To: Internet:nfb-rd@nfbcal.org
Date: 23-Feb-94 07:48 PST
From: "Patrick L. Kallewaard" >INTERNET:93701420@VAX1.DCU.IE
Reply to: Re: Navigational Systems for the Blind
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Date: Wed, 23 Feb 1994 15:38:30 +0000
Reply-To: Computer Use by and for the Blind <BLIND-L@UAFSYSB.UARK.EDU>
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From: "Patrick L. Kallewaard" <93701420@VAX1.DCU.IE>
Subject: Re: Navigational Systems for the Blind
Comments: To: BLIND-L@UAFSYSB.UARK.EDU
To: Multiple recipients of list BLIND-L <BLIND-L@UAFSYSB.UARK.EDU>
From: Patrick Kallewaard
>I have retinitis pigmentosa. With sufficient lighting, I have pretty
>good vision (except for a narrow visual field), so I have hardly any
>mobility/navigation problems in daytime. At night, however, I can only
>see lights and well-lit objects. I don't use a cane or a dog, since
I am not sure as to the exact nature of retinities pigmeentosa, however you
say that you have good vision with sufficient lighting. Would it therefore
be possible for you to use a torch fitted with say, a halogen ligth that
can be set to give either a normal level of brightness and also an extremely
high level so that objects such as house numbers and street names can be
sufficiently illuminated at night. If this is not possible I think the
idea of a lunar reflector has potential.
Just another point in favour of the development of a navigation aid.
Subscribers to the EASI list may have seen the posting regarding the use
of such a device by people with CP and speech problems. Anybody with a
speech problem cannot ask for information as easily as people without
a speech problem. A navigation aid could therefore be beneficial for
such people be they sighted or not. This brings back to mind the question
of the interface. People without a visual impairment would (I presume)
prefer an audio interface. Based on this and some of the previous postings,
I would imagine that the interface would have to contain both tactile
and auditory outputs. The user should be able to select the type of
output, be it auditory and/or tactile. It must also be possible to
temporarily supress the output.
Within the next month or so, we will start considering different
technical approaches in an effort to address all the problems we have
thus far identified. One proposal that will be discussed at the upcoming
meeting deals with a system that would be very cheap but has some
disadvantages as well. The main idea is a system that will allow a user
to specify a destination to which he/she then can follow a route. This
route would be (more or less) predefined and as such allows travel from
A to B in an unfamiliar environment. From the postings by Mr. Chong,
I understand that A to B type travel is not ideal. I agree that such
a system is not ideal for areas that will be visited on regular occasions.
The system would be optional and quite cheap. It should also be possible
to upgrade the system to include structural changes and/or new structures.
The interface has not been considered for this system to any great detail,
however, it may be possible to integrate it into a cane. This brings up
yet another issue. If the interface can be incorporated into a cane,
1) would this deter people who are not blind from using it?
2) the cane may not be as collapsible as most types, would this be
a great disadvantage?
3) the incorporation of the interface may interfere with the rigidity
of the cane and could therefore effect its sensitivity.
I will not go into the technical details of this system since they have
not been investigated fully, but I would be interested in hearing other
peoples opinions on any of the above points.
__________________________________________________________________________
Patrick Kallewaard E-mail 93701420@vax1.dcu.ie
Faculty of Electronic Engineering Phone +353 +1 7045872
Dublin City University,
Glasnevin, Dublin 9
__________________________________________________________________________
=================================================================
To: Patrick Kallewaard >Internet:blind-l@UAFSYSB.UARK.EDU
From: Curtis Chong >Internet:73443.1351@compuserve.com
Subject: Navigation Systems
Hello, Patrick:
In your message dated February 23, 1994, you said:
"Within the next month or so, we will start considering
different technical approaches in an effort to address
all the problems we have thus far identified. One
proposal that will be discussed at the upcoming meeting
deals with a system that would be very cheap but has some
disadvantages as well. The main idea is a system that
will allow a user to specify a destination to which
he/she then can follow a route. This route would be
(more or less) predefined and as such allows travel from
A to B in an unfamiliar environment. From the postings
by Mr. Chong, I understand that A to B type travel is not
ideal. I agree that such a system is not ideal for areas
that will be visited on regular occasions. The system
would be optional and quite cheap. It should also be
possible to upgrade the system to include structural
changes and/or new structures."
I have these questions:
1. What kind of environmental modifications would this supposedly
cheap and limited function system require?
2. How "cheap" are you talking here?
3. How would the user program the desired destination?
4. How many destinations could be programmed?
5. How would a blind person follow the route?
6. Above all, WHO WILL TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROGRAM THE
SYSTEM TO ENSURE THAT IT CONTAINS THE DATA NECESSARY TO PLOT
A ROUTE?
When you say "cheap" I hope you are referring to the system as a
whole and not just to the hand held unit or whatever that will be
used by the blind traveler. I will grant that such a system could
be helpful in a place that a blind traveler does not frequent often
enough to develop total familiarity. However, if it is to be of
any use at all, the entire system must be relatively inexpensive,
easy to install and maintain, and nondisruptive of the alternative
techniques that a blind person normally uses to travel.
With respect to your suggestion that the device might be attached
to the cane, I voice my objection in the strongest possible terms.
Here in the United States, a growing number of blind people are
using and liking the long white canes sold by the National
Federation of the Blind. A lot of us do not want anyone tampering
with our canes simply to attach an electronic device which many
blind people would neither need nor want. Also, there are those
blind people who travel using dog guides. For them, a cane would
probably NOT be helpful. The point I am making here is that your
system needs to be separate from anything that we already use to
travel independently.
At the risk of casting aspersions upon your work, I hope you are
not trying to develop a piece of technology simply for the sake of
developing it. As you proceed with your efforts, please recognize
and understand that the travel techniques we are using today do
work and are extremely useful. Yes, there are some improvements
that can be made. But the work has to be done with full knowledge
and appreciation of the fact that good training CAN help a blind
person to travel with ease and confidence.
Consider my earlier suggestion that someone develop a non-magnetic
compas that could be used without sight. This suggestion was not
made lightly. On occasion, I have used a tactile magnetic compass
to verify that I am heading in the correct direction. However, as
you know, magnetic compasses are too often subject to local
magnetic influences, which can cause one to receive an incorrect
bearing. Accordingly, I use the compass sparingly because I can
never be sure that I am getting a correct reading.
Based on what I have just said, would you be in a position to
develop a good, tactile or audible, non-magnetic compass? It is,
after all, a navigation system of sorts.
Cordially,
Curtis Chong
P.S. What is independence? Is it NEVER asking for help or
directions? Not in my view. Everybody who goes to an
unfamiliar place needs to ask for directions on occasion. The
important question is: Does one ask for help in a manner which
is excessively inconvenient to those around him or her? If
not, then the technique is appropriate. If, on the other
hand, the blind traveler asks for so much help that a sighted
guide has to be available for a majority of the time, then you
have a huge problem that can only be rectified with good
training. CC
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