Day One is about "What"
What are the proposals that the Congress should consider?
Day One is also about "Why"
Why is this proposal a priority?
Why should we follow this pathway into the future?
Coffee and breakfast snacks will be available at check-in
Greeting: Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind
Greeting: Betsy Zaborowski, Psy.d, Executive Director Jernigan Institute National Federation of the Blind.
Greeting: Doug Baldwin, COMS, Director of the Institute for Innovative Blind Navigation
Proposals and discussions begin after the opening remarks and continue until all the presentations are complete.
1. Consortium for Alternative Vision
2. An Ultrasonic Based Spatial Imaging Sonar as an Alternative to The vOICe Light Based Spatial Imaging Camera for use by Blind Persons
1. Independent and "free-hands" Navigation in 3D Space for Blind and Visually Impaired Individuals
1. Peter B.L. Meijer, Philips Research, Eindhoven, The Netherlands; ("The vOICe"): A Modular Synthetic Vision and Navigation System for the Totally Blind
2. Steve Mann and Chris Aimone; University of Toronto: Invention of Electric Eyeglasses as a Seeing Aid and Telecommunications Device
1. Incorporating virtual sound and other spatial displays into the user interface of future blind navigation systems
2. User-centered design of assistive technology
1. Increasing the Availability of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Information in Wayfinding Devices for Individuals Who are Blind
1. Shared GIS Data with Pedestrian Level Detail and Accessibility Features
1. Establishing research and development priorities for the teaching, automated production, and use of high-quality, customizable tactile street maps for everyday wayfinding.
1. Information to Go
1. A Wireless Localization System
2. A Robotic Shopping Cart for the Blind
Jeff Witt: Director of Technology Product Development for the National Federation of the Blind:
1. The Blind Drivers Challenge
Bill Crandall, Ph.D, Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute.
1. Interface, Interface, Interface
2. Out with the old… In with the new!
Kathleen Mary Huebner Professor, Associate Dean for the Graduate Studies in Vision Impairment Department for the Institute for the Visually Impaired, Pennsylvania College of Optometry and Laurel E. Leigh, M.S., COMS; Co-Director and Assistant Professor, Orientation & Mobility Program, Department of Graduate Studies in Vision Impairment, Pennsylvania College of Optometry
1. Preparing Personnel Preparation Curriculum
Alan Brooks: New Initiatives Manager, The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (UK):
1. Can designers be sure that they will produce devices that visually impaired people need and want?
Dan Kish and Doug Baldwin presenting and representing delegates not able to attend the Congress
1. Leslie Kay OBE. and Larissa Chesnokova of Bay Advanced Technologies Ltd.: Removing Barriers to Technology Application Especially Designed for Blind Persons
2. Leslie Kay OBE. and Larissa Chesnokova of Bay Advanced Technologies Ltd.: Should a Design Process and an evaluation of a Mobility aid for the Blind Precede the Manufacture and Marketing Processes?
3. Swedish National Post & Telecom Agency (PTS), the Department of Speech, Music and Hearing at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)Study on Navigating, Alarming and Positioning;
4. IIBN and World Access: Knowledge Management in Cyberspace (includes Land Astronaut proposal)
François Boutrouille and Pierre Hamel: Humanware
1. From outdoor to indoor navigation: a need for a standard data format to enhance the blind user wayfinding experience
Susan Roley: M.S., OTR/L, FAOTA
1. Sensory Integration and Spatial Perception
Mike May
1. Build the Roads and They Will Come
2. Wrap-up; final words for day one
Reception: drinks and light eats. Dinner on your own.
Day Two answers the questions "How?" and "Who?"
How will we accomplish the proposal? What steps are required to bring it to fruition?
Who will make this a success? What individuals or what organizations?
1. Informal discussion
2. Mike May moderator: review proposals, guide brainstorming
3. Brainstorm issues, specific proposals, potential outcomes, research needed, legal issues, consumer concerns, university training, educational issues, funding, etc.
1. Informal discussion
2. Dan Kish moderator: review proposals, guide brainstorming
3. Brainstorm issues, specific proposals, potential outcomes, research needed, legal issues, consumer concerns, university training, educational issues, funding, etc.
This will be a general session and a breakout session combined. We will select key themes and generate outcomes to be decided on day three (where we will reach a consensus on future actions).
1. Informal discussion
2. Moderator to be determined: review proposals, guide brainstorming
3. Brainstorm issues, specific proposals, potential outcomes, research needed, legal issues, consumer concerns, university training, educational issues, funding, etc.
Your task today is to study and debate the proposals that were presented for consideration on Day One. Use the following template as a guideline:
Problem statement: What is the problem related to wayfinding/mobility for blind people that needs the proposed solution i.e. Why this direction? What problem is being solved? Where is the need?
Solution: A Brief description of the proposal. What is it that needs to be developed, researched, established, etc.?
Principals: Who should be involved in the development and delivery of this solution?
