Subject:        Fw: Another GPS Solution

> From: Lyn Eagers <mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]  >
To:   vip-l <mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]  >  > HI
all,
>  > I found the article below at:  >  >
<http://www.visuaide.com/gpssol.html>http://www.visuaide.com/gpssol.html  >  >
Lyn Eagers  >  > "GPS - Orientation Solutions  >  > Victor Trekker  >  >
VisuAide is presently designing the next generation of GPS-based  >
orientation
> and mobility product for the visually impaired: Victor Trekker.  >  > The
Victor Trekker will be a fully portable solution that will work  > with  >
various computing platforms such as Braille note-takers, stand-alone  >
computing  > platforms and eventually on personal digital assistant (PDA)
devices.  > It  > will integrate off-the-shelf hardware for GPS input, voice
output to  > provide  > instructions  > and optional voice input for entering
notes. However, the real  > advantages of  > Victor Trekker will reside in its
software features and full adaptation  > to  > meet the requirements of the
visually impaired.  >  > VisuAide will leverage its expertise in GPS-based
system resulting from  > the  > successful development of the CityGo, a GPS
guide for tourists, which  > will  > be  > commercially available in early
2002.
The software core will be re-used  > and  > modified to support multi-platform
hardware as well as augmented for  > build-in  > accessibility.  >  > Victor
Trekker will benefit from the CityGo expertise in the following  > areas:
having
the information flow naturally to the user tracking the  > proximity of  >
point
of interest and provide vocal information about them and on how  > to  > reach
them mix of voice and text contents, geocentric database search  > functions  >
path finding and flexibility in allowing the user to follow loosely a  > given
> itinerary.  >  > The objective of the Victor Trekker project is to guide the
visually  > impaired in its environment. VisuAide wants to augment the
existing
> aids  > (white cane  > and seeing dogs), not replace them. We want a design
that is  > non-obtrusive  > and allow information to flow to the user in the
most natural way  > possible  > while  > offering several levels of
details. The
system will come with a wide  > variety  > of maps that will cover most of the
countries in the western world.  > These  > maps can be purchased on-line and
downloaded, or ordered and delivered  > on CD  > or Flash cards, a city or a
region at a time. Victor Trekker is a fully  > scalable  > solution that will
grow to accommodate new hardware computing  > platforms,  > more detailed
geocentric information and special applications such as  > trekking.  >  >
Victor Trekker will provide more autonomy to the visually impaired and  >
increase their confidence in their ability to travel in their locality  > or  >
further  > away for business and leisure. It will also increase their  >
accessibility and  > enjoyment of the most useful and interesting opportunities
found in  > their  > environment.  >  > The main features of Victor Trekker
will
be:  >  > . voice information control features  > . user-defined location
marks
> . route planning and recording  > . access to GPS status information  > .
flexibility in information presentation and guidance to allocate for  > various
level of users (beginner, normal, advanced) and familiarity  > with a  > given
> environment  >  > VisuAide expects the first version of Victor Trekker to be
available in  > Q2  > 2002 starting on Braille note-takers followed in 2003
with
other  > version  > running  > on standalone computing platforms."  >  >
Regards
Steve,  > <mailto:[log in to unmask]>mailto:[log in to unmask]  > MSN
Messenger:
<mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]  >
>  >


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