On Monday 04 September 2006 10:22 am, VKB wrote:
Friends,
warning: longish email
I share my thoughts-in-context with all of you, partly at the risk of making it non-relevant to the gnu/linux/tech kind of focus of this forum. If so, please excuse my articulation and/or intrusion.
Thanks to Krishnakant, jtd and Dinesh, besides many others, who have/are contributing to this thread.
I have been working with electronics and IT for over two decades and feel that jtd's comments reflect a great deal of practicality and real-life experience. Thanks jtd for your time and mindshare on this and to this forum :-)
27 yrs in the industry. Sob i feel old.
More of my thoughts in context...
Perhaps the focus may be (partly) redefined if were to reword "digital assistance" in Dinesh's well summarized metrics, to "viable assistance",
"digital" should be a subset of "viable" if/when/where found relevant and useful. Real-life is analogue (not digital ;-)
Can we request or work towards getting local authorities and/or sponsors to install hand/guide rails (say some 4 feet tall and 6 feet long) say within the first 18 feet of each street of each intersection ? (numbers are indicative and can be redefined to some agreed and conformable standard).
These rails would typically located at the edge of the kerb/footpath. No rocket science here... it is common to see such railings at various intersections and places, installed at various times, by various local authorities, mostly with the intention of attempting to guide pedestrian traffic.
Now to make the difference and add value :
The guide rail size/proportions must be standardized, consistent or predictable (say within one or two flavours of sizes).
These guide rails to be embossed with markings (braille or otherwise recongisable by the visually impaired).
The embossing may be on the under-side of the rail or upper side or whatever outdoor-egronomics for such a purpose recommend.
would have to be changeable overlay to match changing landmarks / environment.
When the creation (or upgradation of existing) guide rails happen, figure how to drive towards ensuring that those making these also make provisions for electric/energy supply and a small weather proof contaner (like at traffic signals but much smaller I hope)
The rails are pipes. Just put the electronis inside and the pipe as an untuned antenna. Godd enough for several meters.
Couldnt agree more with your mail. We can always pilot a few electronic rails by pooling in a few rupees.