Five hikers, all blind or partially-sighted, crossed a mountain range in eastern France last week thanks to an innovative GPS system that developers hope can help millions of people with vision problems.
Armed only with their white canes and the experimental smartphone app -- unaccompanied by sighted guides -- the group trekked 80 kilometres (50 miles) in six days through fields and forests in the Vosges range near the German border.
Worn in a small pouch over the stomach, the Navi'Rando -- named for "randonner", the French word for hiking -- warned of bends in the path and turning points at regular intervals.
Developed by a team at Strasbourg University in northeast France, it is part of a growing trend tapping the power of technology to improve life for the visually impaired.
"Point 15, 11 o'clock, 194 metres," it said in a jerky electronic voice, meaning in just under 200 metres (328 feet) turn slightly left in the direction of "11 o'clock".
Volunteers from the French Hiking Federation programmed a precise itinerary for the group beforehand, taking care to note any obstacles on the path.
"The thing that's still difficult is using the cane to locate the exact direction of the trail," said Jean-Claude Heim, who has been blind since birth.
"You really have to concentrate," smiled the 63-year-old former teacher, a regular hiker though the Vosges was his first trail without a sighted partner. But that didn't stop him enjoying "everything the countryside has to offer: the smells, the sensation of touch, the rain, the sound of the birds."
For Nicolas Linder, 30, the advantage of the device was its boost to self-confidence and autonomy.
"It's fantastic to rediscover your sense of freedom," he said as he swept the path with his white cane. Among visually handicapped people, "95 percent of them have problems leaving home" without assistance, he said.
Transforming attitudes
For Navi'Rando's developers, the Vosges mountain crossing was a major test.
Though not the first researchers to use GPS systems to help the blind, the Strasbourg system "is the first to use inertial measurement units (IMUs) to refine the GPS signal and regularly recalculate the itinerary," said team member Laurence Rasseneur of the university's sports science department.
An IMU is an electronic device with gyroscope, barometer and accelerometer functions to aid navigation. It's used to help guide aircraft, including the unmanned variety.
"The next step is to make sure this system will work anywhere, even in places where it can't pick up a GPS signal," said Jesus Zegarra, an electronics engineer who has worked on the project for five years.
Once perfected, "you could even imagine blind people being able to make their way through the corridors of an underground station on their own," said Zegarra.
The Strasbourg device already works in the streets.
"With this, I can allow myself to concentrate a bit less -- I don't have to count my steps to know when exactly to change direction," said Clement Gass, who is partially-sighted and walks to work on his own every day in Strasbourg.
On June 13, the sporty 27-year-old used the Navi'Rando to achieve a world first: running a 26-kilometre (16-mile) trail along with more than 200 sighted participants.
Rasseneur, however, sees more than just navigational potential.
"We hope this technology will help change people's perceptions about the handicap and improve employment opportunities for the visually impaired," she said.
The project is still at the experimental stage but its developers hope to train and equip greater numbers of blind and partially sighted people with the device, both in France and other countries.
At this stage, "the challenge is not technological, it's human," said Rasseneur. "It's a cultural revolution so we need pioneers to show that it's possible."
AFP
Thu Jul 02 2015
Volunteers from the French Hiking Federation programmed a precise itinerary for the group beforehand, taking care to note any obstacles on the path. - AFP Photo
Gabung 'soft' dan 'hard policy' untuk didik masyarakat tentang pemakanan sihat - Pakar
Kos sara hidup yang tinggi menjadi antara faktor kenapa masyarakat lebih memilih makanan kurang sihat kerana harganya yang lebih murah.
Kru Shenzhou-18 berjaya masuk stesen angkasa Tiangong
Kru Shenzhou-18 China berjaya memasuki stesen angkasa Tiangong selepas kapal angkasa yang dinaiki mereka bercantum dengan kombinasi stesen angkasa secara automatik pada 5.04 pagi Jumaat.
Kemas kini Windows 11 papar iklan pada menu Start, bagaimana untuk matikannya?
Microsoft memberi ruang untuk pengguna Windows 11 menyembunyikan paparan iklan berkenaan.
