[blindkid] Wii Device Teaches Visually Impaired to WalkwithCanes
H. Field
missheather at comcast.net
Mon Jun 7 23:32:55 UTC 2010
Hello all,
A careful read of the article says that the main purpose of this game
is very specific. It is designed to help children, and I would think
adults, learn to walk in a straight line. This is a very, very
important skill and is not possessed by many blind people.
If a person can play a game, for hours on end in their own time if
they want to, and this game enables them to develop the skill of
walking in a straight line with their cane, then this is unarguably a
great option. What harm could it do to allow someone to use a game to
teach them to stop veering when walking?
I, for one, cannot walk in a straight line and there are studies in
the literature which were done to prove that most blind people have a
"veer tendency". This means that most blind people, when asked to walk
in a large open space over a distance of twenty or so yards, will veer
left or right and not walk straight. Individuals will have a,
"Preferred veer direction" meaning they will consistently veer right
or consistently veer left. While it is helpful to know which way one
always veers, it is extremely annoying to know that one does veer.
This was particularly a nuisance for me when I lived on the farm and
used to go out in the paddocks. One would walk straight across a big
space, say between one shed and another, or a shed and a gate, and
wind up veering wide of the intended target. It was particularly
annoying when walking to a gate given that once one reached the fence
one didn't know which way to walk down the fence to find the gate. A
similar situation can arise for a city traveller when they walk across
a large space, such as a parking lot, and are looking for a door in
the wall of a very large building. Once having found the wall, which
way did I veer and, therefore, which way to walk to the door.
While none of these experiences is beyond endurance, why not end them
if possible? Such a time waste. I ask the question, if something is
invented to teach me to identify when I start to veer and give me the
feedback to straighten up my path, why would I not investigate using
it? A mobility instructor is not available for the hours that
something like this will take to fix. Young children can learn how it
feels to walk straight from the beginning, their bodies will know,
through experience, how it feels to veer and what it feels like when
they are walking straight again.
This is one very small, but extremely important, skill in the
orientation and mobility toolbox and how marvellous that people are
working on giving blind people an independent way of developing it.
The chosen method could also act to motivate blind children to enjoy
their canes and that's another benefit.
Regards,
Heather Field
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)"
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, June 07, 2010 4:05 PM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Wii Device Teaches Visually Impaired to
WalkwithCanes
Hello Holly and everyone,
We've seen too many trinkets of this kind developed by
well-meaning
"Professionals" in the field who at the end of the day do more harm to
the
blind than good. Many on this list learned to travel with a cane
without the
need for video games, laser canes, etc. I'd like to know if the Wii
Device
will function during a power failure? Hands-on, total immersion O&M
instruction can occur whether there is electricity or not. The same
observation has been made concerning the over-dependence on paperless
Braille devices.
Last week we received a sobering reminder of this when a freak
storm
knocked out power to much of Northwest San Antonio. It was a stark
reminder
of the dangers of an over-dependence on technology.
Besides why not have the blind child invite his/her friends for
hands-on
cane sessions rather than just playing a video game. It will be great
exercise for the kids as well as providing an opportunity for them to
learn
how the blind travel with a cane and that they need not pity or fear
their
blind pears. This is the kind of total immersion you won't get from
sitting
at a computer terminal.
Peter Donahue
----- Original Message -----
From: "holly miller" <hollym12 at gmail.com>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)"
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, June 07, 2010 2:37 PM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Wii Device Teaches Visually Impaired to
WalkwithCanes
I am curious how you can know that something can not have any possible
benefits before it has been put to use? Yes it's possible it will be
a flop
but what harm could there be in investigating new ideas? Neither the
creator or anyone here is suggesting this replaces real life O&M
training,
it's simply a potential tool to put in the tool box. Isn't one of
the reoccurring themes here that the best thing for our kids is to
make use
of many different strategies and to not limit options?
Are you familiar with the Wii game system? If you aren't, it really
is
unique from other video game systems. What I think may make this
a plausible option is that the Wii is designed for the user to be in
motion
while playing many of the games. The system reads & reacts to the
players
motions, not just pushing of buttons. For instance, if you are playing
a
tennis game, you actually swing the controller like a tennis racquet.
The
player wouldn't be sitting still, they would actually be walking
around the
room. The controller is a long, slim rectangle that can be held
similarly
to a proper cane grip. The controller vibrates so it can give tactile
feedback to a simulated obstacle.
Again, this should not in any way be considered a replacement to real
world
training, just an interesting supplement to it.
Holly
aka Hank's mom
On Mon, Jun 7, 2010 at 3:01 PM, Peter Donahue
<pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>wrote:
> Good afternoon everyone,
>
> Nothing will replace the total immersion experience. Cane travel
> is
> very
> hands-on. Playing video games of this kine do nothing to help the
> blind
> child hone their cane skills and gain the confidence needed to
> become a
> good
> cane traveler and to feel good about using the cane. We learned cane
> use
> that way and appreciate the value of having done so.
>
> Peter Donahue
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "holly miller" <hollym12 at gmail.com>
> To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)"
> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, June 07, 2010 1:50 PM
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Wii Device Teaches Visually Impaired to
> WalkwithCanes
>
>
> Peter,
> It says in the article
>
> "The Wii Cane training program is not meant to replace traditional
> training methods, but is only a supplement."
> I would be concerned if someone thought it could replace actual real
> life
> training but I don't think that's what they are suggesting at all.
>
> I'm going to reserve judgement on it until it's actually available.
> It
> sounds very interesting but of course well meaning ideas often fall
> far
> from
> the mark. On the other hand, if it is well done it could be a huge
> help
> especially for newly blind or partial vision kids that are having
> trouble
> accepting the idea of a cane. Cane training doesn't need high tech
> tricks
> to be successful but if there is something that can make O&M
> training more
> fun & add a coolness factor, why would that be a bad thing?
>
> If this project is successful or not, the research & development
> going
> into
> making a game might be a stepping stone to some other assistive
> technology
> that hasn't even been considered before.
>
> Holly
> aka Hank's mom
>
> On Mon, Jun 7, 2010 at 11:56 AM, Peter Donahue
> <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>wrote:
>
> > Hello Doreen and everyone,
> >
> > All of the video games in the World won't replace hands-on cane
> > travel
> > instruction. Please don't fall for this stuff.
> >
> > Peter Donahue
> >
> >
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--
http://www.raceforindependence.org/goto/Hank
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