This is the handout provided at the April 13th seminar:

II. General Perameters for vision replacement and enhancement: Vision is simply a sophisticated piece of biotechnology developed by nature over millions of years to perform specific functions. We feel that man, using his brain which has also been developed over millions of years, can engineer technologies and strategies to more or less emulate the functions performed by vision.

Justifications for vision emulation

1. Neural precedent: the neural system has largely evolved and developed around vision as the primary distal and spatial sense. Vision has certain characteristics which provide information in specific ways that the neural system is designed to process optimally. Presenting information that is alien to the neural system, or presenting information in ways that are not native to the neural system could cause a poor fit between information and processing. This could result in an undue struggle of the subject to use the information provided.

2. Human society has developed to make optimal use of vision is a primary medium. The environment has been designed primarily with the visual system foremost in mind.

Primary functions of vision

1. Spatial event detection: Vision registers when a new event has taken place, which would include the presence of a new element coming into the field of detection.

2. Spatial element descrimination. (This includes elements of one's own body.) This refers simply to being able to discern one element from another.

3. Spatial Element Classification: This refers to the ability to place elements into categories of similarity and difference. This is more a function of perception than reception, because it requires the subject to draw upon recall. However, the reception component is important, in this case vision, insofar as it provides sufficient information for classifications to be drawn.

4. Identification: This refers to the attribution of meaning to what is perceived either through the recognition of elements or features (a truck, an entrance to a building), or the comprehension of elements or events taking place (a ball thrown toward the subject one another).

5. Establishment of spatial element relationships. (Relationship of self to self, self to space, and between spatial elements.) There are several of those, and this is above that and below that, and to the left or right of that.

6. Guides or refines interaction with spatial elements. (Self to self and self to environment.) The ubject catches the ball, and tosses it into a basket.

1. Range: Ideal range will vary according to tasks. The visual system uses eye convergence, focusing, and fixation mechanisms to vary its range of perception. Generally speaking, when the eyes have attended to a particular spatial element, all other elements recede to the background of both reception, and perception. The range perameters should be such that the full gamut of daily and developmentally relevant movement, navigation, and discrimination tasks can be performed. In general, short ranges are sufficient to facilitate basic movement, while longer ranges are required for navigation through the larger environment, and high speed tasks.

2. Lateral/Vertical field of view: The lateral field of view of the visual system is about 180 degrees, with acuity following off very sharply from center. This allows major events to be registered peripherally, but central events take precedent because they are more sharply defined. Vertical field is similar, though the angle is narrower. In general, field of view is relevant to tasks involving the interaction with dynamic elements, or multiple elements.

3. Focal Point: Human vision has a maximum acuity focal point of about one degree. This allows very minute details to be registered with a relatively high precedent. The affect is that fine descriminations and relationships can be registered. Focal point is useful for discrimination of small elements or features from each other.

4. Element descrimination: (see C above.) The three primary factors of element discrimination are color/contrast, density, and texture. The wavelengths of visible light carry information that allows for color and contrast discrimination. This level of discrimination enables highly refined distinctions to be made among spatial elements. Moreover, registration of minute elements lends itself to the reception of texture, and can allow extrapolations of density.

5. Classification: The system should provide enough information at high enough resolution to allow for classification.

1. Auditory/tactile/Visual

2. Real-time neural mapping potential: The eyes update the brain with a new set of information approximately 25 times per second. This update speed may be considered continuous as far as the neural system is concerned. In general, continual updating allows for smooth interaction between subject and environment. Changing perspective between subject and environment is processed dynamically, and new events do not escape detection.

3. Reality correspondence and cuing: The closer the correspondence between the location of the spatial element and displayed presentation of that location, the more quickly and easily the neural system will learn to interact with spatial elements. Greater disparity between actual position and displayed position necessitates more learning and processing. This is to be minimized, since one of the biggest arguments against distal sensors has historically involved concerns about cognitive or perceptual overload.

4. Integration: The output display needs to be of a nature that does not mask or otherwise interfere with the normal sensory process. Also, it should alter sensory processing as little as possible to maximize speed and potential of learning. Extended consideration would be given to complex output displays that would provide a great deal of useful information, but might take some time to learn. The benefits might be worth the effort. An example of this would be restored vision or visual cortex interface to provide 3d visual imaging. Such imaging would be expected to baffle a novice to visual perception, and could take months or years to adapt.

2. Esthetics.

3. Friendly to use.

2. Body size: the smaller the person (eddg., infant or toddler), the smaller and lighter the system must be. Also, vertical field sensor performance may vary slightly according to height.

