• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 2016

Purpose: Since the end of the 1990s the question of detecting blind and vision-impaired persons' tactile walking surface indicators have been rasied, the study of detecting tactile walking surface indicators has been started in Japan, German, and Sweden. Through the study, Japan, German, Sweden, and international's standard was revised. The Korean standard of tactile walking surface indicators was revised in 2013, the remarkable point was missed. Therefore, this study suggested deriving a range of types and dimensions of tactile walking surface indicators reasonable, and presenting the design principles for the development of new tactile walking surface indicators though domestic and international literature review. Method: This study was proceeded by comparison analysis of results from various tactile walking surface indicators' literature review from Japan, German, and Sweden, the most suitable range of types and dimensions was abstracted. Then, the range of types and dimensions was compared to the international standards and international reference standard, the ground rules were confirmed to apply new tactile walking surface indicators design. Results: Rationally, the wide and diameter of projecting line and projecting point should be downsized in order to improve detecting blind and vision-impaired persons' tactile walking surface indicators. And with same purpose, the ratio of the wide and diameter of projecting line and projecting point should be decided. The design of the tactile walking surface indicators in addition to the size and spacing of the protrusions should be to reflect the common elements that have been suggested a number of standard criteria. Implication: In this study, the design principles was derived through test results and theoretical studies, and new tactile walking surface indicators would need to be validated in local user.