ACCESSIBLE GPS Overview and Comparison: from the iPhone to the PC Presented by: Mike May Jerry Kuns Jamie Murdy Katie Gilmore

What is Accessibility? “Accessibility for persons with vision impairments is usually a matter of having the right information at the right time. Having information means having choices and the ability to make the correct choice the first time: it means not having to engage in time-consuming deductive reasoning from imprecise clues or frequently having to ask for information or assistance.” Bentzen, B.L. (1997), Environmental Accessibility. In Blasch, Weiner and Welsh (Eds.), Foundations of Orientation and Mobility, 2nd Edition. AFB: NY.

Advantages of GPS Access to Location Information Student can learn about their surroundings and have access to “signage” that they miss out on. The GPS often identifies a point of interest or a street name that is something new (“I didn’t know that exists”) Student can “look around” to gather information about the travel environment, including street names, intersections, points of interest, city, etc. GPS can help with mental mapping skills GPS can be introduced with tactile maps (example: T Maps or Chang Kit) The GPS can help to confirm their position in space.

Advantages of GPS Introduces Important Concepts Left and right concepts Introduces Cardinal Directions Clock face directions Applies geography and social studies core curriculum concepts Environmental concepts including shapes of intersections, direction of travel, sidewalks, types of streets etc.

Advantages of GPS Problem Solving Skills/ Safety Allows students to determine distance and direction to a destination Confirms direction of travel Gives students immediate access to addresses and phone numbers in case they are lost or need to call for help

Advantages of GPS It’s Fun! Photo: Geocaching in Vancouver, BC

With Accessible GPS, I am in control

After 10 years of accessible GPS, the question isn’t should I have GPS, but which GPS should I have. Primary considerations when choosing a GPS system: 1. User Interface Input – Braille, telephonic or QWERTY keyboard Output – Speech and/or Braille 2. Price 3. Multifunctional 4. Portability Accessible GPS Choices

Sendero GPS based Products: Sendero GPS for the BrailleNote Apex, PK, and mPower Sendero Maps for the PC Sendero GPS LookAround for the iPhone and Android Sense Navigation for the Voice Sense and Braille Sense StreetTalk VIP for PacMate Mobile Geo for Windows Mobile Devices Other GPS Products: Trekker Breeze Standalone by HumanWare

Current Technologies: Sendero GPS Hardware: BrailleNote, VoiceNote or PK (PDA made by HumanWare) Braille or QWERTY input Speech and/or Braille output Multifunctional $$$$ 1.35 lbs lbs 612 g – 812 g

Current Technologies: Sendero Maps Sendero Group: PC QWERTY input Speech and/or Braille output Multifunctional $ Maps only no GPS

Current Technologies: Sendero GPS LookAround Sendero Group: iPhone and Android Announces the nearest points of interest and your current location – no routing capabilities Touch Screen Speech Output Multifunctional $ 0.29 lbs 133 g

Current Technologies: Sendero SDK Sendero SDK (Software Developers Kit) Allows third party companies to take the Sendero core GPS engine and customize it to work on their machines, and tailor it to their customers. Three companies are already using the Sendero SDK to create their own GPS solution for Windows mobile devices, including smart phones.

Current Technologies: Sense Navigation HIMS/GW Micro: Braille and Voice Sense (PDA) Braille or QWERTY input Speech and/or Braille Multifunctional $$$$ 0.58 lbs. – 2 lbs. 266 g – 914 g

Current Technologies: StreetTalk VIP Freedom Scientific: PacMate (PDA) Braille or QWERTY input Speech and/or Braille Multifunctional $$$$ 1.81 lbs – 4.18 lbs 820 g – 1,900 g

Current Technologies: Mobile Geo Code Factory: Windows Mobile-based Smart phones and Pocket PCs Telephonic or QWERTY input Speech output Multifunctional $$ 0.30 lbs – 0.50 lbs 140 g – 250 g

Humanware: Standalone Few buttons Speech output GPS only $$ 1.1 lbs 499 g Current Technologies: Trekker Breeze

The future looks bright for accessible navigation, where ever life takes you