Blind boost mobility with latest global positioning system
From: Lansing State Journal - 08/26/2006
By: Kim Norris

Sarah Clark has lived in Beverly Hills, Calif., for two years with her
seeing-eye companion, Miguel - a 6-year-old Labrador mix. 

But she has only been in a handful of the many boutiques, restaurants and
specialty shops in her area. 

Now, thanks to a new technology that puts a personal global positioning
system around her neck, the 26-year-old can explore all her neighborhood
offers. 

Clark is one of four students who came to the Rochester headquarters of
Leader Dogs for the Blind to learn how to use the new technology, called
Trekker. 

It is one of only two schools in the nation to train students in using
Trekker, which was developed two years ago by an Australian company called
Humanware. 

Trekker, which works similarly to a GPS in a car or boat, is used in tandem
with a leader dog or a walking cane. The 12-ounce Dell Computer personal
digital assistant carries in it a vast universe. 

The system costs $2,000 for the high-end model and training costs an
additional $2,200. Students are required to pay for the equipment, but not
the training. 

Read the entire article at:
http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060826/NEWS01/608260323/1001/news
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060824/NEWS03/608240376/1005/NEWS

Links:
Trekker
http://www.humanware.ca/web/en/p_DA_Trekker.asp

A GPS system for the Blind
http://www.adaptivetech.net/products/trekker.htm

Trekker Training FAQ
http://www.leaderdog.org/site/PageServer?pagename=TrekkerFAQ

Submitted by Andrew Y.J. Szeto