What do blind people use to walk

What other methods or techniques help you get around as a blind or visually impaired person? Are there other accessibility features that help you be more independent in your travels? Please comment! You can also send any blindness and visual impairment related questions to sandysview chicagolighthouse. Have a great weekend, and safe travels out there! You must be logged in to post a comment.

Mobility devices are the tools we use to travel independently and safely from point A to point B: The white cane helps people who are blind or severely visually impaired know when there are tripping hazards such as cracks, poles, etc. The white cane also signals to drivers that the pedestrian about to cross the street is visually impaired.

Guide dogs are service animals that have received special and extensive training to guide blind and visually impaired individuals. These dogs guide their handlers around obstacles and can also help find things like entrances, escalators and elevators. Pedestrians are often forced off of sidewalks that are cluttered with vendors, animals and other obstacles.

And because of the difficulty of moving indepedently, accessing services is also difficult. For example, the Blind People's Association of India estimates that only about five percent of the country's blind children are registered for education. Blind people typically use canes, of course, but the traditional cane can't detect objects higher than the waist.

There have been other innovations like Roshni, an indoor navigation system that was also developed by students at IIT Delhi, but logistical issues make large-scale production impractical. That means inventing an affordable and simple tool to aid the visually impaired has been a priority for many researchers across the world.

The cane is used by either rolling or tapping from side-to-side as you walk. The tips can be changed for the method the user prefers. Symbol Cane A white cane that is less commonly known is the symbol cane. These are good for people with low but useful vision. The user would hold the symbol cane in front of themselves to let people around them known that they are partially sighted.

Look out for obstacles. This includes obstacles on the ground, to the side, and anything head height. Instruct the blind person to move over or duck when necessary. Have the blind person walk behind you in narrow spaces.

In the event you have to walk through a narrow space, like a small hallway or a crowd of people, let the blind person know. You will have to adjust how you're walking when you encounter narrow spaces.

The blind person will have to walk behind you in narrow spaces. Alert them that a narrow space is coming up. Then, instruct them how to move. The blind person should still keep their hand on your arm, just below the elbow. You will have to move your guiding arm behind your back. Let the blind person know if you need to switch sides. In some scenarios, you may have to switch sides when guiding a blind person. For example, you may encounter an obstacle in your own path while walking.

Tell the blind person verbally that you need to switch sides. Have them pause while walking. It's much easier to switch sides when both you and the blind person are stationary. Then, step in front of the blind person as you switch sides. As you move to the other side, the blind person can transition to grabbing your other arm. Make sure they are a half step to a step behind you, a little to your side, before walking.

Method 2. Use words in dangerous situations. You may encounter a dangerous situation when walking a blind person. There may be a speeding car, for example, or a loose dog. In such situations, remember the blind person cannot see the threat.

Do not simply move them out of the way. Use your words to say something like, "Stop! Move through doors. When guiding a blind person, you may have to help them through doors. In such a situation, make sure to take special precautions to make sure everything goes smoothly.

Move your arm behind your back when going through a door, keeping their hand on your elbow. Make sure the blind person is on the hinged side of the door. If you need to change sides, do so following the instructions listed above. Explain which way the door opens as you near the door. Open the door and proceed to walk through with the blind person you are guiding. Have the blind person close the door behind them when you finish passing through.

Navigate steps and staircases. Steps and staircases can be somewhat difficult to navigate. It's important you take safety precautions to avoid accident or injury. First, verbally inform the blind person when stairs are coming up. Tell them whether the stairs go up or down. Allow the blind person to let you know when they are ready to proceed.

The blind person may want a moment to calibrate before proceeding up or down the staircase. Go slowly to avoid injury. When you reach the top or bottom of the stairs, stop to let them catch up and let the blind person know.

Inform them if there is a lot or a few stairs but don't count them as this can be distracting. Some stairs in public buildings have tactile markers at the top or bottom of stairs to let blind people know they are there. While helpful, you should still let them know verbally if there are stairs as well as if they're going up or down.