[blindkid] Wii Device Teaches Visually Impaired to WalkwithCanes

Tue Jun 8 18:33:02 UTC 2010

Right Dave,

What works well in our country in most cases is allowing people to vote with
their own money. For those who like the idea, they can buy the Wii
application; the others who are opposed can do something else with their
funds. If the Wii actually damages the user, either by commission or
omission, then the user should drop the Wii and do something else.

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of David Andrews
Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 2010 10:57 AM
To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Wii Device Teaches Visually Impaired to
WalkwithCanes

Yes, you might be right -- but you might not be either, or it may 
work for some, and not for others.  Let's all not be so heavy-handed 
in our denunciations before there is some experience with it.  Until 
some kids use it for a while, we don't actually know -- and this is 
just speculation.

Dave

At 10:07 PM 6/7/2010, you wrote:
>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
>>> >

                         David Andrews:  dandrews at visi.com
Follow me on Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/dandrews920

_______________________________________________
blindkid mailing list
blindkid at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
blindkid:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/jim%40riversedgeho
mes.com