[blindkid] Wii Device Teaches Visually Impaired to WalkwithCanes

Tue Jun 8 03:07:22 UTC 2010

Heather:

I contend that the WII device won't fulfill the purpose it is designed for. 
Why? Because the WII device won't be used over a large enough space to 
correct the veering problem. To my way of thinking, veering is composed of 
several components irrspective of how valid a person's sense of what a 
straight line is. For example, extraneous sound, sound ambience, terrain and 
obstacles in one's path all affect how closely one adheres to a straight 
line and the WII device gives rather sterile feedback at best on these 
components to the traveling experience.

Mike

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "H. Field" <missheather at comcast.net>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, June 07, 2010 4:32 PM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Wii Device Teaches Visually Impaired to 
WalkwithCanes

> Hello all,
> A careful read of the article says that the main purpose of this game
> is very specific. It is designed to help children, and I would think
> adults, learn to walk in a straight line. This is a very, very
> important skill and is not possessed by many blind people.
>
> If a person can play a game, for hours on end in their own time if
> they want to, and this game enables them to develop the skill of
> walking in a straight line with their cane, then this is unarguably a
> great option. What harm could it do to allow someone to use a game to
> teach them to stop veering when walking?
>
> I, for one, cannot walk in a straight line and there are studies in
> the literature which were done to prove that most blind people have a
> "veer tendency". This means that most blind people, when asked to walk
> in a large open space over a distance of twenty or so yards, will veer
> left or right and not walk straight. Individuals will have a,
> "Preferred veer direction" meaning they will consistently veer right
> or consistently veer left. While it is helpful to know which way one
> always veers, it is extremely annoying to know that one does veer.
> This was particularly a nuisance for me when I lived on the farm and
> used to go out in the paddocks. One would walk straight across a big
> space, say between one shed and another, or a shed and a gate, and
> wind up veering wide of the intended target. It was particularly
> annoying when walking to a gate given that once one reached the fence
> one didn't know which way to walk down the fence to find the gate. A
> similar situation can arise for a city traveller when they walk across
> a large space, such as a parking lot, and are looking for a door in
> the wall of a very large building. Once having found the wall, which
> way did I veer and, therefore, which way to walk to the door.
>
> While none of these experiences is beyond endurance, why not end them
> if possible? Such a time waste. I ask the question, if something is
> invented to teach me to identify when I start to veer and give me the
> feedback to straighten up my path, why would I not investigate using
> it? A mobility instructor is not available for the hours that
> something like this will take to fix. Young children can learn how it
> feels to walk straight from the beginning, their bodies will know,
> through experience, how it feels to veer and what it feels like when
> they are walking straight again.
>
> This is one very small, but extremely important, skill in the
> orientation and mobility toolbox and how marvellous that people are
> working on giving blind people an independent way of developing it.
> The chosen method could also act to motivate blind children to enjoy
> their canes and that's another benefit.
>
> Regards,
>
> Heather Field
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>
> To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)"
> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, June 07, 2010 4:05 PM
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Wii Device Teaches Visually Impaired to
> WalkwithCanes
>
>
> Hello Holly and everyone,
>
>        We've seen too many trinkets of this kind developed by
> well-meaning
> "Professionals" in the field who at the end of the day do more harm to
> the
> blind than good. Many on this list learned to travel with a cane
> without the
> need for video games, laser canes, etc. I'd like to know if the Wii
> Device
> will function during a power failure?  Hands-on, total immersion O&M
> instruction can occur whether there is electricity or not. The same
> observation has been made concerning the over-dependence on paperless
> Braille devices.
>
>    Last week we received a sobering reminder of this when a freak
> storm
> knocked out power to much of Northwest San Antonio. It was a stark
> reminder
> of the dangers of an over-dependence on technology.
>
> Besides why not have the blind child invite his/her friends for
> hands-on
> cane sessions rather than just playing a video game. It will be great
> exercise for the kids as well as providing an opportunity for them to
> learn
> how the blind travel with a cane and that they need not pity or fear
> their
> blind pears. This is the kind of total immersion you won't get from
> sitting
> at a computer terminal.
>
> Peter Donahue
>    ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "holly miller" <hollym12 at gmail.com>
> To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)"
> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, June 07, 2010 2:37 PM
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Wii Device Teaches Visually Impaired to
> WalkwithCanes
>
>
> I am curious how you can know that something can not have any possible
> benefits before it has been put to use?  Yes it's possible it will be
> a flop
> but what harm could there be in investigating new ideas?   Neither the
> creator or anyone here is suggesting this replaces real life O&M
> training,
> it's simply a potential tool to put in the tool box.  Isn't one of
> the reoccurring themes here that the best thing for our kids is to
> make use
> of many different strategies and to not limit options?
>
> Are you familiar with the Wii game system?  If you aren't, it really
> is
> unique from other video game systems.   What I think may make this
> a plausible option is that the Wii is designed for the user to be in
> motion
> while playing many of the games.  The system reads & reacts to the
> players
> motions, not just pushing of buttons. For instance, if you are playing
> a
> tennis game, you actually swing the controller like a tennis racquet.
> The
> player wouldn't be sitting still, they would actually be walking
> around the
> room.  The controller is a long, slim rectangle that can be held
> similarly
> to a proper cane grip.  The controller vibrates so it can give tactile
> feedback to a simulated obstacle.
>
> Again, this should not in any way be considered a replacement to real
> world
> training, just an interesting supplement to it.
>
> Holly
> aka Hank's mom
>
> On Mon, Jun 7, 2010 at 3:01 PM, Peter Donahue
> <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>wrote:
>
>> Good afternoon everyone,
>>
>>    Nothing will replace the total immersion experience. Cane travel
>> is
>> very
>> hands-on. Playing video games of this kine do nothing to help the
>> blind
>> child hone their cane skills and gain the confidence needed to
>> become a
>> good
>> cane traveler and to feel good about using the cane. We learned cane
>> use
>> that way and appreciate the value of having done so.
>>
>> Peter Donahue
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "holly miller" <hollym12 at gmail.com>
>> To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)"
>> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Monday, June 07, 2010 1:50 PM
>> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Wii Device Teaches Visually Impaired to
>> WalkwithCanes
>>
>>
>> Peter,
>> It says in the article
>>
>> "The Wii Cane training program is not meant to replace traditional
>>  training  methods, but is only a supplement."
>> I would be concerned if someone thought it could replace actual real
>> life
>> training but I don't think that's what they are suggesting at all.
>>
>> I'm going to reserve judgement on it until it's actually available.
>> It
>> sounds very interesting but of course well meaning ideas often fall
>> far
>> from
>> the mark.  On the other hand, if it is well done it could be a huge
>> help
>> especially for newly blind or partial vision kids that are having
>> trouble
>> accepting the idea of a cane.  Cane training doesn't need high tech
>> tricks
>> to be successful but if there is something that can make O&M
>> training more
>> fun & add a coolness factor, why would that be a bad thing?
>>
>> If this project is successful or not, the research & development
>> going
>> into
>> making a game might be a stepping stone to some other assistive
>> technology
>> that hasn't even been considered before.
>>
>> Holly
>> aka Hank's mom
>>
>> On Mon, Jun 7, 2010 at 11:56 AM, Peter Donahue
>> <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>wrote:
>>
>> > Hello Doreen and everyone,
>> >
>> >    All of the video games in the World won't replace hands-on cane
>> > travel
>> > instruction. Please don't fall for this stuff.
>> >
>> > Peter Donahue
>> >
>> >
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>
>
>
> -- 
> http://www.raceforindependence.org/goto/Hank
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