A white cane is a traditional mobility tool used by many people with low vision or blindness around the world. It can be a vital tool for people with low vision or blindness to navigate public spaces, giving them the ability to get around safely and independently. Typically made from lightweight materials like aluminium or carbon fibre, its white colour is important for a couple of reasons. Not only does it make the cane easy to spot, but it also lets others know that the person using it has a visual impairment, which can help them navigate congested areas more easily.
The cane is swept back and forth in front of the person using it to feel what’s ahead. Whether it’s a curb, a step or any other kind of obstacle, the cane helps them sense changes in the ground, like bumps or gaps, that are well ahead of their next step, making it easier to move through unfamiliar areas. It can also help them identify common features along a route they take every day.
The white cane has always been a symbol of independence, but recent innovations in its design have sought to make it even more effective and easier to use.
While traditional canes continue to help those with low vision or blindness, people continue to try to innovate, with the introduction of smart canes giving people more choice.
Some small additions can make a big difference. Built-in flashlights are especially useful for low-light conditions, while rain-resistant technology has also become more common, protecting smart canes in various weather conditions. But it’s what is inside smart canes where things are getting interesting.
One of the most notable innovations is obstacle detection technology, where canes equipped with sensors can detect objects above waist level, an area that traditional canes can’t reach. Sensors alert the cane’s user through sound or vibrations, with the intensity of the signal increasing as they get closer to the obstacle.
The latest smart canes go even further, integrating artificial intelligence and GPS technology. Some models now pair with an app so people can save and explore locations either through their phone or through the cane. The cane or app alerts them to the distance to their destination, giving them spoken directions via the cane’s speaker. Some people may be fine with this feature, while others might want to avoid drawing attention to themselves with a device that makes audible announcements.
But what if you could have a conversation with your cane Smart canes can now feature Large Language Models (LLMs) connectivity, such as ChatGPT. This allows people to ask the cane questions and interact with it as they would with a smartphone, helping them do more than just navigate and explore spaces.
Of course, this type of tech isn’t for everyone.
One of the most important original features of the traditional cane is its provision of haptic feedback, or in other words the vibrations that the tactile feedback provides between the tip and surfaces. Some people prefer this organic interaction and a lightweight cane, rather than relying too heavily on electronic devices like obstacle detection.
It’s also important to consider the typically short life of a traditional white cane. Being such a tactile instrument, white canes experience wear and tear and require replacement. The risk of investing in smart cane technology might come down to needing to replace it too soon, so it’s important to consider how replaceable different elements of the cane might be.
Any changes to the weight of a white cane put off many people, as over time this can add significant stress to wrist joints and fingers.
But the materials used in modern white canes have seen significant advancements. Today, manufacturers are using lightweight and adjustable materials such as carbon fibre and titanium, making the canes both sturdier and more comfortable, while some of the leaders in smart cane technology continue to improve the weight and handle design of their canes.
Perhaps the most simple but helpful advance in white cane technology is the breadth of choice people have in their tip design.
The type of white cane tip people opt for varies a lot. To avoid their tip getting caught on an object, which can be jarring and even painful, some opt for a rotating ball tip. Other tips are designed for outdoor use in bushland or grassland, while others are designed to optimise the auditory aspect of using a white cane.
Some tips can make the white cane heavier, which can impact wrist and arm movement. It’s important to choose a white cane tip based on how you want to use it, but also consider how it will impact the weight of the cane.
There are other helpful devices you can use to detect objects, especially when you’re in a familiar environment like the office and you don’t want to use your cane.
One of the most common examples is the Miniguide. These are lightweight, handheld devices that can help people navigate their immediate environment, such as doorways, parked cars, and overhanging branches. This is similar to the technology that has been introduced into smart white canes, but you can keep it in your pocket when you’re not using it!
The Orientation and Mobility service offered by Guide Dogs helps people with low vision or blindness learn how to move around safely and independently by using any remaining functional vision and other senses along with appropriate aides like mobility canes.
Orientation and Mobility Specialists work with individuals and their support people to teach many skills, including the ones necessary for making the most of a mobility cane. They work closely with individuals to teach them how to use white canes effectively, helping them adapt to different tip types and understand how to incorporate technology into their daily routines.
Smartphones have been mainstream technology for more than 15 years. In fact, for many of us, they’re essential technology, and we often hear our Clients say the same.
In this article, we’ll concentrate on accessibility settings for the iPhone, taking you through some of the features that our Clients find the most useful and giving a brief description of what they do.
It’s not an exhaustive list and it’s worth keeping in mind that not all these settings are necessarily available on older versions of the iPhone. We think it’s also important to mention that the best and most relevant accessibility settings for you will depend on your preferences, goals, level of vision, and other factors.
VoiceOver is Apple’s own screen reader technology, and is built into iPhones (as well as other Apple products). It’s been designed to describe people, objects, text, and more. The voice descriptions can help you navigate what’s on your screen, whether you’ve connected a keyboard to your phone or using the touchscreen.
It’s available in dozens of languages and lets you choose from numerous different voices.
