We are not always lost; contrary to popular belief. But what can a blind person do should they become lost?
We have our own methods for navigating. Some work better than others. I’m going to discuss some of this stuff with my readers. These tools I have firsthand experience using. I’ve been lost many times so I’m probably the perfect person to tackle this subject. I know what I’m talking about.
First, we need to talk about how to avoid getting lost to begin with. There are some easy guidelines to follow to accomplish this. If you should get lost though; don’t panic. Just stay calm.
You need to know where you are starting from. Figure out where you are going and when do you need to be there. What are the various methods for getting there? How long will it take? These are all questions that race through my mind in a split second when I begin to plan a trip.
It used to take time, research and planning for every single outing but times have changed. Technology has come a long way in changing the ball game for members of the blind community. Getting from one place to another is much easier and safer than it used to be. It can be lots of fun using this new technology as well.
There are several different devices that can be used for navigation purposes as a blind person. I’m only going to touch on a few of the ones I use all the time in this article. Let me be clear. The products I am going to describe cannot replace the need for a cane or a trained guide dog. The devices I am sharing I use in conjunction with my cane. What these products do essentially is read the map out loud while I’m busy walking. I still need my cane to see the surface of the ground in front of my feet.
The iPhone made by the Apple corporation is probably the most well-known and amazing of these tools. This product is a marvel. I can get turn-by-turn directions using my iPhone. Using the camera on the phone I am able to get nearly anything accomplished one way or the other. It just takes imagination sometimes. I am so impressed with this item. What really impresses me is that this product is a mainstream appliance. Yet it can be more useful to a blind person than a sighted person. Once we have been trained on one of these babies, the world is our oyster; more or less.
I also use a Victor Reader Trek made by HumanWare; a company based in Canada. I have been using their products since the Victor Stream came out. I love my Trek. I try to always have it with me. I also use it for navigation. Because it doesn’t have the bright light and camera that the iPhone has, it does have a much longer battery life. It is also easier to use the device with the tactically distinguishable buttons than the touch screen on the iPhone. It is useful for listening to audio books and many other forms of media. There is so much a person can do with one of these babies.
I have always loved to read and this is the easiest way for me to read as a blind person. The navigation tools contained within it were, at first; just a bonus. I didn’t use them much until I moved here. It is such an awesome little device. My VR Trek is one of three devices that I try to always have with me when I’m away from home.
My three must have items are; my white cane, my iPhone and my Victor Reader Trek. Combining the magic I have inside of me and the assistance of these three tools I believe I have the power to conquer the world.