Right on, Terri!

Yes, I think the idea that the Dobelle technology will eliminate braille,
canes, guide dogs, etc. is quite a bit overstated, and as you say,
detrimental to the cause.

After all, has the cochlear implant done away with ASL (or any of its
variants)?  Has it even made a dent in how much it is taught or used?  Have
artificial limbs (legs especially) done away with the wheelchair or
crutches for amputees?  I don't think so, and probably for a whole host of
reasons, most of which fall roughly into two categories: personal choice
and access.  No matter how good the technology gets (and there are bound to
be even better artificial vision technologies in the future), there will
always be people, even those who can afford them, who simply won't want
them.  I for one, am still a bit leary of somebody poking around in my
brain -- the chances of something going wrong (infection, etc.) and leaving
me with a cognitive deficit, or worse, while minute, are still there.

The other issue is access, and I think all too often in this country we
tend to think of the rest of the world as living at the same standard of
living as Americans and Western Europeans when it comes to things like
healthcare and money, and nothing could be further from the truth.  Most
Americans simply have no idea how the majority of the world's population
lives.  Does Dr. Dobelle plan to build neurosurgery clinics, training
centers, etc. wherever blind people happen to be, or does he plan to
transport them to such places in order for them to have the surgery?  Also,
as you say, what about the people for whom the technology simply won't work?

No, I think there are far too many hurdles for this vision of total,
universal access (a prerequisite to doing away with current simple,
reliable, and inexpensive technologies) for anybody to take Dr. Dobelle's
statements seriously.

I think what he has developed is a wonderful achievement, and I hope that
he refines and perfects it with time, but it seems pretty far-fetched to
think that it will replace braille and mobility tools, especially in our
lifetimes.

-- Jim

------------

James A. Rebman

Cognitive Levers Project
Center for Life-Long Learning and Design
Department of Computer Science
University of Colorado, Boulder

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more
violent.  It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the
opposite direction."

 - E. F. Schumacher