Ian White writes:-
From what I can gather from friends who are in a similar position to myself , that is to say blind or visually impaired, they can’t wait for this device to become available on the open market, which is scheduled to be sometime in the Autumn of next year 2025.
We feel it will revolutionise mobility And independence for blind people. There has been nothing like it up to the present. It may even go so far as to make Guide Dogs redundant.
Previous Mobility Aids have had their short comings , for instance dealing with height obstacles and holes in the ground, signs, overhanging branches and drops. E.g. descending steps, one of the greatest hazards for those of us with sight loss. Steps ar not a problem so long as we are aware of them. There are so many properties with overhanging shrubs and bushes etc.
All this plus other obstacles we come across such as Wheely Bins and Vehicles parked on the pavement. In towns and cities there are A Boards and displays outside shops, along with Litter bins signs and other posts to contend with.
A Guide Dog will take us around these items but we are unaware of them. Conversely, with a Long Cane, which up to now has been the only other form of Mobility Aid, we do find them, sometimes to our distress and often resulting in injury. It requires training with instruction on how to use it along with our other senses.
I was under the impression that Glide, the name of the product under discussion,would be phenomenally expensive. However I was surprised to learn it is going to cost in the region of $1200 Canadian, which translates to somewhere around £800 Sterling I am told. There is another device called the NAVI Belt worn around the waist which costs in the region of £2,500.
Glide is a result of the advent of Artificial Intelligence, hard work, dedication and a great understanding of what is required for blind and Visually impaired people to enable them to get around independently . Arnos Miller, the CEO of Glidance, which is the name of the company, himself is blind and has worked in various fields of Technology, including the Microsoft Corporation
I hope this has given you some insight into what it is like to get around as a blind person. Guide Dogs are good but only as good as their owners.
We are often asked by members of the public, ‘What is it like being blind’. A friend of mine replied with…’Well, it is not all that bad but I would like a day off!’
I often respond with…”One needs half a brain in order to survive as a blind person“
Paignton Probus Club 