Abstract
Toddlers learn from moving and exploration, but the lessons learned by blind toddlers moving freely are coupled with many painful accidents that eventually teach them to stop exploring on their own. “Path information,” knowing what lies a step ahead, is essential for confident exploration and play. While long white canes provide effective path information to blind school aged-children and adults, visually impaired children aged five and younger cannot manage the sustained and nuanced skills needed to employ a white cane to obtain and use tactile path information. This paper describes the design process used to create the first wearable white cane: the “toddler cane.” Using 3D printing which allowed rapid prototyping, the iterative design process resulted in a customized, user-friendly device that has helped hundreds of blind toddlers gain confidence in their ability to navigate their environment independently. The toddler cane includes a semi-rigid belt with detachable magnet connectors for two extendable white rods, which terminate in ground bumpers designed for use on a variety of indoor and outdoor terrain. Toddler canes are providing blind toddlers with the confidence they need to explore freely and independently. The changes observed in blind toddlers and preschool learners wearing their hands-free canes included rapid and transformative results, not only in mobility but in mood, language, and other cognitive skills. The toddler cane therefore supports blind children through their development and minimized delays that have life-long implications.
Presenters
Grace Ambrose ZakenAssociate Professor, Special Education, Hunter College of The City University of New York Erica Kreisberg
Research Assistant, City College of The City University of New York Marom Bikson
Cattell Professor of Biomedical Engineering, City College of The City University of New York Jacob Resnick
Research Assistant, City College of The City Univerisity of New York Benjamin Bokser
Research Assistant, City College of the City University of New York Natalie Deana D Badillo
Research Assistant, City College of The City University of New York Seyed Shahabuddin
Research Assistant, City College of The City University of New York Mohamad Fallah Rad
Researcher, City College of The City University of New York
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Blind, Visual Impaired, Cane, Mobility, Toddler, Preschooler, Disabilities
Digital Media
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