Blind Brothers Test Drive the Successor to the ‘White Stick”

Blind Brothers Test Drive the Successor to the  ‘White Stick”

This week we heard a fascinating story about two brothers, Dan and Michael Smith, 21 year old twins went blind within months last year are helping to promote the use of a navigational device that could see the traditional white stick consigned to history. Michael and Dan, from Barnet, North London, both suffer from a rare condition known as Leber’s Optic Neuropathy that results in a sudden and rapid loss of vision caused by the death of cells in the optic nerve.

Michael, a Paralympian footballer said he faced an uphill struggle to find information and advice that would help him avoid the acute embarrassment he faced when his failing sight caused him to bump into objects and other people. As a result of their experience in dealing with blindness at such a critical age in their young lives, tapping the ground with a white stick, as the blind have done for 800 years was not an option. They are now taking an active role in helping other young people with failing sight to move forward with confidence.

University students Michael and Dan put themselves forward as ambassadors for the UltraCane after testing its unique obstacle detection capability on the streets of Bristol and North London. In contrast to the standard long cane, the device uses ultrasound technology to give the user early warning of obstacles ahead and at head height through vibrating buttons in the handle. Michael is a third year geography undergraduate at Kings College, London and he said “When you lose your sight suddenly, you are plunged into a horrifying world. As a young person your safety, your image and your confidence are compromised and this is very hard to come to terms with. I am really looking forward to promoting the UltraCane to the many talented blind people I meet in schools, universities and business. They need to know mobility technology has progressed since the 1930s when the standard white cane became the accepted tool. As soon as I started using the UltraCane I realised how much information I was getting about what is ahead, to the side and around
me. I felt my confidence grow because I knew I was safe and could anticipate obstacles. The self-consciousness that comes when you crash into a bicycle or a bin left on the street has been completely eliminated.”

 Although they can only make out shadowy shapes both young men have succeeded in making rapid adjustments and have mastered new skills in order to continue their studies, their sporting interests and their charity fundraising. Last year the brothers completed a tandem bike ride from London to Amsterdam in aid of Blind in Business, raising in excess of £17,000 for the charity that helps blind and visually impaired graduates compete equally with sighted candidates for jobs. Even more ambitious cycling challenges are now in the planning stages.

Julie Davies, head of sales and marketing at Sound Foresight Technology, the company that developed the UltraCane said: “Michael and Dan are fantastic role models and we are very pleased and proud that they are promoting the UltraCane to other young, blind people and demonstrating how it could make a real difference to their lives too.” Dan, an engineering student in his third year at Bristol University said: “Even though I am an engineer and I understand the concept behind this device, I was initially quite doubtful that it could be made to work in practice, but I realised as soon as I tried it that it does live up to its promise and is an amazing aid to everyday life.”

Dan was recently featured riding an experimental UltraBike as part of the BBC 1 series Miracles of Nature. The programme showed how the UltraCane helps blind people develop a ‘mind map’ and demonstrated how the same technology could be used to help a blind cyclist negotiate his way along a woodland path.

The UltraCane mimics the way bats use echolocation to send out electronic pulses. By measuring the time from emission to receiving the echo they are able to build a picture of their environment that allows them to safely find their way around obstacles in the dark. In order to imitate this process the handle of the UltraCane is a handset fitted with transmitters and sensors. Buttons in the handle vibrate when the sensors detect that an obstacle is near. The strength of the vibration indicates the proximity of the obstacle, helping the user to walk around it easily and independently. This kind of tactile feedback stimulates the mind mapping ability of the brain. Over time, users find they no longer need to focus their full attention on the tactile information and can use their other senses when they walk around, much as sighted people do.

Please note that the authors, producers and companies themselves provide all information and content on UK Health Radio and this blog that is only intended as additional information to your general knowledge and not as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. So please, do not delay or disregard any medical advice received due to information gathered on UK Health Radio.

UK Health Radio – the health radio station for the United Kingdom, Europe and beyond at www.ukhealthradio.com – is kindly sponsored by www.1-stop-health-shop.com

Amanda Thomas

UK Health Radio

For more information on ultra crane please visit the website:  www.ultracane.com