So the glide team sent out an email the other day stating that they’ve reached Alpha 2.0. And somehow this thing is supposed to release in 2025? I doubt it. Also, is there a reason why this thing isn’t being shown out in the street? Every demo has pretty much been a safe controlled environment. Why isn’t it being shown in the street with other pedestrians? Why does it show working crossing the street with cars? Why aren’t they showing us their progress? And then every video they release is people getting interviewed saying this thing is amazing. It’s wonderful. There’s nothing like it in the world. I’m getting really frustrated by the marketing to me. I need real evidence that this thing can actually work in a crowded street with other people.
Comments
@brian.
Oh god, no. A glide cane would be bought in a second by me but WeWalk? No thank you.
Re: Why buttons
I think a steering wheel would have two issues: one more mechanical complexity. and second and more critically, you're trying to read Glide's movement and if the handle turned in both directions whom starts to read who?
@mr grieves.
I believe you might be right, you should be able to tell it to find the corner and it will do it, otherwise from my understanding; it will keep wanting to go straight and that wouldn't be good for me as there's a road there.
Maybe I'm just really really used to the cane.
Either way, when I get it, I'll probably right a rightup, I know i said I would but I'm not sure at the moment, we'll see.
Not really
In a car the wheels turn when you turn the steering wheel. The driver keeps an eye on the road. Why couldn't this be the same as glide keeps an eye out the wheels turn. Doesn't need to be a full handle turn Not sure how you could make it work but it would be more natural.
Re: driveways
I think I am beginning to understand the problem - thinking about where I might want to walk, I would go past a number of driveways with dropped kerbs, then eventually turn right up a road and loop round. So I guess the question is whether Glide would be able to differentiate between the road going round and someone's driveway. Or whether it would just keep me walking indefinitely.
The allure of Glide, to some extent, is that it feels like something you should be able to just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. I suspect the reality is that, at least in the short term, it is going to require its own set of O&M skills.
One of the reasons I'm not that interested in a demo is it feels like this is going to be something that takes a while to master, and probably even a long session is unlikely to provide enough time to realistically figure it all out.
Personally I almost never go out walking on my own, so I hope this might give me more confidence to do that, and part of that is the hope that it won't guide me into people's driveways.
There is a lot to be said about the form factor of the WeWalk - that it adds to the information you get without changing the fundamentals. I still suspect that it will only be once Glide moves beyond the freeform mode that it will really start to shine.
couldn't go to waterloo!
after the big build-up....Bingo's services were required to teach administrative law owing to the absence of a colleague. Very disappointing as I'd have liked to have made my way to the Crispy Cream Doughnut shop meeting point at Waterloo and given Glide a spin. I did wonder whether the choice of meeting point was by chance, incidentally. I mean, there are plenty of other places to meet at Waterloo, many of them easier to find than that particular confectionery outlet. I did advise the gliders in advance before any of you chaps get on my case...I hope they get time to enjoy a doughnut or two. Serves you right, Bingo, for your being parsimonious with your annual leave allowance and not booking the afternoon officially orf. If that's what you're thinking, you have a point - the Bingo reputation for judiciously husbanding annual leave is legendary but sometimes, it backfires. Right ho, off to teach.
@mr grieves
It's honestly not hard to use, it feels a bit off for me but it's as simple as hold handle, push device in front of you.
@bingo
AH, ok. Perhaps you'll get to try it some time this year.
Brad's comments
Given that I didn't see the bleeder in the end, I'm nonetheless replying as one was anticipated. Doesn't look like you got a terribly authentic experience. So seeing it in Paddington was better than nothing, but still not great. that comes as no surprise - there are no driveways in Paddington or, for that matter, waterloo. I think the point you make about cane users is right on the money, to be honest. There are so many things on which I rely using my cane and I struggle to see how they would be integrated into my getting around experience with Glide. I have no canine companion, although I did once own a Keynote Companion during the first couple of years of my Oxford degree and I thought that was great...but I digress. I have no canine companion, I say, but I know enough from those who do that the getting around experience is, as I see it, considerably different. I can see Glide's taking quite a considerable adjustment for us cane users, perhaps to the extent of a fair amount of human intervention through mobility training. Had I gone to Waterloo, I would have asked them if they wanted to take the short walk to my office and back - a route I at least know very well - though I'm not sanguine they'd have been agreeable. brad certainly wouldn't have been, for there would have been naught to eat at the law school.
@bingo little.
Oh no, I'd say it was authentic, I would have prefered them to go on the street but it is what it is.
It's a bit odd though; you're just pushing this device in front of you, with one hand, and this small handle, I'm sorry to say I can't really describe why it feels wrong to me, it just does.
I'm going to try it once its out and hope that with maps comes a better experience.
I don't think I'm going to do a rightup, simply because this is one of those things where you have to truely experience it to get an understanding of how it feels.
Do a write-up anyway
Ultimately, subjectivity is the defining factor in most of these capers - my aforesaid remarks about the Keynote companion are laced with subjectivity. Doesn't mean to say that your own subjective opinion doesn't count as useful and important evidence.
