[NAGDU] My experience using Aira to navigate a familiar route with my dog was Re: Aira, or Be My Eyes

cindyray at gmail.com cindyray at gmail.com
Sat Feb 9 22:39:49 UTC 2019


You can have a free trial for seven days and see what you think. It would also be useful for pending distractions when you weren't really expecting them. I kind of wish I had had Aira in those days.
Cindy Lou


-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Debra Chandler via NAGDU
Sent: Saturday, February 9, 2019 9:34 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: dchandler001 at carolina.rr.com; Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] My experience using Aira to navigate a familiar route with my dog was Re: Aira, or Be My Eyes

I think this device might be most useful in a mall for example where there are lots of stores and you're looking to find a particular one.  It's not in my budget right now but I would be interested in trying it.
Deb and Tally
---- Miranda via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote: 
> Hi,
During my set-up training, I used Aira with my dog to navigate to a very familiar bus stop near my apartment. We did not need to cross any streets. However, one thing to note about navigation with this or any other service is that because it is run through the Internet, the Internet connection and bandwidth may not keep up with your walking pace. So, the agent was between 30 60 seconds behind us in describing where we were. Also, with this being a very familiar route, my dog and I already had the destination and our safest route in mind. It is important to note here that someone who is cited may choose to take a different route than we would as either someone who is visually impaired or as a dog guide handler. I was using the horizon smart glasses as part of the set up. If you have somewhere to store the accompanying phone along with anything else you are carrying such as your own cell phone, then you are pretty much hands-free with the service. I would definitely recommend using caution when determining the best headphones to use with this service as well, and keep in mind that if you are in an area with other noise such as nearby traffic, it may be very difficult to hear the agent and or your surroundings in order to ensure your safety. I’m not sure if I would trust it for navigation due to bandwidth or connection concerns in timing. I also feel much safer in paying attention to my surroundings and what my dog is communicating through the harness than I did trying to listen to the agent in addition to utilizing my dog, my orientation and mobility skills, etc.
I hope my experience is helpful, and have a wonderful weekend!

Best wish, Miranda

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 8, 2019, at 2:23 PM, Melissa Allman via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> I've only tried Be My Eyes with something stationary. I would never try it with navigation tasks. Just my take on it. And yes I feel like there should be a way to grow an extra hand because I run out when using Aira but that's just because I currently lack a Bluetooth headset that's paired with it. If you have one, you can have the phone in your pocket and not hold anything extra. I like to use it with headphones that do not cover my ears so traffic sounds are not obscured.
> 
> Melissa R. Allman
> Senior Specialist, Advocacy and Government Relations The Seeing Eye, 
> Inc.
> P.O. Box 375, Morristown, NJ 07963-0375 (mail)
> 10 Washington Valley Road, Morristown, NJ 07960-3412 (deliveries)
> 973-539-4425 ext. 1724,     Fax:  973-525-1081 mallman at SeeingEye.org  
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tracy 
> Carcione via NAGDU
> Sent: Friday, February 08, 2019 2:20 PM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> Cc: Tracy Carcione
> Subject: [NAGDU] Aira, or Be My Eyes
> 
> I've used Be My Eyes, but only while standing still.  It seems to me it would be harder to use while on the move.  For instance, it would be handy to use Aira on an upcoming trip to get through the airports and to find my shuttle.  But how does one have the dog in one hand, the roller bag in another, and wave the phone with yet another?  Oops, out of hands.  Don't I need to wave the phone around so the helper can see what's around?  Or is it a series of stops and starts?  Krokus finds stops and starts mighty confusing, and I really can't blame him.  We both like to get on a roll and keep moving.
> 
> Tracy
> 
> 
> 
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