More of my thoughts in context...
Perhaps the focus may be (partly) redefined if were to reword
"digital assistance" in Dinesh's well summarized metrics, to
"viable assistance",
"digital" should be a subset of "viable" if/when/where found
relevant and useful. Real-life is analogue (not digital ;-)
yes, that is quite practical.
Can we request or work towards getting local authorities and/or
sponsors to install hand/guide rails (say some 4 feet tall and 6
feet long) say within the first 18 feet of each street
of each intersection ? (numbers are indicative and can
be redefined to some agreed and conformable standard).
Yes, that is possible, if you guys want I can provide my humble
assistance on this aspect.
These rails would typically located at the edge
of the kerb/footpath. No rocket science here...
it is common to see such railings at various intersections and
places, installed at various times, by various local authorities,
mostly with the intention of attempting to guide pedestrian traffic.
that's what I was about to point at. and now a days people are quite
handicap aware so no one will make a big issue out of this.
2.
These guide rails to be embossed with markings
(braille or otherwise recongisable by the visually impaired).
yes and it should be weather proof.
The exact embossing patterns/style should be defined and
guided by recognised/specialist agencies who work in the domains
for the visually impaired.
yes, that will be worked out pritty easily with a few research survey.
5.
For those who are not visually impaired, these
"embossed guidance" rails are colour coded/painted
with the colour scheme which is akin to the classic
red-white-blind-person-stick scheme. This will
easily convey to the sighted persons that these
guide rails serve a special/additional purpose for
the visually impaired.
yes agreed.
7.
If we are unable to make this much happen,
more technology and/or non-KISS schemes
will find it even more difficult to be widely adopted
and to become viable and succeed.
Well, that depends on what other alternatives we try to find out.
8.
When the creation (or upgradation of existing) guide rails
happen, figure how to drive towards ensuring that those making
these also make provisions for electric/energy supply and a small
weather proof contaner (like at traffic signals but much smaller I
hope)
Yes, that should be taken into account right from the start. the idea
of signel posts is perfect to look at.
9.
Stage one gadget, FM broadcast device,
fixed frequency, emits predetermined beep/pattern signal
to only indicate presence of sign-post-guide-rail for a
short radius of say 10-20 feet.
Well, such thing has been tried out at many places including some
offices of the National association for the Blind and did not work.
some how blind people can have a partial judgement even without these
long tomes. what they need is a bit detailed info. walk 10 pases
etc.
10.
Alternate/stage two gadget,
FM broadcast device,
fixed frequency, emits pre-recorded
voice guidance signal,
indicates presence of sign-post-guide-rail,
and tells you few more words about the area...
yes that is what I ment in the previous point. some details will be
good enough.
8.
Based off this infrastructure,
redploy whatever guidance systems that
are catalysed partly by all the discussions
that have happened in this context on this forum,
further tempered by whatever resources
and political-will and technology can/will permit.
let's have a practical and positive mind set towards it. as I said
with the given electronics experts on this list, a little exploration
might just get us what we need at cost effective rate. an audio
driven interface with light weight web pages on a cheep hand held
device will be quite good enough. may be we can think about it in at
a later phase.
9.
Caveat 1:
I do not know if any such schemes already exist or are in use,
(The Lord has been kind to me in that I do not have any
known physical impairment, and thus have not studied or dwelled
much on these kind of needs or domains).
No, such thing has not been tried yet except the stage one of just
giving beeps to indicate that some thing is near by. Vispi Mirza, a
blind Electronics techi from Delhi had tryed a similar thing.
11.
Caveat 2:
If this embossed guide rail (iron tubes and cement masonry)
solution is the way to take off, probably this
conversation may not have a place on this forum,
no, every thing has to have a beggining, and as I said we will
eventually have to make it a very good project with audio driven web
interface. don't forget the bus example I had posted before. I have
even worked out the solution for two busses standing or even when the
streets are narrow. the blind person can just set the bus number he/
she desires and then the system will only inform if that bus is
around. I have also worked out the other problems associated with
this issue given the fact that blind people only climb the bus from
the front. but this email and this thread has become too long, so may
we keep some thing for the 16th. *smile*.
Krishnakant.
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