[Scary Fairy]

Hi
im a final year Product Design student. For my Major project im looking at designing a aid for blind either for children or adults. For this i need your help in knowing what everyday problems they encounter for example.....how easy is it to make a cup of tea...or what learning aid children have at school. You can even ask your relatives or children what they as the blind would like designed for them to make thier lifes easier.
Bascially any help given will be much appreciated.....i hope you all contribute to this fully....looking forward to your suggestions ......imm looking at walking sticks now so ne suggestions on how to improve them or what difficulties currently developed would be great..thank u!

[aprilfoster]

Hi! I was reading through the posts, and I came across yours! I have a 2 1/2 year old sister who is blind. Everyday she encounters problems. She can't crawl, or talk, and it is very hard for her to relate to others who don't have the same visual impairment as she does. She still drinks out of a bottle, and doesn't know what displine is. When she is done with her food, she will just throw it. She doesn't know how to hold a spoon or fork by herself and doesn't get the concept of using a sippy cup or regular cup. She is very cautious of her surroundings and doesn't know how to react to certain situations. I was just thinking that something really cool, yet maybe impossible would be making a cane, that can somehow tell the child or adult what they are encountering, such as a dog. If the dog barks, the cane would send a message or whatever letting the person know it was a dog. My intent wasnt to give you a project, just to let you get a feel for what children encounter while being blind. I hope this information has helped or given you some ideas in any way! Happy searching!

[Scary Fairy]

Thank you very much for the information you have provided. I never thought of doing anything for a child before as i always thought that it would be difficult to base it upon somone who isnt able to comminicate their feelings to you.
However i do feel that the next best piece of info does come from those closest to you and as you've rightly pointed out it must be very difficult for you sister at this age to grasp the notion of everyday tasks that as sighted beings we find so easy. I will hopefully include this info into my studies.
Keep the ideas coming and dont worry any help is good enough for me and it looks like your thinking along the same lines as me too!
Hope to hear from you soon

[mcmama]

I have a friend who is a blind clergyman. When it is time for him to "read" the gospel, he opens a box that looks like the gospel, but it hides a tape recorder. He has an earpiece that feeds him the words, and he says them, just as if he were reading.
You honestly cannot tell that he is blind unless he tries to call someone up from the congregation for recognition and they have ducked out early!
Perhaps your design could be for professional adults who need presentation aids - making a visual impact for a sighted audience, but adapted to them.

[Scary Fairy]

Thank you for ure suggestion...i was thinking of doing a audio based product