Hi Bert, and All, I was just wondering what are the dimensions of the GPS receiver for Loadstone and how does a user carry both the mobile and the receiver for best results. Well done to all involved in bringing and indeed testing that product. All the best, Tony Sweeney.---- Original Message ----- From: "albertbrown" <albertbrown@xxxxxxxxxx> To: <vicsireland@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2007 9:37 PM Subject: [vicsireland] Re: Well positioned in Dublin and Cork with GPS > Hello Maureen, > yes your mobile 6600 with your version of Talks should work. > > The GPS receiver can be purchased from Expansys in the UK. > the number is a Dublin local number: 01/6319119 and your switched to the > UK. > > I use Loadstone myself and I find it very good, I also use wayfinder, these > maps are already available. > Bert > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "maureen newell" <mcnewell@xxxxxxxxxx> > To: <vicsireland@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2007 6:51 PM > Subject: [vicsireland] Re: Well positioned in Dublin and Cork with GPS > > > > Very, very interesting Ronan, I have a 6600 'phone with Talks but do I > > need the update to Talks to use Loadstone? Also where can one buy this > > headset? > > > > Maureen. > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Ronan McGuirk" <ronan.mcguirk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > To: <vicsireland@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2007 4:43 PM > > Subject: [vicsireland] Well positioned in Dublin and Cork with GPS > > > > > >> Hello to the VICS list. I am enclosing our report on the use of > > Loadstone > >> below. We look forward to the comments of VICS members. > >> > >> > >> > >> Ronan > >> > >> > >> > >> Report Begins: > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> Well positioned in Dublin and Cork > >> > >> - GPS and a mobile phone as a mobility aid for people with a vision > >> impairment > >> > >> - authors: Aedan O'Meara, Cearbhall O'Meadhra, Ronan McGuirk > >> > >> > >> > >> Date January 2007 > >> > >> > >> > >> Overview > >> > >> > >> > >> Over the past few months we have been experimenting with mobile phones > >> interacting with the Global Positioning System to assess the > > usefulness of > >> > >> this technology as a mobility aid to people with a vision impairment. > >> > >> We have been carrying out a trial of the Loadstone-GPS system at two > >> locations in Ireland, (Dublin and Cork). In this short paper we > > summarise > >> our experiences and are pleased to report that the experiment was > >> successful. > >> > >> > >> > >> What is the Global Positioning System? > >> > >> > >> > >> The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite navigation system. > > A set > >> of satellites is in orbit around the Earth. These satellites transmit > > radio > >> signals and a person with a GPS receiver can determine his/her > > location > >> based on these satellite signals. There is a very good article > > explaining > >> the Global Positioning System in Wikipedia at > >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Positioning_System > >> > >> > >> > >> What is Loadstone? > >> > >> > >> > >> Loadstone-GPS is a free program designed for Series 60 Symbian mobile > >> phones. This software has been designed to work well with screen > > readers > >> such as Talks or Mobile Speak on the mobile phones. In order for > >> Loadstone-GPS to work, it requires a separate GPS receiver that is > > connected > >> to the mobile phone using Bluetooth. > >> > >> It is worth noting that the hardware is standard off-the-shelf > > equipment. > >> It is not specially designed for visually impaired people. > > Furthermore, the > >> > >> Loadstone-GPS program itself is free. > >> > >> > >> > >> For more information on Loadstone-GPS check out the Loadstone website > > at > >> > >> www.loadstone-gps.com > >> > >> > >> > >> What equipment did we use? > >> > >> > >> > >> Ronan used a Nokia 6600 with Talks 2.5 premium edition together with a > > Holux > >> Slim 236 GPS receiver. > >> > >> Aedan used a Nokia 6680 with Talks 3.0 premium edition with > > dictionary and > >> a Holux slim 236 GPS receiver. > >> > >> Cearbhall used a Nokia 6680 with Talks 3.0 premium edition with > > dictionary, > >> ThinkOutside Bluetooth keyboard, Motorola Bluetooth earphone And a > > Holux > >> slim 236 GPS receiver. > >> > >> > >> > >> How we used Loadstone > >> > >> > >> > >> The Global Positioning system works by receiving radio signals from > >> Satellites and calculating the location of the receiver as a point of > >> > >> Latitude and longitude on the Earth. > >> > >> > >> > >> When you install Loadstone on your mobile phone and get it working > > with your > >> GPS receiver, it can tell you your latitude and longitude, altitude > > and > >> speed and direction of movement. However, to make full use of it, it > > is > >> Necessary to have a way of converting latitude and longitude to place > > names > >> or as they are called "points of interest, or P.O.I.s". > >> > >> > >> > >> Loadstone, which is being written by a blind programmer, is specially > >> designed to make the recording of any point of interest to you > > absolutely > >> simple. Pressing the hash key in the Loadstone program on your mobile > > phone > >> puts you into an edit box and it is similar to entering a text > > message. > >> > >> > >> > >> After using Loadstone for a few months we collected hundreds of point > > names. > >> The types of point names we collected included train stations, Luas > >> stations, shops, pubs and many road junctions. > >> > >> > >> > >> Ronan found that he could use loadstone to tell which train station > > the > >> Dublin Dart had stopped at. Using Loadstone on the Dart train gives a > > great > >> deal of information. Not only can you tell which station you are at, > > but > >> also when the train is moving you can tell the speed and direction. > > You can > >> follow the curve of Dublin Bay as the train leaves Dun Laoghaire > > heading due > >> west and gradually curves through the compass till it is heading > > north. > >> Ronan found that he needed to learn the meaning of compass points such > > as > >> West By North, and East by North East. Using Loadstone gives a very > > rich > >> understanding of your location, speed, direction and altitude > > especially if > >> you are travelling in a bus or a car. > >> > >> > >> > >> Cearbhall collected points along the seafront in Bray. This is a half > >> kilometre of straight esplanade with no distinguishing features. He > > was able > >> to use Loadstone to mark the point of entry to the esplanade (a > > particular > >> set of steps and buildings alongside the walk that identified > > different > >> parts of the route. > >> > >> > >> > >> When you have collected a set of points yourself or downloaded them > > from the > >> point share exchange, Loadstone is a good help when trying to > > understand > >> your current location or find a point of interest. It is simple to > > ask > >> Loadstone what the nearest point is or to get the direction and > > distance to > >> a point you wish to reach. Loadstone is not a substitute for a long > > cane or > >> a guide dog, but it is a useful addition to your existing method of > >> mobility. > >> > >> > >> > >> How to look up an Internet map to get latitude and longitude > >> > >> > >> > >> There is a web site at > >> > >> http://stevemorse.org/jcal/latlon.php with a search facility that is > > very > >> simple and will give you the latitude and Longitude of any town or > > large > >> village in Ireland, or anywhere else in the world. It will also do the > >> reverse. If you capture a point with loadstone you can look it up on > > this > >> website to get the street address. Ronan found that it usually gives > > the > >> correct street name in Dublin but the address number of the house is > > only an > >> approximation. > >> > >> > >> > >> Comparison of Loadstone with other location systems > >> > >> > >> > >> Unlike mapping systems which some of us have over a year's experience > > of, > >> Loadstone stands out as the only viable and cost effective option for > > the > >> visually impaired who wish to be told at any time exactly where they > > are on > >> the surface of the earth. (yes, you can use it anywhere on the surface > > of > >> the earth, even at the poles though we haven't tried this yet!). > >> > >> > >> > >> At the moment the list of already labelled points of interest is only > > being > >> built by the voluntary efforts of current users. It is therefore a > > very > >> rewarding project to be involved in as the information you gather will > > be > >> there for generations to come who might need it! This is the only > > program > >> that allows you to build entirely your own route to suit bus, train, > > or any > >> other off the road route. It is totally portable and once one is used > > to it > >> you will never leave it at home! > >> > >> > >> > >> Aedan has gone back to using Wayfinder for comparison purposes as he > > used it > >> for a year before getting Loadstone. He reports that his installation > > of > >> Wayfinder, in his circumstances, was totally sterile in that it gave > > no > >> information like individual bus stops, etc that he had built up with > >> Loadstone. > >> > >> > >> > >> Wayfinder only announced the turns and was awkward in use to find even > > the > >> > >> name of the road you have turned onto. It appears to be purely a > > mapping > >> program > >> > >> designed for car users, or sighted pedestrians. > >> > >> > >> > >> Ronan had previously used Mini GPs which is a program that came with > > the > >> > >> Talks premium edition and allowed the labelling of mobile phone cells. > > Mini > >> > >> GPS can tell you the name of the mobile phone cell in which you are > > located. > >> > >> > >> > >> However, in Dublin the cells can be quite large (3 or four kilometres > > across > >> in places). Obviously this only gives you a very approximate location. > > On > >> the Dublin Dart train system the mobile phone cells often include more > > than > >> one station so it is not a foolproof method of identifying location. > >> > >> > >> > >> Loadstone by contrast gives you a location that can be accurate to > > about 5 > >> metres. > >> > >> > >> > >> Saving points to the Point share website > >> > >> > >> > >> Each of us collected many points. The Loadstone-gps website provides a > >> database for sharing points. Over the past few months we have added > > several > >> hundreds of Irish places to the point share exchange. > >> > >> > >> > >> Coverage of points in Ireland today > >> > >> > >> > >> Before we started using Loadstone, a number of Irish points had been > > added > >> to