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

[David Andrews]

Connie,  there are several entities working on 
indoor navigation -- and not necessarily for the 
blind.  One is Google, and there are 
others.  Another is Nokia.  People are interested 
in maps of malls etc., so we are likely to see more development in this area.

Dave

At 06:23 PM 12/2/2011, you wrote:
>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. “I took the 
>>approach to serve their emotional needs more 
>>than just their physical needs,” 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. “Their social life is 
>>dependent on the people around them. They 
>>cannot say hi to a friend without the friend 
>>saying hi first,” 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. That’s an empowering new 
>>ability. It’s not a pressing health issue 
>>that a blind person won’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 wouldn’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 don’t usually 
>>get to experience. “The tactile navigator is 
>>a directional pointer that translates GPS map 
>>directions into an 'arrow’ that points 
>>towards the way to go,” 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 walker’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 BlindSpot’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 
>>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>>_______________________________________________ 
>>Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2011 9:37 PM To: 
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