eletronic travel aids for sfa

7/30/2019 Eletronic Travel Aids for Sfa

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ELETRONIC TRAVEL AIDs

ETAs

PAST AND PRESENT

TAER April 2004Vance Lankford


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Purpose To review history of ETAs, types, uses,

good and bad points. You could get this info. Red book, web

sites, emails, But most MVS Bob Bryant

got the award-Bob used these words to

describe himself/ professional, energetic,

integrity, intelligence, list goes on and on

but this year I had to use these same words

just to talk him into giving information andto borrow his ETAs.


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Who is this man?


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Statistics

Bureau of Census 1994-95

Estimates vary-approximately 10 million

blind and VI in US (AFB) Legally Blind 1.3 million

Please dont make medefine legally blind again

Special ed served 93,60010,800 Deaf/BlindVisually Impaired

260,000 LP

130,000 Totally Blind

55,200 legally blindchildren

109,000 VI use long canes

Just over 7,000 Americansuse dog guides (1500

graduate annually)

ETA use not presented instudy


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General Travel aides have two components: senor and

display

Senor: How it is mounted Display: How device presents spatial information

to the traveler. Hearing or touch

ETA emit energy waves to detect the environmentwithin certain range or distance to present detectedinformation to the traveler in an intelligible anduseful manner


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General Continued

Quoting Nora Griffin-Shirley and some other guys

ETAs devices that transform information aboutthe environment that would normally be relayedthrough vision into a form that can be conveyedthrough another sensory modality. Ok until last

part. Can you explain?


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Opinions

1. Russell- simply displayPurpose: path clear/unclear

Or Go-no-go system 2. Kay- ETAs tomaximum amounts ofinformation,

Good travelers capable

w/o ETA Bad travelercant use them

In Past ETA mostlysecondary aids

Ultra Sonic Torch 1965Professor Kay First

Commercial Device First

Device


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Sonic Torch


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Type I Devices

Single output for objectpreview

Go-no-go systems

Russell

Pathsounder

1966

One of first commerciallyproduced

Vibratory 6 feet/ auditorybeeping 32 inches

Chest level,neck,wheelchairs

Paved the way for futuredevelopments

No Longer Available


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Mo aat Mowat What?

Name: Geoff Mowat 1972

Ultrasonic cone

Approximately size of ahuman body Cone, notmowat

Range 13.2 feet

3.3 feet switch Dependable, paved way,

still used

Vibrates related todistance from object

Knee to overhead protection

Cold, rain, heavy snowmay cause false readings

Pulse Date repair if locateparts X

No Longer Available


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Polaron

1980s

Nurion Industries

Handheld/chest mounted

Ultrasonic and sonar

4, 8, 16 feet

Vibrotactile or audible

3 hours use

Pilot Light, mini radarItaly seemed similar

Mirror like surfaces at

close distances A redesigned Polaron

should again be

available by July 2004


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Sensory 6

Ultrasonic

Head mountedspectacle

Headphones provide

sound info.

Range 6.56 feet to11.48 feet, metrics

Closer object higherpitch

Objects in front both

ears, side objects hearwith the ear on that

side.

8 hours

Cosmetic, reducedregular feedback,

head position

important 1994 last production

No Longer Available


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WalkMate

Later 1993

Waist or handheld

Audio or vibration U shaped beam rather

than cone shaped

6 feet tall by 2.31 wide

Recommendedoutdoors

The beam may vary six foot range

Beep speed increasesat 3 feet.

No Longer Available


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First Attempts at Mini-Guide not so

successful


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Miniguide

Tactile version morepopular, slightly larger

Audio also, original

Higher pitch of tone thecloser

Earphone socket provided

Many settings, ranges

Battery should last formany months

Auto mode, butremembers modes

Have attached to cap orglasses for upper use

Number of accessories forinstructors Feb.17, 2004

received Feb.16 almost

1000 sold

Reflection, secondary aid


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Hand Guide

Compact

Fits well in hand

2 modes detectsobjects sense of

distance

Audio mode

Vibration mode

2 AA batteries

Pocket/belt clip

Wrist strap/Durable

Infrared sensors detect4 feet


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Type III Sonic Guide

Provide Object previewand in additionenvironmental information

Dr Kay Name again Sonic guide more like

giving text rather than justhead lines like type Idevices

Distance Information

Directional appreciation

Interpretation of tonalcharacteristics making

primitive objectidentification possiblelots of practice Howmany used SonicGuide?