the exchange. We are pleased to report that we have jointly added > > several > >> hundred more. > >> > >> > >> > >> We have captured all Dart stations from Bray to Tara Street and all > > Green > >> > >> line Luas stations from Sandyford to Stephens green. We have saved a > > lot of > >> points in the Dun Laoghaire Dalkey area and also in Dublin 4. Ronan > > went > >> hill walking on the Wicklow Way and has saved several points along the > > route > >> and elsewhere in County Wicklow. > >> > >> > >> > >> In Cork Aedan has added many points for Cork city centre, West cork as > > far > >> as > >> > >> Clonakilty, and in East Cork from Fermoy to Dungarvan and in Waterford > > as > >> far as Lismore, Waterford City, and Dunmore East. > >> > >> Cearbhall has collected most of the stations from Heuston station, > > Dublin to > >> > >> Waterford together with many points along the M50 from Bray to > > Sandyford. > >> > >> > >> > >> Problems we encountered with Loadstone > >> > >> > >> > >> Ronan had problems with the Holux GPS unit not getting a signal but > > has now > >> resolved this problem. > >> > >> > >> > >> Cearbhall found that the interest points marked on the Bray seafront > > change > >> > >> each time he goes out. The change is small and not important when > > noting > >> buildings alongside the route. However, a series of four rubbish bins > > that > >> create a hazard for a blind pedestrian and are spaced about ten metres > >> apart, are reported by loadstone as being in significantly different > >> locations every time one passes. The accuracy of current technology > > can > >> vary a bit from day to day and we are experiencing typical accuracies > > of > >> about 5 to 10 metres. The Wikipedia article we mentioned above gives > > a very > >> good explanation of the factors that affect location accuracy. > >> > >> > >> > >> We have got to grips with the peculiar way Holux works. You need to > > switch > >> > >> it on in an area with a guaranteed signal and wait about 30 seconds > > before > >> > >> starting loadstone on the mobile phone. If you do this it works fine > >> afterwards. If you start it in an area with a bad signal (for example > > on a > >> crowded train) then it often goes into a strange mode and won't see a > >> satellite signal until re-booted. We find that switching Holux off and > > on > >> again with the switch on the Holux box works fine to get it back > > working > >> again, provided you wait about 60 seconds, and we found that we > > rarely > >> needed to re-boot the phone. > >> > >> > >> > >> Aedan found that in order to get an accurate direction of travel it > > was > >> necessary to walk fairly quickly. There is a feature built into the > > GPS > >> units called Static Navigation that is the cause of this. We > > recommend that > >> the Static Navigation feature be turned off. If you get a unit with > > Static > >> Navigation turned on, you will either have to walk quickly to get a > >> direction or go through a somewhat complex process to turn this > > feature off. > >> > >> > >> > >> The Loadstone program itself can be a little confusing in its layout > > and we > >> have contributed through the email discussion list to a more logical > > layout > >> in certain parts of the newer versions. > >> > >> > >> > >> Next steps > >> > >> We have no hesitation in recommending this product or, more correctly, > >> project as a fine example of the blind helping themselves to create a > >> fantastically useful tool to assist orientation. We would encourage > > other > >> visually impaired people in Ireland to try it out. If we work > > together we > >> can build up a rich store of points on the point share exchange. > >> > >> > >> > >> Looking to the future we expect technology to change fairly rapidly. > >> Loadstone-GPS currently works on the second edition Symbian phones. > > As of > >> now it doesn't work on the 3rdrd edition. Hopefully this will change > > over > >> time. > >> > >> > >> > >> We expect that over time GPS technology will rapidly improve and GPS > >> chipsets will be built into mobile phones. Further, it is assumed > > that > >> > >> the new European GPS system Galileo, currently being built, with > > several > >> satellites already put into orbit, will have an accuracy level of > >> centimetres. This would mean that in a few years, if we still have an > >> accessible system like Loadstone-GPS, we will be able to find the > > door, > >> not just the building as at the moment! > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> We are in touch with the Ordnance Survey of Ireland (OSI) to see if > > their > >> maps can be imported into Loadstone. We will also examine the OSI'S > > OWN GPS > >> programs to see if they can be used by a blind person in a laptop or > > mobile > >> phone. > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> --- Report ends. > >> > >> > >> > >> -- > >> > >> No virus found in this incoming message. > >> > >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. > >> > >> Version: 7.1.410 / Virus Database: 268.16.10/624 - Release Date: > > 12/01/2007 > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> -- > >> Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. > >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. > >> Version: 7.5.430 / Virus Database: 268.16.10/625 - Release Date: > > 13/01/2007 17:40 > >> > >> > > > > > > > >