With a delicate change, Google is making it extra apparent to customers whether or not companies and different public locations are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
The expertise large has up to date Google Maps to show a wheelchair icon by default on a location’s entry if the place has a wheelchair-accessible entrance. Beforehand, this info was solely seen to customers who opted right into a characteristic referred to as Accessible Locations.
“Now, we’re making the icon seen for everybody on Maps so you possibly can ‘know earlier than you go’ if there’s a step-free entrance, which is useful whether or not you’re utilizing a wheelchair, pushing a stroller or lugging a suitcase,” wrote Jerry Robinson, a person expertise researcher at Google, in a posting.
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Since 2020, Google Maps has provided details about bodily accessibility at numerous places and the corporate mentioned these particulars at the moment are obtainable for greater than 40 million companies around the globe. Info relies on contributions from enterprise house owners and different Google customers.
The wheelchair icon signifies whether or not a location has an accessible entrance, however further particulars about accessibility equivalent to wheelchair-accessible seating, parking or restrooms may be considered by clicking on the “about” tab.
Along with the Google Maps replace, the corporate mentioned that it’s testing Lookout, a brand new characteristic that makes use of synthetic intelligence to offer picture descriptions to assist these with imaginative and prescient impairment. And, Google indicated that it’s increasing the provision of Reside Caption, which gives real-time captioning for any kind of audio, amongst different accessibility enhancements.
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