3. Cognitive capacity

4. User preferences.

III. Elements in a comprehensive approach to vision replacement and enhancement: This is not an approach wholly developed and implemented by WORLD ACCESS FOR THE BLIND. We recognize, appreciate, and respect the good intentions and worthy contributions of all to the access needs of the blind. The blind have tried many approaches throughout history to improve their interaction with the world. Some approaches have become common, while others have fallen into obscurity. There are many reasons for the wide spread acceptance or dismissal of approaches that go beyond whether the approach is effectiveness. These may include adequacy of implementation, style of marketing and promotion, timeliness, robustness and validity of experimental designs, and financial backing to name a few. It is our intention to ensure that all effective approaches, regardless of commonness or obscurity, are made available to those who can benefit from them. It has been a long and difficult journey - the fruits of which are soon to be born. Let us applaud our efforts and successes. Let us also accept our mistakes as well-meant opportunities for growth. With grace and renewed purpose, let us usher in a new and prosperous era together.

A. Recreation based learning where extreme and interactive activities are used as a medium for rapidly developing highly advanced perceptual/motor functioning which transfers to every aspect of living. WORLD ACCESS FOR THE BLIND currently implements a mountain biking club in which blind youth traverse technical terrain at high speeds on solo mountain bikes. An independent mountaineering program for blind teens and adults is also being developed, along with strategies for participation in a wide variety of mainstream ball sports. Strategies are being developed to allow blind youth to participate fully and productive in a wide range of community programming such as scouting and league sports.

B. Discovery based learning where the student develops advanced skills in self-directed problem solving through a process of "doing" while discretely guided by a specialist. Students are often encouraged to participate in the planning of their own lessons involving places and activities that interest them.

C. Audification where key features and elements of the environment are made audible by specialized strategies so that the blind can engage and interact with the environment fully in conventional activities. A ball that is perceivable by audition can be interacted with nearby as precisely as one that can be perceived by sight. Games are broken down into an objective, and a means of achieving that objective. Both must be perceivable and doable. If objectives are tagged or audified with audible references, then blind people can engage the necessary actions to achieve the objectives.

D. Visification where key features and elements of the environment are made visible by specialized strategies so that people with partial vision can engage and interact with the environment fully in conventional activities.

E. Facilitated Perspective Shifting - a process that recognizes the necessity for a positive attitude of self respect in and beyond the instructional process. This strategy holds that, when pushed to the brink humans are motivated more by what we feel than what we think. Blind students must build a foundation of self respect and positive thinking before skills can be readily and fully learned and actively applied. The emphasis is not on teaching a bunch of skills, but on facilitating a condition by which these skills unfold more or less naturally within the student. When students feel they can function, and can build their lives or put their lives back together, learning becomes much faster, more enjoyable, and nearly automatic.

F. Sensory Integration where the entire sensory/motor system is trained to maximize its active awareness of and purposeful interaction with the environment through all sensory modalities.

G. Neural-Response Feedback by which students learn to achieve and maintain states of mind that are pre-determined to be most conducive to acute perceptual awareness and ease of functioning.

H. Sonic Echolocation with which the blind can perceive what is around them by the way sound waves bounce off their surroundings.

I. Technological Perception and Navigational Systems such as ultrasonic sonar, optical systems, global positioning systems, directional systems such as tactile and talking compasses, echolocation enhancement devices, integrated magnification systems, optical to speech or tactile reading systems, and accessible sign technology which enable highly detailed awareness of the dynamic environment. There are 3 technologies actively under development.

J. Virtual Reality Acoustic and Partial Vision Training where students interact productively with computer generated environments which can be easily modified to augment or diminish acoustic or visual features to maximize learning. Such a technique would be used to simulate instructional environments through interactive games and scenarios.

K. Tactual/Haptic Systems such as tactile maps and models, tactual/haptic probes like the long cane and adapted mobility devices, and perception of surface gradient topography.

L. Assisted Movement such as by a human or dog guide.

M. Public Consciousness Raising by which information and demonstrations of blind competence are disseminated to the public at large to bring blindness issues into the public eye, and to encourage respectful values and attitudes toward the blind.

A. Investigate the effectiveness, respectfulness, and application of long- standing and innovative techniques, strategies, and technologies for facilitating access to the world by the blind.

B. To integrate an appropriate array of strategies, techniques, and technologies into a holistic approach to replace and enhance vision that optimizes functioning.

C. To develop affordable, efficient vision prosthetic technology to serve the major functions of vision.

D. To make the Vision Replacement and Enhancement approach available to all without undue hardship to the end user.

E. To maintain on-going documentation of the impact of the Vision Replacement and Enhancement approach on the majority of students.

