BindiMaps Oakleigh Central: Vicinity Centres teams up with ‘gamechanging’ app to help blind, visually impaired shoppers

A “gamechanging” app is transforming the way blind and visually impaired people shop at a southeast mall.

BindiMaps app, which helps visually impaired people navigate independently through shopping centres, is now being used at Oakleigh Central. Picture: BindiMaps

Blind and visually impaired customers at Oakleigh Central are set for an enhanced shopping experience thanks to a revolutionary way-finding app.

Australian developed app BindiMaps is now available at the Oakleigh mall, allowing shoppers to navigate safely using a combination of maps and text and voice messages.

The app provides quick and accurate direction services in challenging indoor venues, using pre-installed signal beacons to share location pings.

Oakleigh Central shopper Kate Black said the system, which can be downloaded on mobile app stores, had given her a greater sense of independence and accomplishment.

“Just to be able to walk through a location I’ve never been before and find things … having that feeling of moving through the shopping centre and browsing and hearing what’s around me really enriches my shopping experience,” she said.

“The sense of accomplishment that I get when I’ve been somewhere I’ve never been before is really quite freeing and exciting.”

Developed by the teams behind Vision Australia, the Royal Society for the Blind and Guide Dogs NSW/ACT, Vicinity Centres introduced the app following a successful trial between November last year and February.

“For all customers, particularly those with vision impairment, the integration of the BindiMaps app at our centres will fundamentally change lives,” Vicinity chief innovation and information officer Justin Mills said.

“Accessibility and inclusion are priorities in our strategy to create market leading destinations across the country and this latest technology is another demonstration of our commitment in this area.”

Mr Mills said Vicinity would continue to monitor the performance of BindiMaps and analyse customer usage and feedback.