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]