Sorry for the cross posting.  Has anybody tried the Miniguide? I am thinking
of getting it and I am wondering if anybody has tried it and would care to
share there opinion or if anybody knows of a similar device which might be
better or sheeper then this unit.  Any information would be greatly
appreciatted.

Detect obstacles in the palm of your hand with the 2 ounce ultrasonic
Miniguide.

Augment information from other mobility aids, like the cane or dog
guide,with obstacle-detection by the Miniguide from 1.5 to 26 feet. 

The Miniguide is 3 inches long, 1.4 inches wide and .75 inches thick
including the single 123A battery. Two sensors covered by mesh at the front
of the unit send and receive the detection signals. Durable plastic casing
covers the rest of the unit. 

The Miniguide uses ultrasonic echo-location to detect objects up to 8 meters
away. The aid vibrates to indicate the distance to objects - the faster the
vibration rate the nearer the object. 

The aid utilizes the latest electronics to provide excellent robustness,
reliability and battery life. The batteries normally last for many months. 

A single push button* is used to switch the aid on or off and also change
settings. The aid has various modes and options. The main modes are: 

26 feet (8 meters) 
13 feet (4 meters) 
6.5 feet (2 meters) 
3 feet (1 meter) 
1.5 feet (half meter) 
* The double push button model, Miniguide US is available exclusively from
American Printing House for the Blind and can be purchased with school quota
funds. 

Cane and guide dog users have found that the Miniguide has assisted them in
many ways, including: 

Avoiding obstacles such as parked cars, poles and street furniture. 
Detecting overhanging obstacles such as tree branches. 
Locating a person at a sales counter. 
Locating the end of a line. 
Locating doorways, gaps and determining if elevator doors are open. 
Navigating around tables, chairs and office environments. 
Important Message
The Miniguide is only intended as an accessory to the more traditional aids
such as the white cane and guide dog. The Miniguide is not a replacement for
these primary aids, it should only be used as a secondary aid. 

The Miniguide can not detect drop offs. So please rely on your primary aid
in areas where drop offs might be present, for example, railway stations,
near stairs and so on. 

People should only use the Miniguide once they have read and understood the
instructions, as the instructions include important information and warnings
about its use. People who may have difficulty understanding the instructions
should only use the aid under expert supervision. Children should only use
the aid under adult supervision. 
 

 
C Sendero Group LLC, 2000-2010. All Rights Reserved.
Sendero Group . 429 F Street, Suite 4 . Davis, CA 95616
Phone: 530-757-6800 . Fax: 530-757-6830
 


    VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
Archived on the World Wide Web at
    http://listserv.icors.org/archives/vicug-l.html
    Signoff: [log in to unmask]
    Subscribe: [log in to unmask]