[blindkid] Wii Device Teaches Visually Impaired to WalkwithCanes

Mike Freeman k7uij at panix.com
Tue Jun 8 03:17:31 UTC 2010


heather:

Actually, the Optacon was a good and useful device -- it did something 
nothing since has done adequately. What was horible was all the exaggerated 
hype about it.

But your larger point is well-taken.

Mike

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Heather" <craney07 at rochester.rr.com>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, June 07, 2010 5:46 PM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Wii Device Teaches Visually Impaired to 
WalkwithCanes


> It is actually upsetting to me, because it reflects a complete disconnect 
> between the sighted creators and the blind community.  I think if blind 
> people, a rellivant sample size of blind people had actually been 
> consulted, that this would never have gotten off the ground.  I know all 
> about the WII, my fiance is a video game fanatic, but keep in mind how 
> unrealistic most of the things really are, Guitar hero for instance, ask 
> any music major.  I think this will only widen the void, not bridge the 
> gap socially for blind and sighted children.  Sightet people dreamed up 
> the opticon and thought that was brilliant, but blind people pretty 
> quickly put a stop to that, and it's one more misleading and inaccurate 
> thing to get pushed into the general misconception of blind people.  Our 
> text book for special education educators was still talking about the 
> opticon, about the apple 2 E, and talking about beep baseball as if it was 
> the only sport blind people play and saying that blind people never follow 
> sighted sports, and on and on. Enough people have the wrong idea, let's 
> not give them something else to mock or be confused about.
> ----- 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 3:37 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
>>> >
>>> >
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> blindkid mailing list
>>> blindkid at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> blindkid:
>>>
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/pdonahue1%40sbcglobal.net
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> blindkid mailing list
>>> blindkid at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> blindkid:
>>>
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/hollym12%40gmail.com
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -- 
>> http://www.raceforindependence.org/goto/Hank
>> _______________________________________________
>> blindkid mailing list
>> blindkid at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
>> blindkid:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/craney07%40rochester.rr.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> blindkid mailing list
> blindkid at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> blindkid:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/k7uij%40panix.com 





More information about the BlindKid mailing list