Transcript: The smart white cane

27 November 2011

Roberta:  We’re here today to talk about a project currently being developed in Singapore which could revolutionise how blind people navigate and socialise in public spaces. Blindspot is a new white cane which integrates GPS and social media technologies to give people a new level of independence. Joining us today to talk about the project, is Media Access Australia’s Online Communications Coordinator, Eliza Cussen. Welcome Eliza.

Eliza:  Hi Roberta. Thanks for having me.

Roberta:  Now, first up, what’s the difference between this and a standard white cane?

Eliza:  Well, basically, it is a normal white cane that blind people are quite familiar with but it’s just got some extra technology added to it which is actually very, very exciting. So users should be able to use this in the same way they would normally use a cane but with these extra functions that just give them that little bit more independence when they’re navigating public spaces.

Roberta:  And how is it used in the way of social media?

Eliza:  Well this is very exciting. Well I’ll start by talking about the GPS technology, what it involves. So users are probably familiar with GPS, a global positioning system. So that similar technology is what you’d find in a car and it basically helps people navigate around roads as they’re driving or directions on a map on their phone. What this does is enables users to find their friends when they’re out in the world in public space.

Roberta:  Sounds really good. So what do you see as the main benefit?

Eliza:  Well I’ll just talk a bit more about how the GPS and social media relates first of all. So what social media websites have started to do is bring in GPS into their technology. So applications such as Foursquare and Facebook Places allow people to check into places so that, for instance, if you’re sitting in a cafe and you have a mobile phone that allows the social networking, you can check in to that cafe and then other people, if they’re next door can find you through that application.

So then for vision impaired and blind people, this is hugely beneficial because what this new Blindspot white cane does, is connect that technology to the cane so that the person is alerted when someone they know is around them and then what I find really, really cool is that the GPS technology, it actually provides the blind user directions to their friend. So what that means is that when people no longer have to rely on their friends finding them when they’re out in the world, they can be proactive. They can go and tap someone on the shoulder and say, “hi how are you going,” and obviously that increases the independence.

Roberta:  That is just so good isn’t it?

Eliza:  Isn’t it amazing?

Roberta:  So when will it become available and have we got any idea how much this might cost?

Eliza:  Oh they’re not at that stage yet Roberta. It is still very much in its infancy and we expect that it would be several years before we’d see it become commercially available and we could only estimate the cost very, very roughly at this point but it’s something that we’ll be keeping a very close eye on which, because obviously the implications of this kind of technology are just immense.

Roberta:  Certainly so, but then again everything has started somewhere and it’s maybe going to take a couple of years but a lot of that technology’s here now. So it won’t be too long before this one’s here too.

Eliza:  Exactly, we’re seeing such rapid development in (3:34) technology generally and what I love about this project is it hasn’t really invented any technology in itself, the technology that it uses such as, like ultrasonic devices and GPS and social media. All it’s done is combine them with an everyday tool such as a white cane. That is beautiful and that’s something which we can see can speed up the development and the production.

Roberta:  Well if people like to know more about accessible media, they can go to the Media Access Australia Website which is mediaaccess.org.au or for more technology news like this as well as information and updates on audio described cinema, television and DVDs. Thank you for all that Eliza and looking forward to hearing how it’s going.

Eliza:  Thank you very much for having me.

Roberta:  I’ve been speaking with Eliza Cussen who is Media Access Australia’s Online Communications Coordinator and Media Access Australia are supporters of this program.