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Blind and Visually Impaired Community

Full History - 2015 - 04 - 22 - ID#33jmfg
3
Does anyone use GPS systems for orientation? (self.Blind)
submitted 8y ago by geoffisblind
One of the O&M specialists I've been in touch with has been talking to me about using a GPS system like the Trekker Breeze. They aren't cheap so I want to see what other people think about them before dropping the $700 for one. Basically have you found it to be useful for urban commuting on foot and by public transit, what is the battery life like, how accurate is it, etc. I currently use Google Maps walking directions a lot when traveling in unfamiliar areas but it can be unreliable at times, would I notice a significant difference switching to a dedicated platform? Thanks!
fastfinge 2 points
I don't find GPS accurate enough for turn by turn; I've used several platforms, and it's always accurate to about 15 to 30 feet in the real world. I find the best solution is Blindsquare on IOS. Don't bother with turn by turn, just track your destination. Blindsquare will tell you what direction you're going, how fast, what street is coming up, and nearby landmarks. This works really well to keep you oriented, help know if you're walking the right way, got the right bus, etc.
jage9 1 points
The Trekker Breeze has a subpar GPS chip in its current form. The refreshed model, the Breeze Plus, which is coming out soon will supposedly remedy this. That being said, you won't get better results using a Breeze vs. apps on your phone. I use a GPS often, and it's great to let me know what street I'm on or the names of upcoming streets or businesses. It's no replacement for good cane/dog skills however, and you'll still need to do a bit of guessing to find what you're looking for, especially at the end. Use GPS as a tool, but trust your instincts and judgment over what any phone or computer is telling you.
geoffisblind [OP] 1 points
That makes sense, I wasn't intending to have it replace my cane, I was just looking for another way to orient especially when I can't tell what intersections I'm approaching. People seem to really like BlindSquare but I am an Android user and the developer either appears to be uninterested or moving very slowly on developing for that platform. I'll stick to google maps walking directions for now although I would love more information about my surroundings.
johnnytai 1 points
Don't waste your money. It's basically a google maps. My GF uses trekker and it too ahs its good and bad days. It's not worth the money IMO considering any GPS you can get for the Iphone does the same thing.
kroro7 1 points
I was part of a trail group for the trekker breeze about four years ago, we basically got to take it around town for a couple of hours and then gave our thoughts on it. Honestly, I would say that if you are comfortable with Google Maps then there is no point in changing - from memory I can not remember any significant difference between the two apart from the obvious lack of a screen on the trekker breeze.
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