The information below is printed here with the permission of its authors.

* * *

Information below was written by Lukas Franck, Janet Barlow and Beezy Bentzen, members of the Environmental Access Committee of the Orientation and Mobility division of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (updated 8/2002) .

For more information, request Accessible Pedestrian Signals, Publication A-37, by Billie Louise Bentzen and Lee Tabor from the Access Board 800-872-2253.

There are four different types of Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) available which provide information for pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired.

1. Pedhead Mounted

The only type that has been commonly installed in the U.S. has a speaker on top of or inside the pedhead. This type has a bell, buzzer, cheep, cuckoo, speech message, or some other tone during the walk phase of the signal only. Some models respond to ambient sound, becoming louder when the traffic noises are louder and quieter when the traffic is quiet. They are usually intended to be heard across the street and act as a beacon, and are relatively loud as a consequence.

Manufacturers: Mallory, Novax, US Traffic, Wilcox

2. Pushbutton Integrated

The second type has a speaker and a vibrating surface or arrow at the pedestrian button. The sound comes from the pedestrian pushbutton housing, rather than the pedhead. This type has been common in Europe and Australia for years.

A constant quiet locator tone, repeating once per second, provides information to the blind individual about the presence of a pedestrian pushbutton and its location. The locator tone is only intended to be audible 2 to 4 meters (6 to 12 feet) from the pole or from the building line, whichever is less.

The walk interval may be indicated by the same tone at a faster repetition rate, (Panich, Prisma, Novax), by a speech message (Polara, Campbell, Novax), or by other tones including bird calls. All versions currently available of this type respond to ambient sound levels. These signals are intended to be loud enough to be heard only at the beginning of the crosswalk but volume can be increased by special activation (Polara, Prisma)

Manufacturers: Campbell, Panich, Polara, Prisma, Georgetown Electric (locator tone not ambient sound responsive), Novax (locator tone combined with pedhead speaker),

3. Vibrotactile

The third type uses only vibration at the pedestrian pushbutton. The arrow or button vibrates when the walk signal is on. It must be installed very precisely next to the crosswalk to be of value, and the person who is blind or visually impaired must know where to look for it. Vibrotactile only not recommended by PROWAAC.

Manufacturers: Campbell, Georgetown Electric, Novax, Polara

4. Receiver-based

The fourth type provides a message transmitted by infrared or LED technology from the pedhead to a personal individual receiver. The person who is blind or visually impaired has a receiver and points it at the pedhead to receive the message. These devices may also give other types of information including information about the name of the streets or the shape of the intersection.

Manufacturers: Relume, Talking Signs

Bob Panich Consultancy Pty. Ltd.
mail: 48 Church Street, P.O. Box 360, Ryde NSW 2112 AUSTRALIA
internet: http://www.bobpanich.com.au/aps.htm
fax: 612 9809 6962
voice: 612 9809 6499

Campbell Company
mail: 211 West 37th Street Suite C, Boise ID 83706 U.S.A.
internet: http://www.pedsafety.com
fax: 208-345-7481
voice: 208-345-7459

Eagle Traffic Control Systems
contact: Axel Reissnecker, Marketing
voice: 512-837-8354

Distributor for Prisma Teknik signal in the U.S.A.

Georgetown Electric, Ltd.
mail: 2507 West Second Street, Wilmington, DE 19805 U.S.A.
fax: 302-652-6447
voice: 302-652-4835

Mallory/North American Capacitor Co.
mail: P.O. Box 1284, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1284 U.S.A.
internet: http://www.mallory-sonalert.com
fax: 317-273-2400
voice: 317-273-0090

NOVAX Industries Corporation
mail: 658 Derwent Way, New Westminster BC V3M 5P8 CANADA
internet: http://www.novax.com
fax: 604-525-2739
voice: 604-525-5644

Polara Engineering, Inc.
mail: 4115 Artesia Avenue, Fullerton, CA 92833-2520 U.S.A.
internet: http://www.polara.com
fax: 714-522-8001
voice: 714-521-0900; 888-340- 4872

Prisma Teknik AB
mail: P.O. Box 5, S-543 21, Tibro  SWEDEN
internet: http://www.prismateknik.com/acoustic.htm
fax: 46-504 141 41
voice: 46-504 150 40

Relume Corporation
mail: 64 Park Street, Troy, MI 48083 U.S.A.
internet: http://www.relume.com
fax: 248-585-1909
voice: 248-585-2640

Summers Distributing
mail: 8902 Red River Court, Bakersfield, CA 93312 U.S.A.
fax: 661-587-7109
voice: 661-587-7214

Distributor for Panich products in the U.S.A.

Talking Signs, Inc.
mail: 812 North Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70802 U.S.A.
internet: http://www.talkingsigns.com
fax: 504-344-2811
voice: 888-825-5746

US Traffic
mail: 9603 John Street , Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670 U.S.A.
internet: http://www.idc-traffic.com/asp10.htm
fax: 562-923-7555
voice: 562-923-9600; 800-733-7872

Wilcox Sales Company
mail: 1738 Finecroft Drive, Claremont, CA 91711-2411 U.S.A.
internet: http://www.wilcoxsales.com/
fax: 909-624-8207
voice: 909-624-6674

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This page was last updated November 19, 2002.