Beyond visual codes: Translating color through ambient haptics and passive multisensory architecture for the spatial justice of visually impaired in metro stations

Background: Public transport environments often communicate route and safety information through visual cues, which may create barriers to independent wayfinding for people who are blind. Integrating additional sensory information into the built environment may offer a complementary approach to accessible navigation. Objective: This study explores “Ambient Haptics” as a conceptual approach to passive, architecture-integrated guidance and examines the potential of embedded neodymium–iron–boron (NdFeB) magnetic strips to support cane-mediated navigation along a simulated pathway. Method: An exploratory mixed-methods study was conducted in Tehran, Iran, with 32 male participants with total blindness, aged 24–45 years, all of whom had experience using a white cane. Participants completed a 20-metre simulated pathway first without magnetic guidance and then with embedded magnetic strips interacting with the metal tip of their cane. A researcher recorded travel time, unintended stops, and navigation or collision errors. Questionnaire responses and qualitative interviews were also used to examine participants’ reported mobility experiences. The trial order was fixed, and the quantitative findings are interpreted descriptively. Results: Mean travel time decreased from 60 to 45 seconds, representing a 25% reduction. Mean unintended stops decreased from 4.5 to 1.5, and mean navigation or collision errors decreased from 3.0 to 1.0, representing reductions of approximately 66.7% in both measures. On a five-point Likert scale, reported mobility anxiety decreased from 3.8 to 2.1, sensory trust increased from 3.3 to 4.2, and perceived path control increased from 2.9 to 4.0. These findings are descriptive; participant-level data and the original statistical output were unavailable for independent reanalysis. Conclusion: The findings provide exploratory evidence that embedded magnetic guidance warrants further investigation as a passive, architecture-integrated channel for supporting cane-mediated navigation. The proposed approach may complement established accessibility provisions, but its effectiveness, durability, surface safety, and applicability in operational metro stations remain to be established through further controlled and real-world testing.