[nagdu] GPS Training
GARY STEEVES
rainshadowmusic at shaw.ca
Mon Feb 7 20:23:14 UTC 2011
Hi
My school didn't offer gps training but there was a good example about choosing when to learn these things. I was using a gps system, mobile geo, which was fine with the school since I use it at home. However, I also demonstrated on our early walks without using the gps that I had good orientation skills. On our graduation walk one of the younger totally blind gals thought that she should use a gps. I think she was really nervous about getting lost. They let her use it but as you might imagine there were problems because she wasn't used to listening to the gps, giving her dog instructions and orientating herself. Anyone who uses gps regularly knows that there is a certain amount of error that you have to be used to. It ended up cauusing her to have a big melt down and that was too bad.
I think that if your used to using gps's then go for it while you're being trained as long as you feel you are working good with the dog since that is the priority. I didn't use the gps much until the end of the program. Heck, the first time I tried to get it working something went wrong and I couldn't get my phone to connect with the blue tooth gps receiver and didn't have time to play around wiht it as we were heading out on our walk. No big deal, just let it go and figured out later what went wrong.
I think when at the school we have to be focused on the dog bond as number one and then add other mobility aids as we see they will be a benefit to us.
Gary
----- Original Message -----
From: Lisa belville <missktlab1217 at frontier.com>
Date: Monday, February 7, 2011 10:13 am
Subject: Re: [nagdu] GPS Training
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> I wouldn't, either. I know Leader does this and I'm fairly
> certain it doesn't matter if it's a person's first dog or not.
>
> I'm sure there are people out there who can tackle both forms of
> learning at the same time and excel. I'd rather
> concentrate on the dog/person team and incorporate the GPS when
> we're more comfortable.
>
> No, using the Breeze isn't rocket science, but the first
> priority should be the safety of the person/canine team.
>
> I'd hope that the trainers at Leader would recognize when
> someone wasn't catching on while doing both types of
> training. Likewise, I'd hope someone would feel
> comfortable saying they'd just as soon concentrate on working
> with a new dog.
>
> Lisa
>
> The handle on my recliner apparently doesn't qualify as an
> exercise machine...who knew ?
> Lisa Belville
> missktlab1217 at frontier.com
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nicole B. Torcolini at Home"
> <ntorcolini at wavecable.com>To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the
> National Association of Guide Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2011 11:00 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] GPS Training
>
>
> >I don't really think that using a GPS when training with a new
> dog is the best idea, even if you are not a first timer. You
> really need to focus on your dog, not a piece of technology.
> >
> >----- Original Message ----- From: "d m gina"
> <dmgina at samobile.net>>To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> >Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2011 8:43 PM
> >Subject: Re: [nagdu] GPS Training
> >
> >
> >>I hope the folks catch on as well as I did, learning how to
> put in addresses.
> >>Now will instructors let folks who have the breeze use it in
> training?>>Especially getting a new dog?
> >>I think that would be so cool if they did. I know it would be.
> >>I know I would ask.
> >>
> >>Original message:
> >>>Lisa,
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>That was a great explanation of our Trekker Breeze training.
> We've modified
> >>>it slightly for the recent upgrades and now will include
> evening lectures on
> >>>how to put in addresses from the device and your computer.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>We work in Port Jefferson, Long Island for much of the
> training now and have
> >>>one fun exercise that really does show you where your trust
> should lie.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>There is a very nice pier you can walk along that juts out
> into the sound.
> >>>We have you create a landmark on shore then walk out on the
> pier. The
> >>>walkway takes a couple bends though. Then we have you use the
> Breeze to
> >>>navigate back to that landmark. Well, since you are in an
> open area off the
> >>>street grid, the Breeze gives you directions by clock face
> angles. If you
> >>>were to follow them, you'd be very wet, very quickly. <grin>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>Our motto during the training is Dog, Gut, Trekker, to
> describe the order in
> >>>which you should trust incoming info as you travel.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>When we set up the training, we decided to use other blind
> people to do the
> >>>teaching of the classroom and some street work with guide dog
> instructors>>>and volunteers assisting on the streets to observe
> dog behavior and safety
> >>>issues.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>I can't wait to get our next series of classes going in
> April. I love
> >>>training folks with the device.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>Jenine Stanley
> >>
> >>>jeninems at wowway.com
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-
> bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> >>>Of Lisa belville
> >>>Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2011 7:28 PM
> >>>To: national guide dog
> >>>Subject: [nagdu] GPS Training
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>Okay, I'll try to combine all of the Breeze questions into
> one hopefully not
> >>>so long missive. I was in one of the several pilot
> classes the GDF
> >>>conducted last year, so my info may be out of date due to
> their modifying
> >>>the class. Also, the Breeze has had several firmware
> updates over the past
> >>>year, so they'll need to incorporate that into the current
> training.>>
> >>>Jenine Stanley works for the GDF and so can probably answer
> any questions
> >>>more thoroughly.
> >>
> >>>First, the Breeze training at the GDF is only open to GDF
> grads. Grads have
> >>>to have been working with their dog for at least six months
> and have gelled
> >>>as a team.
> >>
> >>>You fill out an application giving specifics about where you
> live, what
> >>>kinds of environments you live in and if you live close to
> geographical>>>features like mountains, large lakes, etc..
