Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Do blind people have better echolocation? (self.Blind)
submitted by Maattaann
(Serious question)
I'm curious about people who were not born blind have you ever tried using echolocation since you lost your ability to see?
I'm curious about people who were not born blind have you ever tried using echolocation since you lost your ability to see?
complex-blobfish 6 points 1y ago
yes, i actually use it often. especially if i am looking for something big, concave and/or metal.
i don't think many people use it though, it is not the most common technique to learn and some people simply can't tell the tonal differences.
when i am in a new place i use it to explore without having to look clumsy. it can give me a rough idea of how much space i have to manage and how cluttered or open a room is. if the room is cluttered i hold my cane up straight and use echo as much as i can to navigate. (i am not a master at it but i am getting good.)
i would never trust it without the use of my cane everyday though. it is an added technique, not one to be used alone.
i sometimes use echo to tell where the coffee mugs are on the table. if we are all sitting at a table with a coffee, everyone else will be moving the position of their cups and i might knock them, so i give a few clicks spanning the area and find out where the mugs are currently sitting before going to grab my coffee, that way i don't knock anyone else's drink over.
i even use echo in my choice of shoes, get the right heel and the sound it makes when you step will create an "echo blanket" at your feet so i can tell when the curb is coming up because the sounds will stop echoing suddenly.
echo is honestly my favourite technique i use as it is the one that makes me look the least weird (i know i need to work on this thinking).
except wind walking, that is a crazy awesome technique. and also does include a little echo in it too.
i guess the short answer to your question would have just been yes lol.
i don't think many people use it though, it is not the most common technique to learn and some people simply can't tell the tonal differences.
when i am in a new place i use it to explore without having to look clumsy. it can give me a rough idea of how much space i have to manage and how cluttered or open a room is. if the room is cluttered i hold my cane up straight and use echo as much as i can to navigate. (i am not a master at it but i am getting good.)
i would never trust it without the use of my cane everyday though. it is an added technique, not one to be used alone.
i sometimes use echo to tell where the coffee mugs are on the table. if we are all sitting at a table with a coffee, everyone else will be moving the position of their cups and i might knock them, so i give a few clicks spanning the area and find out where the mugs are currently sitting before going to grab my coffee, that way i don't knock anyone else's drink over.
i even use echo in my choice of shoes, get the right heel and the sound it makes when you step will create an "echo blanket" at your feet so i can tell when the curb is coming up because the sounds will stop echoing suddenly.
echo is honestly my favourite technique i use as it is the one that makes me look the least weird (i know i need to work on this thinking).
except wind walking, that is a crazy awesome technique. and also does include a little echo in it too.
i guess the short answer to your question would have just been yes lol.
Icy_Accountant_8197 1 points 1y ago
Wind walking? What's this?
complex-blobfish 3 points 1y ago
deep understanding of angles and movements of the wind. must be walking with bare skin on show preferably your whole arms. you learn the feel of the wind and can "follow it" both by listening to the wind hitting objects and feeling where it came from. the wind will obviously wrap around an object, so you can get more "3d" information from this technique than echo. but it takes longer to learn because of the variables. you have to learn what things sound like and what things feel like from every different angle. which is a lot. and you must already know how to use sound shadowing before you learn.
it is hard to explain, but it is cool. again it should not be used alone, as when the wind stops or the place is too loud you would be stranded, but it helps speed things up.
it is hard to explain, but it is cool. again it should not be used alone, as when the wind stops or the place is too loud you would be stranded, but it helps speed things up.
Icy_Accountant_8197 1 points 1y ago
That's wild, I never thought about that but now that you explain it I get what you mean.
SoapyRiley 2 points 1y ago
I think this is the coolest skill I’ll never be able to use since I’m hard of hearing. I’m so interested in everyone’s answers.
Agreeable_Morning_60 2 points 1y ago
Same ^
Unlikely-Database-27 1 points 1y ago
Yeah I use the 2 point touch cane technique and listen to each tap to hear where it reverberates off of, fuck that tongue clicking shit
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