To activate VoiceOver, go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Accessibility’ > ‘VoiceOver’ and toggle it on.
When you turn on Zoom in your iPhone settings, you’ll be able to magnify the screen, making it easier to read. You can choose to ‘zoom’ the whole screen or parts of it, and it’s been designed to work in combination with VoiceOver.
To activate Zoom, go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Accessibility’ > ‘Zoom’ and toggle it on. You can use gestures to magnify and de-magnify what you want to.
The Display and Text Size section of the Settings menu lets you adjust things like colour filters (ideal for people with colour blindness or conditions like Albinism) to change contrast, and to invert colours. You can also change transparency levels and the shape of buttons.
To change these settings, go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Accessibility’ > ‘Display & Text Size,’ and choose from a variety of useful options.
For many people, certain effects on smartphones can trigger motion sensitivity, strain eyes, and cause discomfort (even motion sickness). The Reduce Motion option reduces many of these effects.
To turn it on, go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Accessibility’ > ‘Motion’ and choose the Reduce Motion option.
Although Siri isn’t specifically designed for people with low vision or blindness, it can be a helpful aid, capable of making calls, sending messages, setting reminders, and more, using only voice commands.
If Siri isn’t enabled, you can turn it on by going to ‘Settings’ > ‘Siri & Search’ and choosing to turn it on.
By the way, Siri is one of the virtual assistants we discuss in our article on Assistive Technology for the home.
Like, Siri, the Face ID and Touch ID phone unlock options aren’t designed only for people with low vision or blindness, but may be useful as an alternative to entering a password.
How you turn these options on will depend on the model of iPhone you have.
Our Assistive Technology Specialists can help ensure that you’re getting the most out of your digital devices, including your iPhone.
Whether you’re preparing for uni or preparing your child for their first day at school, assistive technologies offer valuable support for students of all ages and abilities. There are many different software programs and electronic devices designed to support the best possible learning experience for people with partial vision and blindness. With so many high-tech options, it can get overwhelming. Which assistive device is most helpful for a student with blindness What’s the most common assistive technology for people with partial vision
In this article, we’ll showcase some of the more common devices and how they can be used in general education. Remember though, the best assistive technology will depend on your unique preferences, abilities, and requirements. This should be used as a guide only: if you need more specific and personally tailored information, give us a call on 1800 484 333. You can also learn more about our assistive technology training service. In the meantime, let’s check out some of the most popular options for students with partial vision or blindness.
Examples include:
Screen readers are assistive technology tools that convert digital text into synthesised audio of a person reading text aloud. Screen readers are versatile tools for both teaching and learning, with a wide range of uses, features and functions. They’re particularly helpful for students who need to:
— Read websites. Screen readers can interpret the code and HTML structure of web pages, and support students to quickly identify information about headings, website links, buttons, and other website elements. This ensures students can browse the web and easily engage with any online learning management systems or course materials.
— Read documents. Screen readers can access and read a range of document formats, including text documents, PDFs and e-books.
— Read and write emails. Screen readers support students to read and write emails by reading the content aloud. They can also provide feedback and analysis on the text that is written in reply to the original email.
— Accessing software programs and other tools. Like with browsing websites on the internet, screen readers can make different software applications more accessible to students with disability. The screen reader can identify different aspects of a program’s user interface and providing spoken feedback and guidance to support people to use the program.
Examples include:
Text-to-speech software (also commonly referred to as TTS) offers some similar functionality to a screen-reader, but typically serves a range of different and distinct purposes for students with disability. While screen readers are comprehensive and high-tech devices that can read code, identify elements of websites and software programs, and more, text-to-speech software is usually used for:
— Proofreading lecture notes or essays
— Listening to lecture notes
— Reviewing and self-editing written work. By hearing your own content read aloud, students can better identify grammatical errors, fix any sentence structure issues, and improve overall confidence with writing.
— Participating in online discussions. Text-to-speech supports students with partial vision or blindness to read posts and comments in student forums or chat-based programs.
— Reducing eye strain and maintaining progress with studying efforts. Students with partial vision or blindness often experience eye strain when reading for extended periods. Text-to-speech provides an alternative and less intensive method for accessing content, reducing strain and enabling ongoing study for long periods of time.
Examples include:
— WordQ
You might be familiar with this type of assistive technology from using certain smartphones. Word prediction software is designed to improve typing and writing efficiency by predicting and suggesting common words that may feature next as students type. This reduces the need for extensive manual typing and can reduce the visual strain associated with searching for the right letter keys on keyboards or keypads. It is an effective technology to support students in:
— Reducing typos and spelling errors.
— Enhancing writing speed. With the support of word prediction software, students can be more efficient and productive as they select from suggested words rather than manually typing out entire words or phrases.
— Promoting more independent writing. Instead of focusing intently on typing, choosing from a range of suggested words allows students with partial vision or blindness to focus on the overall content and messaging of what they write.
— Assisting with more efficient note taking. Word prediction allows students to write notes faster and more efficiently when following along with a lecturer’s notes, ensuring they don’t miss any important ideas or concepts.
