Hello Mich,

A cane or a dog won't necessarily keep you from falling off a platform, but they will give you the information you need to make a commonsense decision. They do say that the Strap device will be able to provide feedback as to whether it is a shorter or a deeper step, and the sensors will detect even minoot changes of elevation, for instance from sidewalk to grass.

If you don't like vibrations though, this may not be for you.

On Thu, May 6, 2021 at 4:19 PM Mich Verrier <michv@...> wrote:

Hi all after looking around on the strap.tech websight and looking at there faq and other things I would be interested in trying this out but I wouldn’t really pay 500 for it. I am a Seeing Eye dog user and some of the things that I would like to know is will this keep you from as others have said falling in to holes, off traine platforms, or other things where a dog is trained to do? Also the idea that it uses haptic feedback and not audio or voice feed back is kind of interesting as well since I have that feture on my I phone 8 turned off since I found it distracting and annoying. I mutch prefer audio feedback and would struggle with the different vibrations and knowing what they meen. I am not really a fan of that kind of feedback as it is. These are just my inishel thoughts after giving the websight a quick look. From Mich.

 

From: main@TechTalk.groups.io <main@TechTalk.groups.io> On Behalf Of Nimer Jaber
Sent: May 6, 2021 7:15 PM
To: main@techtalk.groups.io
Subject: Re: [TechTalk] Blind Tech Guys Strap Discount

 

Hello John,

 

No, it can't tell you about doors, but it will tell you about obstacles, and would work to tell you that you're walking, for instance, through a door. The best mobility tool for finding a door quickly is a dog, when they choose to find the door, that is. You can do so with a cane, but often that requires a lot of trailing and exploration. So you could do the same with strap, but I would probably carry an ID cane or something similar for situations where I do want more tactile feedback of my surroundings. Which isn't very often by the way, and before anyone asks, I do the same thing as a dog user as well.

 

Thanks.

 

On Thu, May 6, 2021 at 3:32 PM John Holcomb II <jhii926@...> wrote:

hmmm.

Interesting.

I absolutely love android for this reason (not that I don’t use iOS), because of how much haptic I can get.

So it could tell me where doors are that kinda thing?

Great. Now  if only it could tell me when  somebody is talking to me in the store, that would be even better!

Then I could communicate on the best way to talk to me so I could conduct my business.

John

 

From: main@TechTalk.groups.io <main@TechTalk.groups.io> On Behalf Of Nimer Jaber
Sent: Thursday, May 06, 2021 6:26 PM
To: main@techtalk.groups.io
Subject: Re: [TechTalk] Blind Tech Guys Strap Discount

 

Which is another reason why this device can help you, John, as it doesn't rely on hearing. You would still probably require assistance crossing streets, but would not be as dependent on your hearing for echo location because of the way it works through haptics.

 

On Thu, May 6, 2021 at 8:25 AM John Holcomb II <jhii926@...> wrote:

Then you got people like me who hearing isn’t good enough to be able to walk down a street or anything else on my own.

Not safely, anyway.

Because I  can’t localize sound  or tell how far away cars and other things are with the hearing aids I use.

 

From: main@TechTalk.groups.io <main@TechTalk.groups.io> On Behalf Of Nimer Jaber
Sent: Thursday, May 06, 2021 3:17 AM
To: main@techtalk.groups.io
Subject: Re: [TechTalk] Blind Tech Guys Strap Discount

 

This post is my opinion, and is not affiliated with Strap or any other entity. All opinions in this message are my own.

 

Gene,

 

People said the same thing that you're saying about horses, too. And yet, we are now driving cars.

 

Guide dogs already take away much of what the cane gives you, and dog users are quite content being dog users. With a dog, blind people go around obstacles, they don't interact with every obstacle in their path.

 

Does it count when a blind person disparages the cane and says that we need more innovation in the space to get rid of the bloody thing? Because I am one of those blind people.

 

Does it count that I want to be able to travel unencumbered with both hands free?

 

Does it count if I want to not worry about whether someone trips over my cane and breaks it? Or if the tip flies off the cane?

 

Does it matter if I don't want to worry about what happens to my upper body because that trusty cane doesn't protect it while I'm walking? Because believe me, running into scaffolding bloody hurts, and yes, I've done it.

 

Does it matter if I want to be able to actually walk in a straight line? Because, short of tapping against a wall or grass line, there isn't a way to do it with a cane.

 

Does it matter if I wish to traverse through a crowded downtown area, or any crowded environment without running into many things?

 

Does it matter if I want to be inconspicuous, and not be asked whether I, a poor blind man, require assistance to wipe my ass? Because that is essentially what happens to every single blind person I know. I am not approached about my work. I am not approached about my appearance. I am not approached about my shoes. I am not approached about anything except my blindness and someone wanting to help me because they think I am making a mistake trying to cross a street.

 

So, sorry, but we definitely need a cane replacement, in my view, and any blind person disagreeing is, frankly, a complete and utter fool. And, I would ask blind people to support the effort instead of shitting on it, because developers should be encouraged to innovate, not be discouraged by stupid posts like the one I've just read.

 

Does that mean that Strap will, indeed, replace the cane? I don't know, probably not. But it's a much better attempt than we've seen so far, with others trying to reinvent the cane by making it heavier and adding sensors to it.

