Which feedback helps a traveller notice a change, and which feedback should be optional or absent?
The sensory environment is one of the themes in Maia’s Critical Report, but individual preferences differ. Research on autistic adults’ sensory experiences cautions against a single sensory prescription. Motion or sound that attracts attention for one person may be distracting for another. This page defines a controllable range rather than an “autism-friendly” animation style.
A route shape might gently show the transition from old gate to new gate; a button may give pressed feedback; a step indicator may update as the traveller advances. These are different jobs. The gate text must be available immediately in a static state, so animation cannot be required to discover A04. Apple’s motion guidance treats motion as a way to clarify changes and recommends respecting reduced-motion preferences. I would start with a static baseline, then compare a short, non-essential transition against it.
This is a control study, not a built preference screen. It explores on/off, pause and change/stop affordances. It should be evaluated alongside the actual change alert: if someone has motion reduced, no fact or progress information may disappear.
Optional spoken directions could help a traveller who chooses them, but text must carry the same instruction. Sound should have play, pause and stop, and should not begin because the app thinks the person is distressed. A short notification tone or haptic cue could signal a gate update only after explicit permission and user preference. The alert wording and gate value must still work silently. Headphones are a possible personal device, not a dependency.
The concept includes an optional heart-rate device, but a heart-rate measurement cannot establish anxiety or sensory overload. The Bluetooth Heart Rate Service specifies measurement transport, not an interpretation of mental state. If sensor exploration proceeds, it needs explicit consent, a clear disconnected state and no automatic diagnosis or support prompt. The phone’s core journey must remain complete without a device.
The relevant experiment is the same gate event in three conditions: static and silent; a brief opt-in visual transition; and user-initiated spoken step guidance. Ask what was noticed, what was distracting and whether the participant could stop it. Consider the airport context, not a quiet desktop alone. No participant result has been recorded for these alternatives.
Taking forward — provisional: static, text-complete screens as the default; optional brief motion, audio and haptics under traveller control. Respect the system’s accessibility settings. The decision is about agency and honest feedback, not a claim that one sensory treatment suits every autistic adult.