[Blind-rollers] path finder

[Becky Frankeberger]

I got this off Jackie's site!  Thank you!  Tell us more how a person would
hearing loss could use this device.

Becky and my joy wheels 

Wheelchair Pathfinder--Hope & Independence for the visually Impaired Person
with
Mobility Impairment &/or Hearing loss
November 10, 1996, seemed like a typical Sunday morning. Yet, amidst the
hustle &
bustle of preparing for church, I could tell something was different--a
buzzing sound
in my right ear that seemed to occur only with certain frequencies. By the
time I
was able to see a doctor two-and-a-half weeks later, nausea, vertigo, loss
of balance,
& ringing in the ear had also set in. My nightmare had begun.
The diagnosis of Meniere's disease was made in April 1997, despite the fact
that
neither the audiogram nor the cochleogram are consistent with that finding.
No matter
what the diagnosis, however, one thing was becoming increasingly clear.
Blindness
had already disabled part of my balance mechanism--made up by both visual
input &
stimuli from nerves in the inner ear. Now that the inner ear was failing
also, my
balance was no longer sufficient to travel with only the aid of a long white
cane,
&, in April 1997, I acquired a walker. Candy apple red in color, I quickly
dubbed
it Johnny Walker Red, looking for whatever humor I could find in what was
seemingly
becoming a hopeless situation.
I was working at a computer training facility with an older gentleman, who
asked
me how I was able to get around with the walker. I told him very carefully &
with
great difficulty. He informed me that there were laser devices for them now,
& he
knew that to be true because he was an electronic technician prior to losing
his
eyesight. I vowed that if this man were right, I was going to find that
device.
Looking in a catalog of aides for the visually impaired, I came across a
"laser cane"
& wondered if they might also make devices for walkers. I called the
organization
to ask if they would provide me with the name of the manufacturer of the
Laser cane--the
lady refused. But I would not take "no" for an answer--this was simply too
important--&
I asked to speak with a supervisor. I explained to him that organizations
like his
were supposed to make the lives of disabled people easier, not harder, & he
eventually
relented & provided me with the name.
When I contacted Nazier Alli (pronounced Nazeer Ali) of Nurion Industries,
in Paeoli,
PA, the manufacturer of both the laser cane & the wheelchair pathfinder, I
learned
that 30 miles from me a mobility instructor was working with a client who
had a wheelchair
pathfinder. No one at the Texas Commission for the Blind seemed to be aware
of it.
I'm not saying the oversight was deliberate, because I don't believe it was.
What
I am saying is that, if people are to be helped to maximize their potential,
then
awareness of the existence of tools that can aid in this process is an
absolute necessity.
It is one of the reasons I am writing this.
It took a little over 2 years for me to finally get the pathfinder. Because
of my
hearing loss, an additional tactile unit was also provided. Originally, the
vibrating
tactile unit was worn around my neck. I only had it a week when the walker
rolled
down a step, snapping the cable. I persuaded Mr. Alli that, while a necklace
tactile
unit made good sense for those in a wheelchair, it could in fact be
dangerous to
someone who was upright. To his credit, he listened--& he worked with me to
implement
a solution. He asked if I had any design ideas, which I did. He requested a
diagram.
I showed my driver/reader how I wanted the unit designed, & he drew it for
me. I
am certain Mr. Alli did not make any profit from my unit, but we both
learned much
& I sincerely hope that my solution of housing the tactile unit beneath the
walker's
handlebars may help others.
The device is a combination of ultrasound & laser. It provides 4-12 feet of
protection
in front of the user, a foot of protection to either side, & detects
dropoffs > 2
inches. Forward protection can be adjusted by a switch on the right sonar
unit, with
near range being 4 feet & far range being 12 feet. This is very helpful when
traversing
a crowded mall or store.
In fact, my first mobility lesson with the pathfinder was in a shopping
mall, where
I learned to gauge the size of obstacles, navigate around them, etc. When
the vertigo
& nausea are not too severe, I travel pretty much wherever I want. My dream
of once
more traveling independently has been realized.
I hope reading this helps someone. I can only say that, for me, even when
the circumstances
seemed hopeless, I could never allow myself to give up, & that was what
ultimately
made it possible for me to realize my dream. I am grateful for my husband
Karl &
my daughter Amanda who supported me through all of this. If you are going
through
tough times & do not have supportive family members, find friends or others
who will
support you. Whatever you do, don't give up & don't give in. The Bible says
that
all who ask receive, all who seek find, & to all who knock, the door will be
opened,
provided you're asking for the right things & for the right reasons. It may
take
time, & it may at times seem hopeless, but again the Bible says that all
things are
possible with God, to those who believe.
To find out more about the wheelchair pathfinder or the laser cane, contact:
Nurion Industries
 610-640-2345
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