National Trust, NaviLens Trial Provides Greater Access at Saltram House
Season 2, Episode 743, Sep 24, 08:36 AM
We have recently heard about how the National Trust was trialing the NaviLens technology and codes at Saltram House, Plymouth, one of the National Trust’s properties in the South West of England is the first outdoor cultural site in the UK and the first cultural venue on mainland UK to trial the NaviLens technology and codes to provide greater access to the house, its gardens and parkland for blind and partially sighted people.
NaviLens is a free navigation app which can help give greater independence and freedom for users to navigate their way around places with less or even no aid.
The technology is currently in use on transport systems across Spain and in some parts of the USA and UK as well as in some museums and on food products in UK supermarkets.
The app uses QR-style codes that users can detect on their phones. Users point their phones in the general direction and the NaviLens app picks up the codes in the vicinity. Each code has information loaded onto it which is spoken out loud on the user’s phone (both Apple and Android), offering directions and warnings and for this trial providing navigational and interpretative content relevant to Saltram’s historic garden setting.
RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey caught up with Natalie Haly, Project Manager for the National Trust at Saltram House to find out how the trial has been going so far and what feedback and comments have they had from blind and partially sighted people who have used the NaviLens codes at Saltram.
The NaviLens trial runs at Saltram House until 25 October 2024. If you live near Plymouth or are visiting the area why not visit Saltram, try the NaviLens codes and let Natalie and the National Trust know your thoughts on using the technology to explore the house, gardens and parkland.
If you would like to find out more about access at Saltram House or one of the National Trust locations near you or just more about access generally then do email accessforall@nationaltrust.org.uk or visit the following Access for Everyone pages of the National Trust website - https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/about-us/access-for-everyone
If you have any comments or feedback about a recent visit to a National Trust property or site within the south west of England including Saltram House do email Ben Vleminckx, National Trust South West Project Manager – Everyone Welcome and Access via ben.vleminckx@nationaltrust.org.uk with how the experience was for you as a blind or partially sighted person.
Image shows a NaviLens square on a wooden sign with Saltram house in the background
NaviLens is a free navigation app which can help give greater independence and freedom for users to navigate their way around places with less or even no aid.
The technology is currently in use on transport systems across Spain and in some parts of the USA and UK as well as in some museums and on food products in UK supermarkets.
The app uses QR-style codes that users can detect on their phones. Users point their phones in the general direction and the NaviLens app picks up the codes in the vicinity. Each code has information loaded onto it which is spoken out loud on the user’s phone (both Apple and Android), offering directions and warnings and for this trial providing navigational and interpretative content relevant to Saltram’s historic garden setting.
RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey caught up with Natalie Haly, Project Manager for the National Trust at Saltram House to find out how the trial has been going so far and what feedback and comments have they had from blind and partially sighted people who have used the NaviLens codes at Saltram.
The NaviLens trial runs at Saltram House until 25 October 2024. If you live near Plymouth or are visiting the area why not visit Saltram, try the NaviLens codes and let Natalie and the National Trust know your thoughts on using the technology to explore the house, gardens and parkland.
If you would like to find out more about access at Saltram House or one of the National Trust locations near you or just more about access generally then do email accessforall@nationaltrust.org.uk or visit the following Access for Everyone pages of the National Trust website - https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/about-us/access-for-everyone
If you have any comments or feedback about a recent visit to a National Trust property or site within the south west of England including Saltram House do email Ben Vleminckx, National Trust South West Project Manager – Everyone Welcome and Access via ben.vleminckx@nationaltrust.org.uk with how the experience was for you as a blind or partially sighted person.
Image shows a NaviLens square on a wooden sign with Saltram house in the background