[Blindtlk] A Cane for the Blind Improves Social Interactions.

Sat Dec 3 00:23:00 UTC 2011

I agree with you Gloria.  However, I do wish 
somebody could come up with something that would 
do GPS indoor at strange malls or places a person 
is not familiar with.  I know it is 
technologically impossible because of the 
satellites, but I would love to be able to find 
the exit at the Mall of America without my husband or asking directions.

Connie Canode
At 10:48 AM 12/2/2011, you wrote:
>I like the way my plain white cane works. It 
>might be well and good, but what is wrong with 
>paying attention to what the plain white cane is 
>telling you when traveling. Just my opinion. 
>Gloria Whipple Corresponding Secretary Inland 
>Empire chapter nfb of WA -----Original 
>Message----- From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org 
>[mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf 
>Of Nickie Pearl Sent: Friday, December 02, 2011 
>05:02 To: Blind Talk Mailing List Subject: 
>[Blindtlk] A Cane for the Blind Improves Social 
>Interactions. I think this is an interesting 
>idea! A Cane For The Blind Improves Social 
>Interactions, Sunday Strolls. As scientists make 
>slow and steady progress on sensors to help the 
>blind see and move, this cane helps them say hi 
>to friends. While the National Federation for 
>the Blind is pushing to build an auto interface 
>that lets visually impaired people drive safely 
>and autonomously, design student Selene Chew has 
>a more modest technological breakthrough to help 
>the 285 million people who are blind or 
>partially blind: The BlindSpot cane, a clever 
>and empathetic technological attempt to create 
>new opportunities for social interaction for the 
>visually impaired by harnessing GPS technology 
>and non-visual interface design. â€œI took the 
>approach to serve their emotional needs more 
>than just their physical needs,â€ she says. So, 
>for her design program at the National 
>University of Singapore, she built a prototype 
>white cane that doubles as a GPS-enabled 
>smartphone with a tactile and audio interface 
>that lets a blind user walk more confidently 
>while navigating social settings a little more 
>easily than usual. â€œTheir social life is 
>dependent on the people around them. They cannot 
>say hi to a friend without the friend saying hi 
>first,â€ Chew explains. A blind person could be 
>standing right next to a friend at a bus stop 
>and not know it. The BlindSpot cane will alert 
>the blind friend that someone they know is 
>nearby, and direct them to initiate a hello. 
>Thatâ€™s an empowering new ability. Itâ€™s not a 
>pressing health issue that a blind person 
>wonâ€™t ever see a classmate across the quad and 
>be able to go up to them to ask about sharing 
>notes, or that a blind child wouldnâ€™t know his 
>mother arrived at school to pick him up until 
>she comes over to tap him on the shoulder. But 
>each step toward fuller autonomy is an important 
>one for the sensory impaired. The friend-finding 
>feature works because the cane contains a 
>specially designed phone that slots into the 
>handle and connects to a Bluetooth earpiece with 
>an audio interface. A trackball on the handle 
>controls the menu and points which way to go. 
>When a friend checks in on Foursquare (or any 
>other location-sharing service), the cane alerts 
>the blind user with an audio message, saying how 
>far away the person is, down to how many steps 
>it will take to reach them. The cane offers the 
>option to ignore, call the friend, or, most 
>impressively, go find them, an option blind 
>people donâ€™t usually get to experience. â€œThe 
>tactile navigator is a directional pointer that 
>translates GPS map directions into an 'arrowâ€™ 
>that points towards the way to go,â€ Chew says. 
>In addition to the phone features, the BlindSpot 
>cane also does a better job at its primary 
>function, preventing a blind person from walking 
>into things. An ultrasonic sensor detects 
>obstacles a normal cane would not, like hanging 
>objects, rails, or other protruding structures 
>that the ground-level sweep of a cane might 
>miss. The product demonstration video portrays 
>the everyday danger of a broom handle slanting 
>out of a garbage can, for instance. A standard 
>cane would sweep under the broom without 
>detecting it, leaving the handle dangerously 
>aimed right at the blind walkerâ€™s head. The 
>BlindSpot cane senses it and beeps a warning 
>call in the Bluetooth earpiece. And like other 
>minimalist white gadgets with just one button 
>these days, the BlindSpotâ€™s design elegance 
>makes it easier to handle at home. The 
>electronic components detach from the cane to 
>charge, cable-free, on an inductive charging 
>dock. And when the phone component is not 
>inserted, it acts just like a regular cell 
>phone, so you can still accept calls without the 
>Bluetooth headset, controlling the menu with the 
>tactile track ball on the back. Chew is 
>currently looking to find a partner to bring 
>this design to market on an industrial level. 
>She was recently recognized with second prize in 
>the James Dyson Awards. You can read this 
>article and view a video at the link below: 
>http://www.fastcoexist.com/1678887/a-cane-for-the-blind-improves-social-interactions-sunday-strolls 
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>_______________________________________________ 
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