Above head to knee 45Degree Cone

No Longer Available


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Sonic Guide


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Type IV Sonic Pathfinder

Object Preview andartificial intelligence

Computer controlled

Wide beam sonic energy

Head mounted Sonicenergy translated into

musical notes

Sides one tone, in frontother tones or ear

Tone does affect hearing

Less training, Computersimplifies meaning of

sounds what we are about

Secondary travel aide

Displays only informationwhich of practical interest

not visual picture of world

Tone changes each footnearer an object


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Sonic Pathfinder


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vOICe The Voice Software translates arbitrary video

images from a regular PC Camera into Sounds: AScene Reader

Every visual shape gives a unique sound

Building, trees, even color identification Like a talking camera

Scan left to right/ pitch means elevation rising orfalling visual pattern

Loudness means brightness

O/m help build better mental picture ofenvironment


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Canes

Canes or other devices

that are Primary Aids


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Guide Cane

Robotic Dog Guide

Ultrasonic sensors

detect objects,computer determinessuitable direction andsteers the Guide Caneand user around it

Guides with noconscious effort

Project ended in 1998

No further work since

No Longer Available


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Guide Cane


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Guide Cane


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Misc.

Wheelchair Mobility Device

Columbia Talking Compass- A compass that

talks Included in information sheet

Braille Compasses-

Rover Light senor- light reflected off of

sidewalk tell where edge, grass began


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What happened to Type II

Multiple Outputs for object preview

Still clear path

Use of lasers/ go no go system

Wheelchair Pathfinder

Laser Cane


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Wheelchair Pathfinder

Nurion Industries

Works with Chair orScooter

Head protection 8 to 4feet beeping

Tone 1 foot side

protection

Avoid or locate objects,straight line travel

Back up safety

Some models signal dropoffs low pitch

4 feet from drop


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Wheelchair Pathfinder Unit


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Wheel Chair Pathfinder


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Laser Cane N-2000

It has a long history ofdevelopment

Newest 3 beams Atone point used two

Head, straight, drops

Estimate distancesahead and side

Two AA batteries

Single hand operated

Power off still used as aregular cane

Audible tones, can turn offsound vibrating

stimulators under index

finger

Government study-mostused ETA Laser cane web

site. Primary travel tool


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N-2000


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BAT K Sonar Torch-Cane

History Part

1950s Dr. Leslie Kay

Training British NavySound waves submerged

objects

First thoughts Underwaterswimming for blind

Then for handheld SonicTorch

Studied Bats, along withDr. Griffin

Torch primary aid

KASPA (Kays AdvancedSpatial Perception Aid)

Sonic Guide mentionedcompatible with cane


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Cane vs. Torch

1966 Conference Training for Torch

Unfortunately, initiative concoincided with

emergence of long white cane fromAmerica *Torch primary aid/Cane Cheaper

Always follow the money

1969 Torch ceased production/commercial O/m could have been torch trainers,

Torch too large for cane mounting at time


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Trisensor

1978 well used in Japan

Sonic guide was manufactured into 1990s

Demise was purely commercial matter

Cost, training, agency support

The miniaturized low-cost Sonar Torch nowbecomes the K Sonar Cane Torch is handle


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Trisenor


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Sonar Cane

Standard Long Cane

Clipped with Sonar torch

Mimic Bats sonar

Sonar echoes heard inheadphones, recognizes textures

KASPA lets brain discriminatebetween different objects

All day battery, Narrow beam

Long arm grip with cane/ BlashLa Grow research oked griplike that

Type III, like Sonic Guide

10 Times greater informationthan other devices.

20 feet range 2M/5M rang

Must learn new language ofsound

Claims cane tip and shaft justsafety backstop for torch

Turns on with head phone jackinsertion

83 page manual 18 detailedlessons


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Bat K Cane Handle


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Drop-offs


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Torches


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Ultra Cane Previous Batcane Inspired by Bats

navigation at night

Ultrasonic signal

bouncing Covers front/head

height of user

Tactile feedbackallows users to

develop a mental map

of area without effort

Tactile no beeping

Company feels this is a

big plus/ No sounds to

interfere with travel

Available July 2004

At Wal-Martseverywhere X


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Ultra Cane


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Conclusion

How often do we use ETAs with our students?Do we have students that could Benefit from anETA..

No certification required at this time. Cost and addresses on hand out. Get address

handout here.


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Who is this?

eletronic travel aids for sfa

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