GPS for the visually impaired#Loadstone GPS
Loadstone GPS is a free satellite-based guidance software that works with no artwork and is programmed by the blind for the blind.
However, it is possible to invite routes that have previously been created on a computer as point sequences and departing.
Use for the blind or visually impaired is assumed that a screen reader and / or a magnification software for text, or a Braille output hardware is available.
The name " Lodestone " is derived from the loadstone, is the English word for lodestone, a natural magnetic rock that is used for a very long time by people for the manufacture of compasses.
- 3.1 Commercial navigation solutions for blind people
Loadstone - GPS project history
The Loadstone project is developing an open- source software for the use of satellite navigation for blind and visually impaired people. The software is free and is currently running on almost all devices from Nokia with S60 user interface with almost all versions of the Symbian operating system. About a Bluetooth GPS mouse is thereby coupled to the mobile phone.
The developers of Loadstone - GPS are all blind and come from Vancouver, Amsterdam and Glasgow. Many users from around the world participate with suggestions for improvement. The project was initiated in 2004 by the private Monty Lilburn and Shawn Kirkpatrick and made public by the first development successes in May 2006. So were other volunteers made their way into the project. Since then, the software has been constantly improved.
Since version 0.70, the program is signed, making installation was much easier to Nokia devices of the third edition. Since version 0.71, the software uses in addition to the already supported Bluetooth GPS devices in Nokia mobile phones built-in GPS receiver.
A comprehensive English-language instruction as well as various online tools have been developed and the program interface translated into several languages. At the present time provide the technical complexity and the lack of multi-lingual instructions for many interested but still a major problem
The company Nokia ignored the Loadstone project and largely granted the developers do not support.
The program is under the GNU General Public License ( GPL) and has so far financed only by private means the developer and donations mostly blind and visually impaired users.
Operation of the Loadstone GPS software
At the present time Loadstone is very useful for blind people in order to identify the location of specific points can.
Therefore, it is currently best known for routes or areas that are already known or developed once with a sighted helper. To do this, go to the desired locations and then stores the coordinates with name of your choice in a personal database.
Then the program can inform later based on the current GPS position and direction of travel, which of these points are located at what distance and in what direction or direction relative to the current location in relation to the direction of travel. This makes orientation very much, so that can greatly improve the mobility when using a long white cane or a seeing-eye dog with the help of satellite navigation and the sense of security and the range of movement of people affected increases.
Meaningful landmarks in addition to the classical Points of interest for the Blind:
- Street and road crossings and junctions,
- Several individual bases for curved paths
- Secured pedestrian crossings
- Smaller places of interest such as park benches, mailboxes, telephone booths, etc.
With the use of public transport blind people can determine the correct exit station with Loadstone - GPS independently, as modern GPS receiver usually still receive some satellite signals even within transport and can evaluate for position determination.
Sighted users of compatible mobile phones can be used together with a Bluetooth GPS receiver for the pastime Geocaching Loadstone -GPS. Since in this game very diverse tasks are manageable, even blind and visually impaired people can be well integrated in the team and contribute their part to the solution.
Importing coordinate data
Although self- created points can be exchanged in principle also have an online database with other Loadstone users, but in practice it works because of the currently still not good to few and scattered around the world users. The Loadstone community has developed solutions to import coordinates from various free sources such as OpenStreetMap project. One is also looking for a sponsor who buys a license for commercial map data, and the project and thus the blind Loadstone - GPS users is available worldwide.
GPS receiver
A GPS-based orientation program as Loadstone - GPS requires satellite data, in order to calculate the current position and then outputting information about the direction and distance to the next waypoint.
Sighted people usually sufficient while an accuracy of 10 m to 20 m, as they can perceive with the eyes of their environment quickly and therefore implement the instructions of their navigation system intuitively. For blind and visually impaired people but the accuracy is a much more important factor in determining the geographic position. It would be desirable precise localization with an accuracy of 1 to 2 meters ( cane length).
A major disadvantage of GPS in use by pedestrians is increasingly diminishing accuracy at slow speeds. This is because the receiver software drive at fast motion like a car can easily calculate where the user is likely to exist in the next few seconds, as the data on the current speed and current direction facilitate the calculation.
Blind operation of mobile devices
Blind people can use a computer with the help of a screen reader software for the generation of synthetic speech or Braille display a portable. For some years there are such solutions for mobile devices.
- In 2001, the German programmer Torsten fire brought (deceased 2010) and Marcus Gröber the software TALX for the Communicator series from Nokia on the market. As a speech synthesizer while the under blind PC users very often used ETI - Eloquence was used. Later they sold their company to ScanSoft, the Nuance Communications, the company and their names took over in 2005. Nuance Communications distributes the software now as Talks for Symbian S60 phones. 2009 Talks has also been ported to the platform Windows Mobile.
- Since 2004 there is the Screen Reader Mobile Speak from Code Factory Spanish company that also runs on Symbian S60 phones. Later she developed there yet Mobile Speak Pocket for the operating system Windows Mobile.
- Since 2007 there is also the software Pocket Hal from Dolphin companies, which can be used on phones and PDAs running Windows Mobile.
- At Google working on a screen reader for the Android operating system.
- Nokia wants to explore needs of disabled people to bring then among other things, a special mobile phone for blind people to the market.
- The Canadian company HumanWare developed in collaboration with the Spanish company Code Factory 's screen reading Oratio for BlackBerry RIM PDAs.
Commercial navigation solutions for blind people
In June 2007, the Swedish company Wayfinder Systems AB brought the program running on Nokia devices program on the market. These were a variant of their more focused on motorists Wayfinder Navigator navigation software, some useful for blind people information about the environment made additionally available, and its user interface has been optimized for screen reader software in some areas. To use an Internet connection of the device was necessary. The service was officially discontinued on April 1, 2011.
The Sendero Group for several years now sells a navigation solution, however, runs only on very special and expensive PDA for the blind by the company HumanWare. The users mainly come from English-speaking.
The Spanish company Code Factory is working on the application of Mobile Geo for the operating system Windows Mobile. The software is developed with the SDK of the Sendero Group, but is still in the beta stage. Code Factory is one of the two major suppliers of screen reader solutions for mobile devices.
GW Micro offers for its specifically geared to the blind device Voice Sense of the Sense Nav software, which was developed with the SDK of the Sendero Group. The required hardware is apparently not common in German-speaking countries.
For several years, the Canadian- New Zealand company HumanWare distributes the system Trekker, which runs on a standard, equipped with a special keyboard for the touch screen PDA.