As smartphones and tablets continue to evolve, the days of the traditional book format are coming to an end. The use of PDF files for resource manuals will soon follow. PDF files follow the traditional book linear format too closely and only differ by spattering in the use of bookmarks and linear text searches. Search methods that use text, voice and cameras are starting to emerge. It is only natural for the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) to follow this trend. MUTCD app is the first version of the 2009 Federal MUTCD reformatted for a smartphone (iPhone). Smartphone features include the following:
- Drill-down tables to find text, individual signs, figures and tables. The entire manual is in the app. Hyperlinks are provided in text to all corresponding figures and tables. It has never been easier!
- Text based search for Chapters, Sections, Signs, Tables and Figure titles. Find all traffic signs by keyword or MUTCD code. For example, type in ‘Truck’ for the signs tab, and see all signs with ‘Truck’ in the title. If you have an iPhone 4S, use the speech recognition to search for text strings.
- The sign tab includes a copyrighted, sign index with high-resolution graphics that is superior to all others! Federal MUTCD signs are shown that allow one to touch the sign to reveal the relevant section. Over 800+ signs are available!
Below is a YouTube video showing how the MUTCD app works (includes speech recognition demo!)