On Friday, September 17, twenty blind people from the US, Scotland and the
Netherlands land in Dublin to begin 10 days of independent exploration of
Dublin, Cork, Kirkcaldy and surrounding areas. These intrepid travelers are
using accessible GPS technology developed by Sendero Group running on a
BrailleNote personal data assistant to find their way to museums, castles
and pubs.
The experience will be shared with local blind people from Ireland and
Scotland.
The National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) and the Irish Guide
Dogs for the Blind (IGDB) will facilitate two meetings of the group during
their time in Ireland, one in Dublin and one in Cork.
One of the inventors, himself totally blind from age 3 to 46, Mike May says,
"When you can get around independently, the number one limiting aspect of
blindness is minimized. That is why some blind colleagues and I developed
this technology and enjoy sharing it with others. I regained low vision a
few years ago after stem cell and cornea transplants. Now I can see that the
signs are there but I still can't read them. This accessible GPS technology
is every bit as important with low vision as it was with no vision."
The BrailleNote is manufactured in New Zealand and distributed in the UK and
Europe from offices in Northamptonshire. Sendero Group is an adaptive
technology company based in Northern California. Its founder Mike May has
been the subject of a BBC documentary and NBC Dateline regarding his
restored vision, as well as the subject of many major print, television and
radio media.
On Saturday 18 September, NCBI will host a meeting of the group at 2.30pm in
the Tara room of the Royal Dublin Hotel.
Tea and coffee will be provided at the event and following a demonstration
of the system, attendees will have the opportunity to walk around Dublin's
city centre and use the GPS technology to find places of interest.
Following this walkabout, the group will adjourn to a near-by pub or
restaurant.
For more information or to book your place for the Dublin event, please
contact Stuart Lawler, National Council for the Blind of Ireland on 01 8307033 or email stuart.lawler@ncbi.ie
On Tuesday 21st September, IGDB will host a meeting at its National
Headquarters and Training Centre on Model Farm Road, Cork. Events will get
underway at 5.30pm. There will be a description of the GPS technology,
followed by some light refreshments.
Transport will be organized to the City Centre, where there will be an
opportunity to sample the GPS technology and a get-together.
For more information or to book your place at the Cork event, please
contact, Elaine Cannon, Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind on 021 4878220 or email elaine.cannon@guidedogs.ie
ENDS
Wednesday 8th September 2004
For Media Enquiries please contact:
Sarah Gahan on 087 6846088 or email sarah.gahan@ncbi.ie