F. To demonstrate and disseminate the results of the Vision Replacement and Enhancement approach to professional and blindness communities and the world at large.

G. To encourage and maintain open, constructive communication between WORLD ACCESS FOR THE BLIND and all professional and consumer entities relevant to blindness.

H. To raise public consciousness about blindness by disseminating information to the public at large about the full potential of blindness and access issues faced by blind people.

B. Vision prosthesis: WAFTB is exploring the development of a true, vision prosthesis, or set of prosthetic devices. An applied research collaborative is been formed with multiple tech development companies and universities to this end. The system would address the needs of the blind and partially sighted by serving the major functions of vision. It would be based on alternative sensing and sensory extension technologies, current knowledge about human sensory and neural functioning, and instructional and therapeutic strategies. Sensing technologies explored would include sound and ultrasound, optics, and radar. Signal processing and information display will be very carefully explored and developed.

C. Vidiation: This is an all purpose, fully integrated, portable magnification system based on mainstream mini-dv technology. It allows for viewing of any visually presented material at any distance under a wide range of lighting conditions. The basic system consists of a mini-dv camcorder with suitable accessories to make it a fully portable and versatile magnification system. Images can be fed in real time from the camcorder to a laptop computer for large screen viewing. Software allows the partially sighted user to divide the screen into zones for camcorder output vs. notes or other written material, or the screen can be toggle from one to the other.

D. Recreation Discovery: Students partake in a variety of recreational programming as an integral part of instruction. This programming is designed to serve two purposes - First, to provide advanced contexts for instruction to proceed quickly. Second, to foster a positive perspective shift in students. This shift is intended to open students to a "no limits" attitude about themselves and blindness, thereby allowing blindness skills and abilities to unfold freely and naturally. Activities may include bicycling, mountaineering, tree and rock climbing, team ball play, and fostered participation in community programming. Recreational programming integrate sighted and blind participants in an amiably competitive and cooperative fashion.

E. Audification/visification: This simply refers to the process of making the envirnamement more perceivable to the observer by systematically augmenting acoustic or visible attributes (E.G., balls that make noise or are made brighter, or tags in the environment that call attention to where things are). Innovative approaches are used to optimize nonvisual interaction with the environment.

F. Consciousness raising: WORLD ACCESS FOR THE BLIND will display its approach and its impact upon the blind to the world. By so doing, we intend to lay to rest all myths and mis-conceptions that threaten the security and livelihood of the blind. The proof of the effectiveness of the vision replacement and enhancement approach lies, and will lie, in the advanced level of functioning of those influenced by it. We simply demonstrate what we do, and let the world respond. We openly invite constructive input.

G. Instructional Materials Development and Dissemination: WAFTB is developing instructional packages, materials, and programs for use by professionals. These may include manuals, workshops, videos, on-line materials, and virtual reality programs. A preliminary program can be found at: www.worldaccessfortheblind.org.

H. Applied Research Task Force: We are helping to lay the ground work for the coordination of a multifaceted, interdisciplinary tasks force of scientists, experts, professionals, consumers, and stake holders to develop and optimize a vision replacement and enhancement system with the inclusion of a true vision prosthesis, or set of prosthetic devices.

A. BLIND PEOPLE AND SIGHTED PEOPLE SHARE MORE LIKENESS THAN DIFFERENCE. Blind people possess all the same basic psychological, social, and physical needs that all humans possess - to be free from undue restriction, to be capable and competent, to know a sense of belonging to and comradery with the world, and to respect themselves and draw the respect of others.

B. LACK OF SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE AND EQUAL ACCESS TO THE SOCIETAL ENVIRONMENT IS MORE HANDICAPPING TO BLIND PEOPLE THAN LACK OF VISION. Vision is, first and foremost, simply a tool for accessing information. Few would argue that the ability to access information and utilize community resources is the foundation of power and success in this WORLD. If so, then lack of vision need not stand in the way of success IF the tools and means are implemented to maintain ACCESS to critical information and resources.

C. THE VALUE, INTEGRITY, AND COMPETENCE OF HUMANITY LIES NOT IN THE EYES, BUT IN THE MIND, HEART, AND SPIRIT. People who happen to have blindness are fully as worthy of consideration, acceptance, honour, and respect as people who happen to have sight.

B. Phone: (866) 396-7035, Fax: (562) 428-0800

C. E-mail: dankish@worldaccessfortheblind.org

D. Web Address: www.worldaccessfortheblind.org

Prepared by: Daniel Kish, M.A. / M.A. / COMS