guidedog
Latest
Uber settlement protects travel with your guide dog
Uber has made some effort to accommodate passengers with special needs, but it certainly hasn't been perfect: in 2014, the National Federation of the Blind's California branch sued Uber for denying rides to poor-sighted passengers with guide dogs and other service animals. However, it might soon make amends. The ridesharing company has proposed a settlement in that lawsuit that would protect your ability to take service animals with you on trips. Drivers would get in-app pop-ups and emails reminding them of their duty to carry your companion, and there would be a formal policy that bans drivers if they're caught rejecting passengers with animal helpers.
NSK developing Kinect-laced robotic guide dog for the blind (video)
Have you ever looked at a robotic dog, scratched your head and thought, "Why?" Well, NSK has just responded with a pretty valid "Because." Turns out, the Japanese manufacturer is working on a new mechanized canine that could one day serve as a guide dog for the blind. The company's latest prototype builds on the work of the University of Electro-Communications (UEC), which unveiled its first model, the NR001, in 2005, followed by an updated version (NR002) in 2007. With this third iteration, unveiled late last month, NSK and UEC have added a Microsoft Kinect sensor, which allows it to more easily identify and navigate obstacles or stairs. The quadrupedal beast can also scamper up and down steps with more grace than its predecessors, which moved more like arthropods than actual dogs. The bot's paws have also been equipped with obstacle-avoiding bumper sensors, and researchers are working on incorporating voice commands, as well. NSK says its guide dog could eventually feature GPS capabilities to provide more accurate directions for the blind and visually impaired, though it'll probably be a while before it hits the pavement; the company hopes to commercialize the dogbot by 2020. Trot past the break to see the pup in action, in a pair of demo videos.
PDC's Guide Dog gets real, loses parking and Bluetooth
Sure, we don't mind the impossible happening every once in awhile, but as with our favorite flavor of vaporware, if it sounds too sensational to be realistic, it (almost) always is. PDC hasn't quite pulled a no-show like the lapboard, but the firm's handheld conglomerate most certainly isn't everything it claimed it would be. NaviGadget caught up to PDC while at CES and got some first looks at the Guide Dog, which is now referred to as the PDC-668C, and while it does pack a SiRF Star III receiver, 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD, directional pad, two pre-loaded games, adjustable backlight / volume controls, PAPAGO R12 navigation software, and SD / MMC / PSd memory slots, this Windows CE 5.0-powered navigator (unsurprisingly) lacks the far-fetched parking sensor and Bluetooth capabilities it previously boasted about. Moreover, it's grown quite a bit since its puppy days, garnered a coat of glossy white, and picked up a "suggested price of around $450 to $500," but the firm is still looking for a North American distributor to get these things moving.
PDC's Guide Dog does GPS, gaming, and parking?
There's practical, there's incredible, and then there's sensational. PDC's Guide Dog looks to be a strong contender for the latter, as the all-in-one gizmo has a bit too much going for it to be believable. Nevertheless, this sleek, flashy portable supposedly functions primarily as a GPS device, boasting a four-inch touchscreen, "built-in antenna," and Windows CE behind the scenes. When not pulling you around, this puppy doubles as a "2D / 3D gaming machine," and also plays back MP3s, MP4 video files, and various other forms of "media." As if this weren't pushing things already, it purportedly packs a WiFi adapter for internet browsing, an "IP phone," DVB-T tuner, Bluetooth, GPRS, UART, and even acts as a "parking sensor," presumably requiring you to duct tape it on your bumper for best results. To keep your media on hand, it supports MMC, MMCplus, SD, and PDC's "own proprietary format" (or is it?), PSd. While this thing would cause some serious shakeup in the handheld navigation world if it all panned out, we're taking this yet-to-be-priced, and currently unavailable device with a few throws of salt for now.[Via NaviGadget]
