[NABS-L] Compass

[Bhavya shah]

Dear all,

Update on navigation apps: the reason why BlindSquare and Microsoft
Soundscape have been unreliable, as I have now realized, is because
they are based on Open Street Maps whose geodata for my college campus
is low-quality. In particular, many buildings are not noted on OSM,
and some places are a bit off. I intend to reach out to my
university's disability office to get OSM data for my campus
substantially improved. In the meantime, my iPhone's compass app
continues to be a dependable tool.

Thanks.

On 2/13/22, Bhavya shah <bhavya.shah125 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 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/
>


-- 
Best Regards,
Bhavya Shah
Stanford University | Class of 2024
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bhavyashah125/