[NABS-L] Compass

[Bhavya shah]

Dear Shawn and Karl,

Thank you for your helpful suggestions. In my semi-exhaustive
experimentation with navigation apps (including shaking on
BlindSquare), I have had mixed results in all places except the simple
compass app. I am thus going to look around for a tactile compass, and
will report back in case I find one.

Thanks.

On 2/11/22, Karl Martin Adam via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hi Bhavia, there used to be two kinds of accessible
> compass--tactile and talking--but I think now they only make the
> talking ones.  I still have an old tactile compass and find it
> very helpful.  Another thing I do is use Blind Square on my
> phone.  As long as your moving, it will tell you your compass
> heading along with your current location whenever you shake the
> phone (this does require keeping your phone out in your free
> hand, but you don't have to unlock your phone since when the app
> is open your phone doesn't automatically lock, and you don't have
> to touch the screen or use more than one hand).
>
> Best,
> Karl
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
> From: Bhavya shah via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> Date sent: Fri, 11 Feb 2022 03:31:29 -0800
> Subject: [NABS-L] Compass
>
> Dear all,
>
> I am a non-advanced cane traveller and my campus has a lot of
> curves
> and diagonals which  can throw off my direction. As such, I have
> found
> my phone's compass app to be indispensable, giving me confidence
> when
> the direction I think I am facing matches its reading and helping
> me
> correct when I am off. However, this is somewhat cumbersome to
> do. I
> have a cane in my hand, and I need to stop, whip out my iPhone on
> which the compass app is open, touch the correct part of the
> screen to
> hear my direction, and then put it back in my pocket. This is a
> simple
> set of steps, but considering that I am on-the-go and am needing
> to
> repeatedly take my phone out of my pocket and bring it somewhat
> close
> to my ear so as to hear VoiceOver announce the cardinal direction
> (and
> the repetitive instruction to hold my phone flat), it is doable
> but
> non-ideal. I was wondering if you have found alternative SOPs to
> use a
> compass. I am thinking of the following ideas:
> * A simple physical compass that is tactually accessible
> * Mapping a gesture or button combination on iOS to announcement
> of
> cardinal directions
>
> I would truly appreciate any recommendations for products,
> strategies,
> or otherwise. Hope y'all have a lovely weekend!
>
> Best Regards,
> Bhavya Shah
> Stanford University | Class of 2024
> LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bhavyashah125/
>
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-- 
Best Regards,
Bhavya Shah
Stanford University | Class of 2024
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bhavyashah125/