Origin Design [edit]
Proposal semaphore Peglau Karl (left) compared to an actual traffic light (right).
The first traffic lights for pedestrian crossings were installed in the 50s Many countries developed their own designs, to finally be unified standard común.4 leading Back then, the traffic lights were the same for cars, bikes and peatones.5 The Ampelmännchen was created in 1961 in East Berlin by psychologist Karl Peglau as part of a proposal to change the designs of all the traffic lights. Peglau was critical of the fact that the usual traffic light colors (red, amber and green) were not useful for those citizens unable to differentiate colors (about 10 percent of the total population) and the lights on themselves were too small and weak to compete with the neon signs and the proper sunlight. Peglau proposed maintaining the three colors, but introduce intuitive shapes associated with each color. This idea had many supporters, but the plan failed due to Peglau costs entailed replacing the traffic lights in the entire infrastructure viaria.6 Unlike vehicular, pedestrian traffic is not subject to age limits and mental health or physics, and therefore should be suitable for children, elderly and disabled. With this in mind, Peglau thought of using the silhouette of a man whose body language was understood by everyone. It also decided to remove the amber light, because pedestrian traffic generally not done so hurriedly runs like vehículos.6 Secretary of Peglau, Anneliese Wegner, Drew Ampelmännchen as directed by your boss. In the first sketch the Ampelmännchen had fingers, but this feature was discarded for technical reasons related to lighting. Surprisingly Peglau hat man, "jovial and cheerful" but able to be considered a symbol of the petty bourgeoisie, had the final approval of the authorities. Ampelmännchen prototypes were built by the state-owned VEB-Leuchtenbau Berlin.6 Four decades later, Daniel Meuren, the West-German newspaper Der Spiegel, described the Ampelmännchen as a linking element "beauty with efficiency, utility and charm with sociability in the line of duty ".7 For others, elAmpelmännchen resembled a child figure with a large head and short legs, or even a leader religioso.8 COMES FROM WIKIPEDIA
