[nfbwatlk] Another device to help us "see"

[Marci Carpenter]

> On Jun 24, 2015, at 5:47 PM, David Andrews via nfbwatlk <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Personally I think, for the most part we should just take a deep breath, and smile, when these articles about new devices come out.
> 
> Any new technology is initially going to be expensive, clunky, of little use and maybe even a bad idea.  Scientists and engineers need to fund their work, hence the publicity angle with all the articles we see about our latest savior.
> 
> I think we work with people where we can, and ignore the rest.  Most of it will go away, or evolve into something more useful.
> 
> Remember the initial KNFB Reader, it was big, clunky, expensive, and had so-so performance.  But after  a couple versions it works well and costs under $100 for the software.
> 
> Dave
> 
> At 10:13 PM 6/21/2015, you wrote:
>> 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
> 
>        David Andrews and long white cane Harry.
> E-Mail:  dandrews at visi.com or david.andrews at nfbnet.org
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> nfbwatlk mailing list
> nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbwatlk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nfbwatlk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbwatlk_nfbnet.org/mjc59%40comcast.net