Methodology: How should the development of this solution proceed? What steps or stages need to be followed to arrive at the solution?
Resources: What are the resources needed to move through each step/stage?
Questions: Are there remaining questions that need to be answered before proceeding?
In addition (especially if the issue is the development of a tangible product), the ideas being discussed should be filtered using criteria such as:
1. Market potential/user demand8:00 PM Evening meeting:
2. Uniqueness
3. Feasibility to develop and manufacture
4. Fundability (government or private)
5. Product champion (who are the organizations or key individuals who might champion the product or idea?)
Delegates (still standing after these two intense days!) may contribute to a summary of the day's results from the study groups. The moderators will informally discuss the day's activities and results. They will review overlapping ideas and suggestions, and determine a presentations for day three.
Day Three answers the question "When?" It is also about setting immediate and long range priorities.
Alternative Perception
Policy, Philosophical, Institution (etc.)
The Jernigan Institute has a limited number of rooms (about 20) available for delegates to the Congress. These rooms are $75.00 a night. They are basic rooms with no TV, radio, or windows. They do have private bathrooms. The rooms are designed to be shared by two to four persons. Contact Pat Miller at the Institute to reserve a room.
The Tremont Park Hotel is providing discounts to Congress delegates. The deal will be available until September 10. The hotel address is 8 East Pleasant Street, Baltimore, MD 21202. The direct number is 410-576-1200. For reservations call 1-800-873-6668. Tell them you are with NFB. The hotel website is: www.tremonthotels.com. All rooms at the Tremont are small suites. Check in time is 4:00; check out is 12:00. Rates are $129 single; $149 double. Tax is 12.5%
The Tremont is located a few blocks north of the downtown Baltimore Inner Harbor and about two miles from NFB Jernigan Institute.. Van service will be available back and forth from the Institute.
A Congress is a policy making gathering. Delegates discuss priorities, challenges, and opportunities. This first World Congress on Blind Wayfinding Technology is designed to give a voice to each delegate; to allow personal interests and life-long work to be showcased and debated, and to allow high ideals and grand plans a stage. Delegates to a Congress can represent not only themselves but those not able to attend the Congress. Realistically, of course, we cannot design new technologies in two and a half days. Our limited time frame however, does allow us to think about where existing technologies might go given sufficient funding and attention.
The title of the Congress is "Inventing the Future of Blind Navigation." Why do we feel it necessary and possible to "design the future"? It is well known in the technology community that exponential change is occurring; that is, creative possibilities are doubling every one to two years. Technologies that can only be conceived of this year, become possible the next. We are forced to be futurists in today's world. We gather at this Congress to examine pieces of this creative puzzle; we set for ourselves the goal of making a picture of the future.
Everyone gathers in a common room. Delegates present proposals one at a time. The audience may then comment or ask questions. This is not the time to critique proposals; rather it is the opportunity to ask for clarification or make supportive comments.
A proposal is the result of a delegates experience, knowledge, and passion. We expect the proposals to be diverse. Take your interests, life's work, long held passions, vision, dreams, and see how you might form proposals that further your ambitions and ideals. Think also of the common good and ask how you might broaden your perspective. Consider how you might cooperate with consumers or professionals, business leaders, and government agencies.
We ask that proposals be in a one page format so that your ideas are concise and easily copied for discussion on day two. We request that presentations of the proposals be short (5 to 10 minutes) and that a few minutes be available for audience feedback. The one page proposal should be in this form:
Title:Here is a hypothetical example (A similar consortium exists now and they are collaborating on a vehicle, but this is not their statement):
Presented by:
What is the proposal: What do you propose be accomplished in the future to benefit blind wayfinding?
Why do you think the assembly should consider this idea: Defend the proposal.
Title: Driving Blind
Presented by: the NASA/Carnegie Mellon/DARPA/NFB Consortium
What is the proposal: We propose to build a smart vehicle that can communicate with smart spaces (highways and intersections) and can be operated by blind individuals who have specialized training and equipment; we further propose to create a team of blind "test pilots" (land astronauts) to test these new vehicles as they are invented.Why we offer this proposal:
1. Working to create such a specialized vehicle will benefit all mankind: if blind consumers can drive safely and efficiently, then we have a system that will protect sighted persons who become situationally or inattentionally blind (see our fifty page report for definitions and in-depth discussion); elderly individuals will be able to drive with greater safety and efficiency, a new kind of smarter "wheelchair" will evolve to help the physically disabled, and a specialized (not yet named or defined) vehicle will evolve to allow blind children to be mobile at very early ages.2. NASA astronauts will benefit when they take new kinds of vehicles to the moon and the planets. NASA continually strives to make smarter "space" vehicles. This research and development proposal will also help with NASA robotic craft evolution.
3. DARPA will use the research to further the development of the land warrior program; the development of smart technology for soldiers. The future of warfare will depend more and more on machines and autonomous vehicles to do the fighting, guided by soldiers who are not at the scene of action (ie. they are "driving blind").