ATLAS Vending Presents First Braille-enabled Vending Machines in collaboration with the Malaysian Association for the Blind

 

In collaboration with the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB), ATLAS Vending has rolled out its pilot programme for vending machines that specially equipped with additional assistive features to enable accessibility for visually-impaired customers. This first of its kind rollout in Malaysia features vending machine certified by the Malaysia Book of Records as the first Braille-enabled vending machines in Malaysia. The effort is in line with ATLAS Vending's aim to reduce barriers facing the visually-impaired community, such as the barriers that impede their access to vending machines serving refreshments in public spaces. ATLAS Vending targets to progressively increase accessibility for members of the community with special needs, enabling them to gain access and improving their purchase experience. 

The 11 vending machine are located around LRT stations including around the Brickfields area. The locations were chosen in consultation with the MAB, with the identified locations being places where the visually-impaired travel back and forth to MAB for work and social purposes. For ease of access, the machines have been equipped with Braille plates as well as indicator lights and motion-sensor triggered audio team, which specialises in evaluating accessibility functions for the visually-impaired, to ensure that the special features are well-suited to the needs of visually-impaired consumers although the vending machines also retain typical features for the use of other consumers.

The vending machines will carry some of Malaysia's favourite bottled and canned drinks comes with audio-guided instructions for purchasing drinks with cash and cashless payment options included. As part of the collaboration between ATLAS Vending and MAB, ATLAS Vending is making a RM10,000 donation to the MAB Covid-19 Campaign Fund that aims to help the blind community, especially those who have lost their income due to the pandemic following implementation of the MCO.