[Mt-blind] GPS for the Blind

[Edward C Robbins]

Greetings,
        I think this and the additional nmessages which appear on the
MT-BLIND list gives my comments great credence.
        Isn't the advancement in technology great!  So much of it in the
last few years, it almost makes your head spin.  As Jim mentioned though,
it isn't a Savior, but mearly only the "Sacrament", and we must treat it
as such.
        As we become more acquainted with all these devices we can pick
and choose that item, or those items which will work best for us.
         Aint life great!
Sincerely,

Ted
Edward C "Ted" Robbins, CFO, Montana Business Enterprises, Inc. (MBEI)
Manager, MAB Elder Blind Equipment Program
Phone & Fax:  406 453 6678   Cell:  406 799 6268
104 RIVERVIEW 5 E, GREAT FALLS  MT   59404
Aint 
On Wed, 7 May 2008 19:33:31 -0600 "Jim Marks" <blind.grizzly at gmail.com>
writes:
> I use the Sendero GPS for the blind with my Humanware Braille Note 
> PK.
> Thought others might be interested in how it works.  
> 
> For more information, go to this link:
> 
> http://www.senderogroup.com/
> 
> The system tells me where I am.  For instance, it will tell me if I 
> am
> standing outside a favorite restaurant or on a certain road.  
> Accuracy
> varies a bit since the technology is using GPS satellites and maps.  
> When
> it's working well, it's accurate to within just a few feet, say five 
> to
> thirty feet.  When it's off, it can be off by a hundred feet or so.  
> Mostly,
> it's spot on.
> 
> There are other types of GPS, which, BTW, stands for Global 
> Positioning
> System.  The Sendero product is widely regarded as the most feature 
> rich,
> but there are others that are far less complicated that do most of 
> the same
> things.  For example, the new Trekker Breeze is a low cost GPS 
> system that
> is very simple to operate.  And there are more and more talking GPS 
> options
> for cell phones these days.
> 
> The thing I like about my system is that I can serve as the family 
> car
> navigator.  The system permits me to set a route, tell the driver 
> when and
> where to turn, and such.  It helps me become a full partner in the 
> car
> travel experience.  As a former driver, I hate being passive in the 
> car.
> This GPS lets me participate once again on equal footing with 
> others.  I can
> also point out landmarks to my family.  The GPS might tell me about 
> a ghost
> town a few miles off the beaten path.  Or it might tell me about a 
> famous
> mountain peak.  In addition, I can pick a place to eat.  In some 
> instances,
> I can not only find the phone number of the restaurant to set 
> reservations,
> I can also read the menu.  
> 
> There's much more to say about this stuff, and I've only begun to 
> tap the
> possibilities of the technology.  One thing I have not done a lot of 
> is
> using the device for pedestrian travel.  It works very well for 
> this, but I
> tend to rely on more traditional orientation and mobility techniques 
> to get
> around.  Even so, I keep the machine handy to help learn more about 
> what's
> around me.  And I have used it to get... How do you say this?... 
> Un-lost?
> 
> I can say more if folks are interested.  The Missoula Chapter is 
> going to
> demo this technology at our next meeting this month.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> 
> -------
> Jim Marks
> blind.grizzly at gmail.com
>  
> 
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