Thanks Tom, not what I wanted to hear, but at least I don't have to go buy a "ticker" or something that isn't going to work.
Bill Stephan Kansas Citty MO Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone: (816)803-2469 ----- Original Message ----- From: Tom Fowle <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Thursday, July 31, 2008 4:34 pm Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] A possible mobility aid > bill, > Even as a cane user, I recognize this problem, especially as there > is little > consistancy in where they put the stupid buttons. > > There is actually no "current" flowing in the button till you push > it, only > a voltage present. > > the only devices I know of that will detect a voltage need to > be nearly against the wire before they find it. so by the time > you get that > close you allready found it with your little blind haptors. > > Also, there are lots of other wires about with street lighting > etc. > to confuse any gizmo. > > Of course some of the accessible light systems have the button beep > all the time so you know it's there, but that doesn't help > where there isn't an accessible signal. > > So, after going through all this restatement of the problem, I can't > think of a way to find the particular pole with button, except > some kind of camera/computer based device such as a > cell phone with modified software. Even then you'd have to scan > the darned > thing every time you wondered if there might be a button. > > We actually have a group working on cell phone based software to > analyze/find weird cross walks, and try to figure out > unusual intersections, I'll put this problem in > there ear and see what they think. > > Don't hold your breath. > > P.S. I had fun once when talking to a traffic signal manufacturer > about accessible signals. He was calling those things > pedestrian aids. I said, no, they don't help me, they help the > cars cause > when I don't push the button, the cars get more time. In a world > thatwasn't biased against pedestrians, every body would get a fair > shake all the > time without having to find a stupid button and ask for it. > > Stopped the signal manufacturer in his tracks, He had to agree I > was > right. > > In conclusion, I don't see any way of finding the buttons with > currently > available technology. > > Sorry > Tom Fowle > > >
