[nfbwatlk] Another device to help us "see"

[Mary ellen]

I think we should create a "Wall of Shame" where these devices could be
displayed.  There's the Sonicguide, the Mowat Sensor, the Stereotoner, and
,oh so many more!

Some devices that originally seemed useless have proven to have some
benefits, but the underlying premise that technology can cause our other
senses to somehow mimic sight is a flawed concept.

The Sonicguide gave information about surrounding objects, but the info
wasn't much better than the echo given back by a cane or a soft tongue
click.  In fact, it was worse, because it was so loud and intrusive that it
masked the subtle sounds that we use all the time.

I believe scientists who develop these things start with the premise that,
without sight, we are totally ignorant of our surroundings and need
artificially created and unnecessarily amplified sensory replacement
mechanisms.

I don't know what to say to reporters who pass along this stuff
uncritically.  How do you tell them that our environmental knowledge is so
much richer than they believe?

Good luck, Marci.

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbwatlk [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Marci
Carpenter via nfbwatlk
Sent: Sunday, June 21, 2015 6:01 PM
To: NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List
Cc: Marci Carpenter
Subject: [nfbwatlk] Another device to help us "see"

Here is an article from the June 18 issue of the Washington Post. I missed
it on Newsline but saw a Facebook post about it today from an NFB member. I
groaned at the time. Then I saw a KIN5 news story about it tonight. Of
course they pretty much read the story word for word. I will call them
tomorrow. I would appreciate your thoughts about what I might say and how
you all feel about this.
 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/06/18/fda-approves
-device-to-help-blind-people-see-by-using-their-tongues/
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/06/18/fda-approve
s-device-to-help-blind-people-see-by-using-their-tongues/>

Marci

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