[accessibleimage] Re: Fwd: Re: Re: link echolocation Ben Underwood

Echo location is something I use all of the time.  It's useful for 
maneuvering around familiar areas.  I used to follow willing sighted 
cyclists on my own bike.  That was lots of fun, however I don't do it now 
due to living in a big city.  It was always difficult for my father to 
explain to his friends how his  totally blind son would follow him around 
on his own bike.  


 > Date:        Wed, 11 Oct 2006 13:32:48 -0400
> From:        "Chris Hofstader" <chris.hofstader@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To:        <accessibleimage@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> ReplyTo:    accessibleimage@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject:    [accessibleimage] Re: Fwd: Re: Re: link echolocation Ben
> Underwood
> Hi,
> 
> I can't claim to use echo location but, as John mentions, I can "here"
> large objects by noticing the change in traffic noise and such.  This
> has kept me from planting my face into some concrete light posts and
> some walls which as I approach, I notice the difference in the ambient
> sounds.  A wall, in my own home, though, especially in the quiet of the
> night, keeps its secrets and will result in stubbed toes <laugh>.
> 
> cdh
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: accessibleimage-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:accessibleimage-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of John Gardner
> Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2006 1:02 PM
> To: accessibleimage@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [accessibleimage] Re: Fwd: Re: Re: link echolocation Ben
> Underwood
> Hi.  "Echo location" is something that many blind people use, some
> better than others.  I have read books by blind people who claim
> extraordinary ability to "see" their surroundings using sound.  I have
> personally known several who snap fingers when they need more or better
> echo than provided by tapping their cane.  I have known one or two
> totally blind people who somehow were so aware of surroundings that they
> could avoid running into large objects, not by snapping fingers but just
> by using ambient sound.  I've also known a person who wore steel taps on
> his heels and could walk around his city without using his cane.  Nobody
> taught any of these people - they just learned it on their own.  Wish I
> was so talented!
> 
> John
> 
> 
> At 01:00 AM 10/11/2006, you wrote:
> >right! so how does a human "use" or access echolocation without some
> >kind of man-made device - does anyone on the list know?
> >i thought it was just bats, dolphins and whales that have this innate
> ability!
> >this is still a mystery to me and yes susan, it sounds very dangerous.
> >thanks,
> >
> >mel poluck
> >e-access bulletin, uk
> >
> >
> >At 20:06 10/10/2006, you wrote:
> >>As I understand Ben's story from another article in the popular
> >>press, he does not use any devices at all.  It does seem a bit
> >>dangerous when you think about him navigating streets w/o
> >>anything.  The pictures which accompanied the other article I read
> >>showed him sitting in his mother's lap, which at his age, makes me
> >>wonder how independent he really is.  Perhaps that's just my >>cynical
> side showing.
> >>
> >>Susan Mooney
> >>
> 
> John A. Gardner
> Professor and Director, Science Access Project
> Department of Physics
> Oregon State University
> Corvallis, OR 97331
> tel: (541) 737 3278
> FAX: (541) 737 1683
>     SAP URL: http://dots.physics.orst.edu/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>

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