 

So, I would say, support the effort. Stand by and watch, if you wish. But don't get in the way of what is possibly the most progress we've seen in a long time. We have cars that zoom on the roads autonomously. We have planes that can take off and land themselves. We have trains that can do the same, with minimal to no human interaction. We have probes going into deep space sending back pictures of Mars. And yet, the best the blind people can do, is fight to use their canes, and say they're proud of their canes.

 

I say again, if you don't or can't help, and you don't support the effort, with the nicest and most respectful intent possible, get the hell out of the way, sit down and shut up, and don't stop innovation and progress.

 

And with that, I will no longer engage in this thread, because I can see that more stupidity will be posted, and more people will come out proud to be carrying a stick.

 

On Wed, May 5, 2021 at 11:57 PM Gene <gsasner@...> wrote:

Isn’t it interesting how the cane is not respected and disparaged because blind people use it?  I don’t see people trying to eliminate cars because unassisted movement is a right and is superior.

 

I’d like to see how expensive this device is.  I’d like to see how long it runs on a charge.  I’d like to see if it gives me information about my nearby environment such as where a doorway is to a building or where there is grass to my left and where that grass is interrupted by a driveway, which may be necessary for me to find with my cane to know where I turn to move toward a building and the counting of driveways and walkways may be necessary for me to know when I’m turning at the right place. 

 

Device after device has been made and they have none of them been widely adopted.  Maybe there is a reason.

 

Blindness is considered a tragedy and the ways blind people do things are often disparaged, guilt by association.  Some ways blind people do things are neutral, some inferior, some superior.  Will it be replaced at some point by something superior?  Who knows.  but its persistence and wide use should give those who chaff at the bit to eliminate it pause.

 

As G.K. Chesterton said:

“Don't ever take a fence down until you know the reason it was put up.”

 

Gene

-----Original Message-----

From: Marco Curralejo

Sent: Thursday, May 06, 2021 1:39 AM

To: TechTalk@groups.io

Subject: Re: [TechTalk] Blind Tech Guys Strap Discount

 

Hello everyone,

 

Three years in the making, STRAP is an innovative, wearable device that fits over the chest and is designed to detect any type of obstacle. STRAP’s vast array of sensors work by sending real-time information that detects obstacles at your head, chest, and below your waist - including bumps, holes, and steps, then notifying you with haptic language vibrations. Designed for all ages and shipped globally later this year.

 

At STRAP Technologies we believe autonomy and independence are human rights; not luxuries. Our goal is to be the first replacement of the white cane, giving the visually impaired a long overdue hands free experience.

 

Use code BlindTech strap.tech, for 50% off the current total price of a STRAP device. Preorder today at this discounted price of $250 and pay only $50 at this time to reserve your STRAP. Once STRAP is shipped to you, you will be billed the remaining $200. This offer is just available with this Blind Tech Guys Code.

 

The Blind Tech Guys are pleased to offer you the above exclusive code and we are delighted to share this with our ever-growing community, so if you are keen to try this product, we encourage you to pre-order it and keep an eye out for a demo of the product to hit your ears sometime soon.

 

Warm regards,

 

Marco Curralejo

 

 

--

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Nimer Jaber

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Thank you, and have a great day!

 

--

Best,

Nimer Jaber

The message above is intended for the recipient to whom it was
addressed. If you believe that you are not the intended recipient,
please notify me via reply email and destroy all copies of this
correspondence. Action taken as a result of this email or its contents
by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) may result in civil or
criminal charges. I have checked this email and all corresponding
attachments for security threats.

Registered Linux User 529141.
http://counter.li.org/

To find out about a free, open-source, and versatile screen reader for Windows, visit nvaccess.org

You can follow @nimerjaber on Twitter for the latest technology news.

To contact me, you can reply to this email or you may call me at (970) (393-4481) and I will do my best to respond to you promptly.

 

Thank you, and have a great day!

 

--

Best,

Nimer Jaber

The message above is intended for the recipient to whom it was
addressed. If you believe that you are not the intended recipient,
please notify me via reply email and destroy all copies of this
correspondence. Action taken as a result of this email or its contents
by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) may result in civil or
criminal charges. I have checked this email and all corresponding
attachments for security threats.

Registered Linux User 529141.
http://counter.li.org/

To find out about a free, open-source, and versatile screen reader for Windows, visit nvaccess.org

You can follow @nimerjaber on Twitter for the latest technology news.

To contact me, you can reply to this email or you may call me at (970) (393-4481) and I will do my best to respond to you promptly.

 

Thank you, and have a great day!

--

Best,

Nimer Jaber

The message above is intended for the recipient to whom it was
addressed. If you believe that you are not the intended recipient,
please notify me via reply email and destroy all copies of this
correspondence. Action taken as a result of this email or its contents
by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) may result in civil or
criminal charges. I have checked this email and all corresponding
attachments for security threats.

Registered Linux User 529141.
http://counter.li.org/

To find out about a free, open-source, and versatile screen reader for Windows, visit nvaccess.org

You can follow @nimerjaber on Twitter for the latest technology news.

To contact me, you can reply to this email or you may call me at (970) (393-4481) and I will do my best to respond to you promptly.

Thank you, and have a great day!