Case study · Brussels · BMC
Brussels — the tactile guide that also speaks.
BMC embeds NaviLens directly into the floor of STIB/MIVB and SNCB/NMBS stations. The cane follows the line, the phone hears the information — in 42 languages.
Brussels
Belgium
STIB/MIVB · SNCB/NMBS
Metro, tram and rail
Floor + above
Codes embedded on the tactile guide
42
Languages read aloud
The client
BMC & Brussels operators
BMC is the local integrator deploying NaviLens in Brussels public transport stations, in partnership with STIB/MIVB (metro and tram) and SNCB/NMBS (rail).
What sets the project apart is placing the codes on the floor, anchored to the tactile strip. A person following the guide line with a cane meets each code naturally — and the free NaviLens app reads out line, direction, platform and services by voice.
§ The challenge
Turning every Brussels station into an audible journey.
- 01
An intermodal network in two languages
Brussels combines STIB/MIVB metro and tram with the SNCB/NMBS rail network. All signage is bilingual FR/NL and must also be understandable to international visitors. For a blind or low-vision passenger, identifying line, direction and platform is one of the critical points of the trip.
- 02
Finding the right gate and platform
In underground stations with several lines, stairs and gates, the problem is not just "reaching the station": it's knowing which gate to use, which corridor to follow and which platform to go down to without relying on visual signage.
- 03
Anchoring the information to the tactile line
BMC installs NaviLens codes directly on the floor, embedded in the tactile strip, so that the user following the line with a cane meets them naturally and can detect them with the phone without straying.
§ The solution
The code goes on the floor.
BMC embeds each NaviLens code inside the tactile path — at entrances, concourses, gates and platforms. The app detects it from several metres, no focusing required.
The passenger hears, by voice, line, direction, platform number, next departures and nearby services — in their own language, among the 42 supported — and walks on, guided by distance and angle.
§ Journey
From entrance to platform, along the guide line.
STIB/MIVB · Metro
Platform direction sign
STIB/MIVB platform direction sign with lines T, 3 (Esplanade), 51 (Stadion/Stade) and 4 (Noordstation / Gare du Nord). The NaviLens code on the floor, on the tactile strip, announces lines, directions and flow direction by voice.
STIB/MIVB · Access
Accessible gates
Accessible gates — including the wide PRM lane — with a NaviLens code on the floor, right on the tactile line. The app guides the user to the correct gate and announces which ones are working.
User · White cane
Detection on the guide line
A user with a white cane approaches the NaviLens code embedded in the concourse's tactile line. Detection from several metres lets them anticipate the point without focusing.
Concourse · Services
Wayfinding info
NaviLens codes on the concourse floor announce nearby services by voice: commercial screens, exits and waiting areas — no need to scan signs at height.
Tactile path
Guide line with codes
BMC embeds the NaviLens codes within the tactile path that runs along the concourse. The user follows the line with the cane and the app announces key points along the way.
Platform 2
Reaching the platform
A user arrives at platform 2 following the guide line, with the NaviLens code marking the platform point. The app announces platform number and line without needing to look at the screen.
Platform · App
Real time in hand
On the platform, the user checks on their phone the information read by the NaviLens code: line, next train and operational messages — in their own language.
Station · Route
Codes along the axis
BMC rolls out NaviLens codes along the main axis of the station, on the tactile line, to keep the passenger oriented from end to end of the concourse.
SNCB/NMBS
Platform with train to Brussels
On SNCB/NMBS platforms, NaviLens codes on the floor — next to the safety strip — announce train destination, carriage number and composition without needing to scan the screen.
Station · Access
Main entrance
At the station's main entrance, NaviLens codes sit alongside the tactile tiles to guide the passenger from the door to the concourse, stairs and platforms.
§ What they said
“C'est une grande première en festival. Pour des personnes comme moi, qui voient très flou, ces codes NaviLens placés au sol changent tout : on peut s'orienter de manière autonome, sans devoir demander à chaque fois où est l'entrée, la scène ou les toilettes. C'est un véritable signal d'inclusion.”
“Difficile de distinguer quel tram ou bus arrive à l'arrêt quand on est malvoyant. À Bruxelles, la STIB innove pour informer : de nombreux arrêts sont desservis par plusieurs lignes et cette technologie permet enfin aux voyageurs aveugles ou malvoyants de savoir, en toute autonomie, quelle ligne arrive.”
§ And your network?
Your next station can also speak.
Tell us about your network, your pain points and the KPIs you want to move. We’ll show you how NaviLens would fit —with comparable cases.
