specific items. To download Navilens, scan the QR code on the right with your smartphone or mobile device, or go to the App Store (for Apple devices) or the Google Play store (for Android devices).
The NaviLens GO App provides additional information for visually-impaired and sighted users, linking to the iGuides on our website. To download Navilens GO, scan the QR code on the right with your smartphone or mobile device, or go to the App Store (for Apple devices) or the Google Play store (for Android devices).
When you have downloaded Navilens Go on your smartphone, try using it to scan the code on the left – or click on the code – to find out more about Navilens.