— Reducing writing fatigue. By streamlining the process associated with creating content, word prediction software can reduce the strain and fatigue associated with extensive manual writing sessions.
Examples include:
Speech-to-text software (STT) is also known as voice recognition or dictation software. While it’s not specifically designed as an assistive technology for students with disability, the functionality of STT means it can be a useful support for people who have difficulty with typing or other text input methods. If you’re a student with partial vision or blindness, it’s important to consider software programs with enhanced accessibility features and a user-friendly interface.
Speech-to-text can be useful for:
— Writing and completing assignments. Students can verbally express their ideas, making it faster and easier to complete written tasks.
— Dictating research or lecturer’s notes. Speaking observations aloud rather than writing them can streamline the process of compiling notes and reduce the fatigue associated with manual creation.
— Participating in online discussions. Many courses use forums or learning management systems to facilitate student engagement. Speech-to-text can be a valuable support in enabling students to contribute easily and efficiently.
— Reducing writing fatigue.
Examples include:
— Refreshable braille displays like Focus
Braille notetakers feature a refreshable braille display. This typically consists of a small row of dynamic braille cells featuring six or eight dots. These cells change dynamically to represent different braille characters and convey written content to students with partial vision or blindness. Braille notetakers can be used to:
— Participate in virtual meetings and classes. Some braille notetakers support virtual meeting applications, allowing students to participate in online discussions and read shared documents using braille.
— Manage calculations and mathematics. Many braille notetakers include calculators and features for working with equations.
— Display content from other devices. Braille notetakers can connect with computers, smartphones and other electronic devices, enabling students to read material in braille.
There are many alternatives to traditional keyboards that are designed to better support students with partial vision, blindness, and other disabilities. These include:
— Large print keyboards with high contrast keys and easy to read print. Some keyboards feature different colour coding for each section of the keyboard (like numbers and function keys in comparison to letters), and large bold letters.
— Tactile keyboards with distinctive shapes or textures to guide students to different sections of the keyboard based on physical touch.
— Adaptive keyboards are designed with flexibility in mind, so that students with disabilities can customise different features and behaviours to meet specific needs or preferences. For example, you can program different keys to initiate different commands, adjust the layout of where certain keys are located on the board, and alter the sensitivity to better align with different typing styles.
If you’re ready to have a chat about the best assistive technology tools for you or your child, you can:
— Give us a call today on 1800 484 333
— Get in touch using our request a service form
— Read more about our assistive technology training service
If you’re wondering what to buy a friend with low vision or blindness for their birthday or other special occasion, we’ve put together a list of gift ideas, everything from gadgets to games.
Before we get into the list, we should mention that we haven’t tested any specific products for this list. We’ve created it as a catalogue of ideas and examples rather than a selection of recommendations.
Audio books and talking books are excellent gifts for a friend or family member who loves literature – or who just enjoys a good story.
You can stream audio books online via subscription services such as Audible and Scribd. You can also buy and gift them as one-off purchases. No matter which service you choose, you’ll find that most of the latest popular books, as well as many of the classics, are available in audio format. Some are read by famous actors or authors.
And if you just want to dip your toe in the water of audio books before splashing out on a present, plenty of free options exist. The ABC is just one of many examples.
Smart speakers like Amazon Echo, Google Nest or Apple Homepod Mini can help anyone control their home, listen to music, or access information without using their hands.
All major speakers now offer the basics like time, weather, alarm, and reminder functions. Most can handle more advanced commands (with a little bit of configuration), as well – “read my latest messages”, “turn off my [smart device]” and “what’s in my calendar for tomorrow”, to name just a few.
Functionality is constantly expanding, and some models are also capable of answering questions, reading out content from web pages, and playing music and podcasts.
Braille watches can help people with low vision or blindness to tell the time independently and, if necessary, discreetly (who hasn’t needed to quietly check their watch during a long conversation or boring meeting?).
They have raised dots or marks on the face that correspond to hours and minutes. Some analogue versions also have a glass cover that the owner can lift and then feel the position of the hands.
Electronic magnifiers can help people who have low vision to see small print or objects more clearly. They generally offer higher levels of magnification than optical magnifiers can provide.
There are different types and models of electronic magnifiers, including:
Talking calculators are devices that announce, numbers, equations, and calculation results out loud. They are designed for users with low vision and blindness (but also second language learners).
You can buy talking calculators with:
Audio games and puzzles are games that rely on sound rather than graphics to create an immersive and engaging experience.
Anyone can play audio games, but they are especially accessible for people with low vision or blindness. BopIt is one of many examples. There are also games such as Wikki Stix that are a great option for younger kids.
If you’re looking for a larger selection, the American Foundation for the Blind has a useful list of games on its website
Tactile board games can be played by people with low vision or blindness using touch and sometimes sound. They usually have features such as braille labels, raised dots, textured pieces, or audio cues.
There are hundreds of tactile board and card games to choose from, including some adapted classics such as Uno and Scrabble.
