[Nfbf-l] Improvement on the Design and use of Mobility Canes

[Alan Dicey via Nfbf-l]

Dear Friends,
Just passing this along.
With Best Regards,
God Bless,
Alan
Plantation, Florida

Improvement on the Design and use of Mobility Canes

People who are blind or have vision disabilities could be the ultimate 
beneficiaries of a $421,125 grant awarded to Western Michigan University 
(WMU) researchers to improve the design and use of canes.
The grant, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National 
Institutes of Health, was awarded to Drs. Dae Shik Kim and Robert Wall 
Emerson, associate professor and professor, respectively, of blindness and 
low vision studies, and Dr. Koorosh Naghshineh, professor of mechanical and 
aerospace engineering. The research team will study how to improve the 
ergonomic design and cane-use biomechanics to see what has the greatest 
impact on detecting obstacles and drop-offs in the walking environment.
Kim, the project\'s principal investigator, says the long cane and how it is 
used was developed during the 1940s during World War II and has changed 
little since then, partly due to lack of research. Kim and his team hope to 
do something about that.
\"Use of a long cane provides a preview of the environment, allowing people 
who are blind to detect drop-offs and obstacles on their walking paths,\" 
Kim says. Quote, Failure to detect drop-offs or obstacles may result in 
falls and consequent fall-induced injuries. But the current long cane design 
and cane-use biomechanics do not seem to be adequate to provide reliable 
protection from such hazards, end quote.
Researchers will test whether cane rigidity, length, weight and weight 
distribution impact the ability to detect obstacles and drop-offs. Part of 
that will involve experimenting with different materials. Kim says aluminum 
was initially a popular material for cane shafts. Manufacturers then 
introduced graphite and fiberglass shafts.
\"But no empirical research has shown the advantages and disadvantages of 
using different cane shaft materials,\" Kim says. Quote, So one of the 
things we plan to do is systematically manipulate the rigidity, weight, 
weight distribution and length to see how those variables affect how well 
the person can detect drop-offs and obstacles, end quote.
How the cane is wielded is also a main focus of the three-year project, 
which began Feb. 1. The team will study employing the two-point touch 
technique, where the user lifts and taps the cane from side to side, bending 
at the wrist, and the constant contact technique, which keeps the cane tip 
in contact with the walking surface using a sweeping motion. Kim says the 
two-point touch technique may miss spots or shorter obstacles as the cane 
moves from side to side.
The study is actually a continuation of others Kim and his associates have 
conducted over the years. Kim decided to investigate canes and cane 
techniques after first noticing differences in the detection of obstacles 
and drop-offs with different cane techniques among his clients as an 
instructor at the Cleveland Sight Center. Since 2008, he has conducted a 
series of long cane studies with his colleagues at WMU.
In previous studies, Kim has experimented with different cane tips. Plain 
pencil-type tips can catch or snag in cracks and crevices, while 
\"marshmallow\" tips resembling the sweet snack, especially those equipped 
with a roller, can sweep more easily over a surface. Kim has found 
marshmallow roller tips are just as effective as marshmallow tips in 
detecting drop-offs.
Kim says the research has a wide application to the lives of those with 
vision disabilities.
\"Some individuals with vision disabilities use a guide dog for their 
mobility,\" Kim says. Quote, But that is a relatively small percentage of 
individuals. The vast majority use the long cane to get around. So by 
redesigning and improving its design, and also improving how the cane is 
used, we hope to improve the safety of people who are blind, which will 
obviously improve their quality of life, end quote.'
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