> This might sound trivial, but
> >>>features like this can cause the GPS to not work accurately
> or not at
> >>>all,depending on the circumstance.
> >>
> >>>They also ask about your hearing and how fast you can walk
> because these can
> >>>also affect working with a GPS.
> >>
> >>>The training is just over two days. The class begins on
> a Monday evening
> >>>and technically ends on a Wednesday evening, but most people
> didn't actually
> >>>leave the foundation until the next morning.
> >>
> >>>We got the manual and other Breeze documentation Emailed a
> week or so before
> >>>the class so we could read the manual and familiarize
> ourselves with
> >>>concepts, terminology, etc. This really didn't help me
> much as far as
> >>>orientation to the keypad because I'm the kind of person who
> needs to feel
> >>>what's being described as it's being described.
> >>
> >>>They give out the units the evening everyone arrives and
> spend time with
> >>>orientation to the buttons and how to adjust the volume,
> voice rate and
> >>>pitch, etc. This is so you can reliably find buttons
> while walking with the
> >>>dog or find a voice rate and volume that's comfortable for
> you so you won't
> >>>have to fiddle with it during training.
> >>
> >>>There are two blind instructors and a sighted person to drive
> the van and
> >>>give additional information about surroundings, etc..
> One blind instructor
> >>>walks with us and explains why the Breeze says what it does
> when it does.
> >>>The other one hangs out in the van with the other Breeze
> students and does
> >>>one on one demonstrations and explanations if anyone wants it.
> >>
> >>>The next day we start by doing different routes in different areas.
> >>>Smithtown and the surrounding area is fairly diverse so
> people get a chance
> >>>to see how it operates while walking down a busy sidewalk
> full of overhangs,
> >>>trees and glass store fronts. We cross all kinds of
> intersections with very
> >>>rounded curbs, diagonal crossings, T intersections,
> etc. The Breeze might
> >>>give some inaccurate information about what street you're on
> if the curb is
> >>>really rounded, so that's why the various street crossings
> are included.
> >>
> >>>We go through the process of making landmarks, creating
> routes to landmarks,
> >>>using routes in a vehicle or on foot, backtracking, making
> landmarks while
> >>>using the Breeze when it's off the street grid and relying
> only on as the
> >>>crow flies directions, and using those to find off the grid
> landmarks.>>
> >>>They also explain a bit of how the GPS works and how using
> GPS for someone
> >>>with no vision who is walking is a bit different than how a
> GPS in a car
> >>>operates. IMO, this is one of the most important parts
> of the training
> >>>because we learn the limitations of the GPS and how to
> compensate for not
> >>>having the ability to glance around and take in surroundings
> to verify what
> >>>the GPS is or isn't telling you.
> >>
> >>>Judging by some of the questions I've seen on the various
> technology list,
> >>>not knowing how the GPS works, combined with not being
> familiar with the
> >>>local area can be very frustrating for people, especially if
> they got the
> >>>GPS under the impression it would guide them right to a door
> with step by
> >>>step directions. Yes, the Breeze is as accurate as a
> mainstream GPS, but
> >>>mainstream GPSs don't get sighted people to the door of their
> houses, but
> >>>can be several feet off even though the Breeze alerts them
> that they're at
> >>>the landmark. The Breeze uses the same maps and GPS
> features as mainstream
> >>>products,; there are just more specific tools to help blind
> people. For
> >>>example, it will not always work if you're in a city with
> tall buildings
> >>>because it was originally designed to work using a vehicle
> that was,
> >>>presumably on a road with clear access to the sky. The
> Buildings block the
> >>>signal so you may not always get an accurate estimate of
> where you're going
> >>>unless you move closer to the street. It will not work
> reliably inside most
> >>>buildings. It can't get you precisely to a door,
> especially if that door is
> >>>under a roof because the signal is blocked or if the signal
> is bouncing off
> >>>reflective objects like windows or water. This is why
> You need to know what
> >>>the unit is telling you, along with the information you're
> getting from your
> >>>dog and your own senses in order to know if you're getting
> the correct
> >>>information from the GPS., they wanted us to know how the
> unit acted with
> >>>these situations so we knew when to rely on the unit and when
> not to. It
> >>>was emphasized several times that the GPS, just like the dog,
> is another
> >>>tool in the tool box and that all of them operate
> independently of each
> >>>other.
> >>
> >>>It's like any other technology. Some people are very
> tech savvy and can
> >>>grasp new concepts and incorporate them into how they're
> already working
> >>>while some can't. Toni did a good job of explaining how
> the GPS and the dog
> >>>work together and how this does take some practice.
> Some people may not
> >>>grasp this as quickly, or realize that if they stop long
> enough they could
> >>>lose their current GPS fix. Some people may only take
> the time to learn the
> >>>basics of their equipment and either not feel comfortable or
> just put off
> >>>using the advanced functions.
> >>
> >>>The GDF wants people to get the full benefit of the Breeze
> and how it can
> >>>enhance the dog/human partnership. They pack a lot into
> the two day
> >>>training so that we can hit the ground running back home.
> >>
> >>>Lisa
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>_______________________________________________
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> >>
> >>
> >>> _____
> >>
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> >>--
> >>--Dar
> >>skype: dmgina23
> >> FB: dmgina
> >>www.twitter.com/dmgina
> >>every saint has a past
> >>every sinner has a future
> >>
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