[Electronics-talk] Accessible GPS for the blind.

[Baracco, Andrew W]

The answer to this question changes almost day by day.  If you are
asking about GPS systems designed especially for the blind, there are
basically two players.  Humanware makes the trekker Breeze.  This is the
simplest and least expensive of the blindness oriented systems.  It is a
one piece self contained unit that is easy to learn to use and provides
basic GPS orientation.  You will get info about your current location,
and surrounding points of interest, i. e. restaurants, banks, etc.  You
can walk or drive a route that you intend to travel with a sighted
person, and record it for future use.  You can reverse routes for return
to home, and if you get lost, the device will offer you a route that
will take you back to your starting point.  I believe the price is $850.

Sendero offers a more sophisticated system that operates on several
devices, such as the Braillenote and Voicenote, Braillesense and
Voicesense, the Pacmate, and on Windows based smart cell phones.
Sendero products offer many more features, such as being able to create
routes by means of entering text for addresses, etc. You can also browse
virtually, which means that you can explore an area without actually
having to physically be there.  The Sendero products are more expensive,
and if you do not already have the devices on which they run, you will
need to also factor in the cost of purchasing the device in addition to
the software and maps.  All of these systems use maps that are loaded
onto the device and both the software and maps are periodically updated.
Traditionally, Humanware has not charged for software and map updates,
but Sendero does charge.  

The Iphone is changing the game now.  Many blind persons are using GPS
apps such as Navigon on the iPhone.  The Iphone GPS apps are similar to
the GPS systems in cars, and do not provide all of the info that the
blind oriented systems do, but many blind persons feel that they do not
need all of that information.  Navigon, in particular, does have a
pedestrian mode, and many blind persons have given input to them about
their interest in using the product.  I believe that Navigon for the
iPhone costs about $80, obviously the cheapest of the lot, but you also
must factor in the cost of the iPhone, but you most likely wouldn't get
the iPhone just for GPS.  There is also a device developed in Europe
called the kapten, which can be purchased from Independent Living Aids.
I believe it costs about $500. It is a small, one piece device that I
believe was actually designed for bicyclists and runners, who have to
keep their eyes on the road.  It is also a talking GPS device, but I do
not know much about it.

It's kind of like any other technology.  You first must decide why you
think you need such a solution, and exactly what you will be using it
for.  Do you mostly take walks around the neighborhood.  Do you usually
go to the same places. Or, do you often do a combination of walking and
traveling on trains, buses , taxis, etc? is your main interest to keep
cab drivers honest?  Remember that the most feature rich products are
usually the most difficult to learn to use, and require the most skill
and savvy. If you generally travel in familiar areas, you may not need
any GPS device, or the Trekker Breeze, with its ease of  use, may be all
you need.  But if you are employed and are often required to travel to
different places with little advanced notice, and perhaps even travel to
other cities and even countries, and you often have a need to seek out a
restaurant or ATM in an unfamiliar area, the feature rich Sendero
products may fill the bill, especially if you already have one of the
hardware devices that it runs on.

Take care,
Andy


-----Original Message-----
From: electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of George Cassell
Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2010 11:31 PM
To: Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances
Subject: [Electronics-talk] Accessible GPS for the blind.


    Is there a truly accessible talking GPS system out there?  And if
more 
than one exists, which one is the best for a blind person to use?



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