Keeping great design accessible for all

The glory of the PB/5 pedestrian button

I hadn’t really given too much thought to touching the pedestrian crossing button before now.

During the height of COVID I was all about avoidance – I’d do the old elbow press, ‘clothing over the hand’ press, and I even witnessed someone attempt a high kick foot-to-button press.

But this week my eye was drawn to the button and the bright red ‘Vote Albo for PM’ sticker sitting above it.

A'Vote Albo for PM' sticker covering a panel on a pedestrian crossing button.

In the moment I couldn’t quite figure out what the sticker was covering up, only that I had a feeling it was something significant.

I crossed the street to a nearby button (which was sticker free) to check. It revealed a large arrow in the direction I was crossing, and a tactile raised arrow in the same direction.

I instinctually knew these features were designed for accessibility, but I didn’t quite understand how.

When I got home, I took a deep dive into the humble Australian pedestrian crossing button, better known as the PB/5 pedestrian button, a type of Audio-Tactile Pedestrian Detector (ATPD).

Image of the Australian designed PB/5 pedestrian crossing button. — The Australian designed PB/5 pedestrian button.

An audio visual masterpiece

The button is an audio-tactile device, meaning it combines a two-rhythm buzzer (audio), with a vibrating touch panel (tactile) and braille direction arrow (tactile). The design was led by industrial designer David Wood, acoustical engineer Louis Challis, and Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) engineer Frank Hulscher. It was commissioned by the NSW Department of Main Roads in the 1980s, and has since been exported to countries around the world.

The sounds themselves are very unique. As Doctor Karl explains, “The sounds are part of the elegant and intuitive design. First, the slow chirps at two-second intervals (the ‘DON’T WALK’ signal) reminding you that this is the time to wait. The patent describes the chirps as the ‘locator sound’ – so sight-impaired people can easily find the button and crossing. The frequency was specifically chosen to be clearly audible in city traffic. Second, the single baoooow noise (called the ‘change tone’) alerts you that something has changed. Third, the rapid tock-tocktock (the ‘WALK’ signal), repeated eight times a second, tells you to get moving.”

Even Billie Eilish was so impressed when she heard the sound, she sampled it on her hit song Bad Guy.

The arrow touch panel above the button has different vibrations so people with hearing and vision impairments can touch the area and feel the vibrations, alongside a braille directional arrow.

Back to those stickers

Which brings me back to those darn stickers, covering up all these amazing features. Yes, I am in favour of spreading the word of Albo for PM (it’s a hell no for ScoMo, so what other choice is there) but not at the expense of covering up the touch panels.

And that’s exactly what I told the lovely lady in Albo’s electorate office (since the stickers said they were authorised by his office and he’s my local member I gave them a call), who noted down the locations and was very apologetic when I mentioned they were covering these features.

Together let's create a greater awareness of these design functions, because even though we ourselves may not be making use of (right now), you never know when you or a loved one may be in a position where these features become vital to your existence interacting out in the world.

And as designers let’s keep asking ourselves:

Am I bringing accessibility to the forefront?

Am I spreading the word about accessible features?

Am I designing for all?

Now get out there and make great design shine!

Update: The stickers have all disappeared from the intersections and crossings I had seen them on. Thanks Team Albo for your very quick response! Now the PB/5 and its magnificent features are free to do good for all who need them!

Before and after