AWANI Ringkas: Ketelusan boleh elak pembaziran
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Pemilik stesen minyak diminta lapor KPDN jika diancam sindiket
Beliau berkata KPDN akan merahsiakan maklumat diterima kerana sedar ada pemilik stesen minyak yang enggan membuat laporan walaupun diancam.
Indeks harga pengeluar Malaysia naik 1.6 peratus
Indeks Harga Pengeluar Malaysia yang mengukur perubahan harga barangan di peringkat pengeluar, meningkat 1.6 peratus pada Mac 2024.
Kadar penerimagunaan 5G hampir 36 peratus, liputan 80.3 peratus - Fahmi
Kadar penerimagunaan 5G di negara ini telah mencecah hampir 36 peratus setakat pertengahan bulan ini, manakala kadar liputan perkhidmatan itu telah mencapai 80.3 peratus pada Februari lepas.
Kontroversi UM: Mahasiswa tuntut penjelasan atau boikot kuliah
Sekumpulan mahasiswa Universiti Malaya yang berang dengan tindakan Institut Pengajian China, Universiti Malaya (UM) menjemput individu pro-Zionis, akhirnya turun berdemonstrasi bagi menyuarakan bantahan dan akan memboikot kuliah pengajian jika tiada reaksi dari pihak pentadbiran UM.
Lima anggota polis disyaki samun berdepan tindakan dalaman
Lima anggota polis antara tujuh individu yang ditahan kerana disyaki terbabit dalam kes samun warga asing membabitkan wang tunai berjumlah RM260,000, berdepan tindakan dalaman antaranya pertukaran jabatan.
JKDM beli 20 anjing pengesan dadah libat kos RM1.9 juta
JKDM dalam proses perolehan 20 ekor anjing pengesan dadah serta tiga unit mesin pengimbas 'backscatter' dalam usaha perangi dadah.
Kereta 'sangkut' di jambatan gantung gara-gara GPS
Seorang wanita di Thailand berdepan detik cemas apabila kereta dipandunya 'tersangkut' di jambatan gantung gara-gara mengikuti arah jalan menerusi aplikasi Sistem Penentu Kedudukan Global (GPS).
Abang Johari beri jaminan tutup episod tebuk atap, kata PM
Perdana Menteri berkata, Abang Johari turut mengulangi pendirian tegas dan tidak akan bertolak ansur untuk mengekalkan Kerajaan Perpaduan sehingga pilihan raya umum akan datang.
GPS kekal kuasai DUN Jepak
Keputusan diumumkan Pegawai Pengurus Pilihan Raya DUN Jepak pada 8.30 malam di pusat penjumlahan undi di Dewan Suarah Bintulu.
Hari pengundian PRK Jepak ibarat duduki 'peperiksaan' - Calon GPS
Iskandar Turkee menyifatkan hari pengundian pada 4 Nov ini ibarat menduduki peperiksaan kenaikan pangkat sewaktu dalam perkhidmatan awam.
PRK Jepak: Manifesto GPS tawar 14 aku janji
Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) hari ini melancarkan manifestonya untuk Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Jepak.
GPS tak mungkin capai kekuatan sekarang tanpa perpaduan ahli
GPS tidak mungkin dapat mencapai kekuatan politik yang dikecapinya sekarang, jika ahlinya gagal memupuk perpaduan dalam kalangan mereka.
Iskandar sudah tahu apa perlu dilakukan di Jepak
Iskandar menjadi pilihan GPS sebagai calon untuk mengekalkan kerusi DUN Jepak dalam PRK ini.
PRK Jepak: BN sedia bantu GPS jika diminta - Ahmad Zahid
Barisan Nasional (BN) sedia membantu Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) pada Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Jepak, Sarawak sekiranya diminta berbuat demikian.
PRN: Menteri, Timbalan Menteri GPS akan bantu calon Kerajaan Perpaduan - Abang Jo
Pengerusi GPS Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg berkata keputusan itu dipersetujui susulan mesyuarat Majlis Tertinggi gabungan itu malam ini.
GPS putuskan cara bantu Kerajaan Perpaduan dalam PRN enam negeri malam ini - Fadillah
Pucuk pimpinan GPS akan memperincikan strategi kempen bagi menyatakan sokongan kepada calon parti politik di bawah Kerajaan Perpaduan menjelang PRN nanti.