[Blind-rollers] an idea

[Becky Frankeberger]

 with your joy stick attached to an AMD you might just get more flexibility
in traveling. Certainly less pain in the wrists. 

Alternative Mobility Device
Photo shows Dona walking with an AMD.  It has two vertical 4-foot metal
rods, each
with a handle at the top and a wheel at the bottom.  The rods are connected
and held
about a foot apart with a horizontal bars near the top and at the bottom
(the horizontal
bar at the bottom extends a few inches beyond the long vertical rods and
curves back
to the rods).
 "Alternative mobility devices" (AMD's) can provide as much protection (or
more!)
as a long cane, but without having to use proper cane technique. They can
reliably
detect obstacles, slopes or drop-offs (such as curbs or stairs) ahead of the
user.
AMDs are often used by people (children and adults) who cannot use the long
cane
for various reasons, such as being physically unable to move the cane
properly or
being unable to learn to correctly use the cane reliably. AMDs are also
useful for
people who require advanced warning of slopes because of precarious balance.
And
AMDs are sometimes used for jogging, as they don't require coordination of
the cane
with the feet. However it is important to know that traditionally designed
AMDs do
NOT provide any support.
The first photos on this page show an AMD that was developed for research
purposes
by the Veterans Administration. It is not available for sale, but I use it
as a prototype
to determine if an AMD will be useful for clients and if so, what length is
needed.
Before this prototype was available, I used luggage carriers and 2-wheeled
shopping
carts to demonstrate to clients how an AMD might work for them. Actually,
such carts
and carriers have been used by some people as an AMD (if you use such a
ready-made
device as an AMD, be sure the wheels are far enough apart --
see below
).
AMD's can detect drop-offs, as shown in the photos below.
Two photos show Dona pushing the AMD along the sidewalk and one of the
wheels drops
over the curb, which tips the AMD sideways, alerting the user.
Two photos show Dona pushing the AMD along the sidewalk and one of the
wheels drops
over the curb, which tips the AMD sideways, alerting the user.
AMDs are more effective than canes to detect and anticipate changes in
slopes, as
illustrated below.
Photo shows Dona pushing the AMD along the sidewalk, approaching a driveway
with
a slope going down to the street to her left.
Photo shows the wheels of the AMD in the slope of the driveway, which tilts
the entire
AMD so the left handle is lower than the right handle.
AMDs in Use
AMDs can be made from PCV pipe, customized for size, handle and wheel design
as shown
in the examples below.
Thanks to "An Illustrated Guide to Cane Repair and More" by Lynn Gautreaux
for very
helpful instructions to assemble the AMD! This book is available from AER --
order
at
AER's online bookstore
 or phone 877-492-2708 or 703-671-4500.
AMD for walking without pain
A woman holds an AMD made of white plastic pipe in the shape of a rectangle,
with
long sides and short top and bottom (the bottom piece extends a few inches
to each
side of the rectangle) with two wheels at the borrom.  She holds the top
like a person
would hold the handle of a shopping cart, and the bottom bar is about a foot
and
a half in front of her forward foot.
 Using a cane correctly was awkward and sometimes painful for this woman,
and she
decided that an AMD would be useful. She wanted to be able to push it with a
bar
along the top (like pushing a shopping cart) rather than with handles at the
side
(like pushing a wheelbarrow). She may add pipe insulation along the handle
to make
it larger and softer, and pegs on the bottom so the AMD can stand on its own
for
storage.
Photo shows the woman's feet and the bottom bar of the AMD, which is
horizontal to
the ground and supported by two wheels.  The wheels are about 17-18 inches
apart,
and behind the bar we see that as her feet move forward to where the AMD
bottom is
now, her feet will step within the space between the wheels.
Wheel position and AMD dimensions
It is crucially important that the distance between the wheels be wider than
the
space in which the feet walk, so that there is sufficient warning of
drop-offs to
the side, such as curbs. The distance between the wheels should be even
wider for
people who occasionally move their foot to the side to correct their
balance.
The front bar should be far enough ahead of the user to allow sufficient
warning
of drop-offs, depending on the person's reaction time and walking (or
running!) speed.
The bottom bar of this AMD is extended to each side to increase detection of
obstacles.
AMD for negotiating obstacles easily
Two photos show a woman walking along a hall, approaching the edge of an
open door.
Her left hand trails the wall and her right hand holds a cane with the tip
on the
floor straight ahead of her hand.  The cane never touches the door, and she
is about
to collide into it.
Two photos show a woman walking along a hall, approaching the edge of an
open door.
Her left hand trails the wall and her right hand holds a cane with the tip
on the
floor straight ahead of her hand.  The cane never touches the door, and she
is about
to collide into it.
The doors propped open in this building create hazards, particularly when
someone
trails the walls. The cane does not provide protection and warn about the
doors when
it is not consistently used correctly, as demonstrated here (
click here
 for an explanation of the stages of learning to use a cane, and the
importance of
full mastery of the technique in order to provide protection).
Three photos show the woman approaching the same door but holding an AMD
instead
of a cane.  The AMD is in the shape of a rectangle with wheels on the
bottom, and
she is pushing it like one would push a lawnmower.
Three photos show the woman approaching the same door but holding an AMD
instead
of a cane.  The AMD is in the shape of a rectangle with wheels on the
bottom, and
she is pushing it like one would push a lawnmower.
Three photos show the woman approaching the same door but holding an AMD
instead
of a cane.  The AMD is in the shape of a rectangle with wheels on the
bottom, and
she is pushing it like one would push a lawnmower.
By contrast, the AMD provides full protection simply by being pushed ahead,
without
having to use proper cane technique.
AMD made by Eldre Boggs, COMS
A lightweight AMD is easy to maneuver with one hand while still providing
full protection,
leaving the other hand free to trail the walls looking for corners and
doorways.
Photo shows the woman with her left hand trailing a wall approaching a
corner, and
pushing the AMD with her right hand.
Three photos show the woman approaching the same door edge she approached in
the
first photos, trailing the wall with her left hand and pushing the AMD ahead
of her
with her right hand.  When the AMD reaches the edge of the door, it stops
while the
woman is still a few feet away from the door.
Three photos show the woman approaching the same door edge she approached in
the
first photos, trailing the wall with her left hand and pushing the AMD ahead
of her
with her right hand.  When the AMD reaches the edge of the door, it stops
while the
woman is still a few feet away from the door.
Three photos show the woman approaching the same door edge she approached in
the
first photos, trailing the wall with her left hand and pushing the AMD ahead
of her
with her right hand.  When the AMD reaches the edge of the door, it stops
while the
woman is still a few feet away from the door.
This foldable AMD is now on the market from
Ambutech
 -- the two photos on the left show the model with the "indoor wheels" and
on the
right is a prototype with swivel wheels.
Photo shows the woman walking along the sidewalk from her driveway with a
rectangular
AMD that looks like two white canes with crossbars.  The bottom of the AMD
has stopped
at the bottom of a step.
Photo shows the woman smiling and standing on the sidewalk in front of her
home.
The AMD has just dropped over the edge of a step.
Photo shows a young man walking along a sidewalk pushing another Ambutech
AMD.  It
is rectangular with a swivel wheel at the bottom corners, and all white
except for
about 4 inches of red at the bottom of the sides.
Return to
Teaching the Cane and Non-Visual Skills
Return to
Using an AMD to Safely Experience Walking Without Vision

Becky Frankeberger
Butterfly Knitting

Custom-made knit throws, shawls, and more!

Phone: 360-426-8389
E-mail: becky at ButterflyKnitting.com
Website: www.ButterflyKnitting.com