Hi Pete,
You are a mine of information, I hadnt heard of Lechal. Thanks.
All the best
Steve
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of pete
gurney
Sent: 16 September 2018 10:02
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: sat nav for the hard of hearing
hi Janet,
from the wording of your question i'm guessing that you want directional
feedback by some other method rather than by speech.
if this is the case then the system that will do this is the Lechal insoles.
they do come with insoles but it is possible to use them in other ways.
in the package you get 2 of the vibrating modules, 2 shoelace adapters, a
special charging pod with it'sUSB lead a pair of insoles that are well
padded and comfortable and the controlling app is free to download and use.
if you want to use them with the insoles you firstly get the insoles cut to
size for your shoes, charge the modules in their charger and it doesn't
matter which slot you put each module in, they charge quickly from memory
less than an hour and once charged they will work for ten days to a
fortnight before needing charging again depending on how much you use them.
i've certainly used them all day every day when away on holiday for a week
on just the one charge prior to going.
there simple to pair, once you tell the app to search for them you simply
rapidly tap a finger on the side of one of them for a few seconds until you
feel it vibrate and then once the app finds it they will both vibrate to
show they are both paired.
within the app you can set their vibration strength to your preference and
there's a section where you can tap on a button labelled left and right
andthe one you tap on will vibrate, and if it doesn't match where you have
fitted it there's another button to swap which side they are recognised as.
there's a vibration tutorial in the app which shows all the different
vibration patterns that represent the directional instructions and you can
tap on each instruction to feel what that instruction feels like.
so for example when walking or traveling in a vehicle when you get a certain
distance from the next turn i think 300 yards if you need to turn left the
left insole will give 3 slow vibrations, and when ou get closer it will give
3 rapid vibrations and when you get to the turn it will give a different
vibration to say turn now.
obviously it would do it on the right foot instead if you need to turn right
and if your at a crossroads and you need to go straight on both insoles will
vibrate.
there are lots of different patterns to indicate different things like if
you have gone off route, if you need to do a U turn and a distinctive one to
let you know you have arrived at your destination.
i think this is the only system i have come across that even indicates how
sharp the turn is that you need to make, it will indicate if the turn is a
90 degree, 45 degree or just a slight turn.
you don't have to use them in insoles as they come with adapters that you
can use with lace up shoes, you just lace the adapters on to your shoes and
clip the modules into the adapters, and i have even used them by just
putting one module in different pockets one on the left and the other on the
right of a jacket or pair of trousers.
you can buy them at amazon or directly from their website:
www.lechal.com <http://www.lechal.com>
they are less expensive at amazon at around £85, but i think they only have
the large size insoles available at the moment but this wouldn't matter if
you wanted to use them with the shoe lace adapters or by putting them in a
pocket.
another possibility to check into is the apple watch.
if you get the apple watch to guide you somewhere it wakes up and gives you
haptic vibrations when you get close to the next turn on the route, and
although i have used this in the past i didn't make note of if the
vibrations were different according to which way you needed to turn as when
it vibrated i just tapped the screen and it spoke to tell me which way to
turn.
hope this helps.
pete.
