Traffic light pedestrian crossing button

The ATPD, 'Audio -Tactile Pedestrian Detector', for pedestrian crossings at traffic lights is an example of an Australian innovation. The device was developed in response to social pressure from 1967 through to the 1980s. The initial request came from a member of the public for the Department of Main Roads (DMR) to solve a social problem by developing a safe indicating system for vision and hearing impaired pedestrians to cross the road safely at traffic lights. The resulting public lobbying and research influenced the development of government policies to aid the disabled. The device has been exported and has enabled pedestrians with vision and hearing impairments, as well as the general public, to use pedestrian crossings with safety.