Do Smartphones and GPS technology significantly assist blind people navigate their way outside?

ModerneBoy

Like could you, using your voice only, programme a smartphone to make a route for you, and when you leave the front door it would (in your ear/headphones) say "go 30 feet to the right" then say "stop" if you come to a road. Then when you cross the road it will tell you exactly where to go to then? Both the direction and distance?

And when you are closing in on your destination it will tell you how long to go and which direction? Also if you get a bit lost could your smartphone guide you back on track?

yves

You can do that in google,b just put the address in, have your location. Switched on. I've used it many times when I am in a place I'm unsure of. It gives you the route, distance and instructions, like 'head north, turn left in 200 yards verbally. It does not tell you stop if you come to a road, it will put you back on track if your lost. It would need a lot of developing to do what you actually want it to do for a blind person.

ModerneBoy

When you say it tells you to "turn left in 200 yards", would you also get a countdown to when you will reach the 200 yards? Like telling you there is 100 yards or only 50 yards left to go?

Littlefatfriend

Hiya, interesting question thanks.

I'm not visually impaired but I taught blind and visually impaired people to use computers and the internet (1994-2010) so I have some insight (no pun intended).

The first problems would be street furniture, parked cars, and other pedestrians (etc). We're a very long way from mobile phones being able to plot routes and (crucially) then describe them to users in the detail necessary for what you're suggesting. A phone won't know which direction they are facing when they stop moving.

I see no prospect of phones being capable of safely navigating road crossings etc, particularly in rural areas. The village where I live has around 3,500 residents and no traffic lights or pedestrian crossings. That's not very unusual. Although there aren't often many cars here, they could be a danger as roads would have to be crossed.

Perhaps most importantly, I don't think mobile phones will ever be able to replace guide dogs and they already exist.

The blind people I worked with who used dogs found themselves able to do pretty much what you would be asking of a phone. It didn't appear coincidence they each seemed particularly capable of mentally mapping the places around where they lived and went. That was very useful information for them.

The risks of roads would prevent any business from trying to sell this. They'd be ruined the first time someone got run over or had a similar accident.

Most of all my point is that guide dogs have been doing pretty much what you suggest for decades, they're wonderful animals and the bonds they form with their owners are a marvellous thing to witness.

I expect the trick here will be combining the talents of GPS and guide dogs. That already goes on to various degrees. GPS gives directions to the user who can then communicate that to their dog. I expect that would require practice and A LOT of self-confidence.

Although the risk of accidents means it would be asking an awful lot, below is a well thought out project aimed at combining guide dogs and GPS through a smart harness worn by the dogs:

https://contest.techbriefs.com/2020/entries/automotive-transportation/10371

Good luck

egister

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/134157/do-smartphones-and-gps-technology-significantly-assist-blind-people-navigate-their-way-outside

Hi! I can only add that the authorities or "enemies of the authorities" can jam the signal of GPS, GLONASS and other similar systems or replace the location information. Such systems are not reliable, unfortunately.

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