I really don't think a writeup would be worth it.
Because i'd probably right something like, I used it, it works but isn't for me or is for me.
I didn't go through all comments, but here's the latest video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5vp8H7UeJY
While watching this, a sad thought came to mind.
Even though Glide promices to be a next gen Mobility aid, our 1 hand is still going to be occupied while we are walking down the road.
I understand we need the feel of the slopes and dips and stairs in front, but, can't we figure out a way to hook/clip glide's handle in our belt or something? With a normal cane, this wouldn't work as cane would simply go left/right on it's own if no directional control is maintained. However, with Glide, if it's maintaining directional control on it's own, why not just clip it to our belt or thyes, and it will go forward as we walk forward. I would really like to have my both hands free while walking out and about.
Again, a stick coming out of your belt buckle might look funny, and if it bumps in to something, there can be pain at very inappropriate place. 😀 So may be we clip it to our thyes. Keep it away from delicate parts. 🥺
No Hands
I understand your point. Hands free would sure help at times. Speaking for myself, I see the challenge of fastening it on is reading the direction it wants to go. The waist is not as sensitive as the hand, and the user is likely to be anywhere from 15 to 30 times larger in mass than little Glide. The effect of which is my motion and momentum would override Glide.
Perhaps once everything else is ironed out, we can work on attachments for Glide, like a basket? For now I'll be pleased to have an autonomous Glide.
Hands-free
I’m not sure if it would be a good idea to do hands-free with the Glide. As mentioned, jabs in that area can happen even if the Glide avoids obstacles. I’m thinking about large curbs and bumps in the road. That’s unavoidable no matter what. I believe hands-free may be possible if they implement something like a no jab handle, which may come out for a future model. Maybe email the team and let them know? I've already asked them several questions and they have been very kind.
Best option
Implement Glide in my footware. Gliding scates!
Jokes aside, Yes, a glide clipping to body will need a no-jab solution.
It gives me a bit of a relief that I am not alone in my desire for hands-free walking! May be some day somewhere, some blind entrepreneur takes up this challenge.
Edit: @Chris, on second thought, even for bumps, won't the user simply feel a difference of angle in their thyes, where glide is clipped? Since Glide's wheals would be much more larger than our cane tips, I am guessing it will simply glide over any bumps. If it falls down a stair or something, that's an entirely different problem. And, It's expected to apply breaks before we arrive at stairs going up, so gerks that way are out of question.
Re: hands free
I'm not sure it would work hands free, as I believe you need a hand to push it. It doesn't pull you along, it just guides you by applying resistance or turning its wheels.
I’m not so sure about this
I can appreciate the desire to have free hands. What you’re suggesting is about trying to get as close to being cited as you can. And that’s a wonderful goal. Except that this is by definition meant to be a first next step. Let’s make sure we get to a successful launch of glide. Let’s make sure that it meets some of our hopes; and that it evolves. And then a few years down the line, Let’s suggest that there can be something new implemented. This is not gonna cure your blindness. It’s just a tool that will help you get from point A to point B. My dog doesn’t know where we’re going. He just goes the direction I say. There’s a lot of work involved in making sure he’s well trained enough to listen to me. And it’s not perfect. Using a white cane takes a lot of training and patience. And it still requires you to know exactly where you are and how you’re gonna keep track of where you are going.
Glide is not going to make it easier to be blind. It’s not going to make it easier to meet people. It’s not specifically going to make you more confident. It’s just a tool. And you’re willingness to try hard things is what will build your confidence. Somewhere above I read that somebody is planning on going out more because of Glide. That’s a great thing. Except that I don’t think that one thing can be the reason why we do anything differently. A trainer once told me that if I cannot get around without my dog, then I’m probably not somebody that should have one. Don’t wait for glide. Go grab your cane and get out there. Learn whatever tools you can and be out there. If you want to get a dog, practice and keep practicing until you guys are a working unit. And when the dog is sick, doesn’t want to work, is at the dog groomer, or any number of things, grab your cane and get out there.
There’s a lot of things that I’ve thought about when it comes to glide. I want there to eventually be circumstances where I can say, “take me to gate 18 in terminal C of Newark airport. “And then glide just does its thing to get me there. Or I’d like to make it to The Apple Store inside the American dream mall. And glide can navigate me through that chaos to get there. That’s years away. And realistically we’ll be able to do that with smart glasses soon enough. And even without technology, I still make it to my flight. I still get to the Apple Store. I socialize and form relationships and hit the gym and go to a restaurant at any number of things. Not because of my dog. Not because I even use a cane. It’s because I ultimately refuse to not do it.
It’s just a tool. And with or without it, you need to be able to do things anyway. I have complete faith in your ability to adapt and do any number of things. And I get that it’s really scary and hard. And, practicing will make it less uncomfortable and more doable.
Please don’t make glide your savior.
I agree.
I do completely agree with Glide being a tool, an advanced one to be sure; but still a tool. It isn't going to take you out of the house, you have to want to leave.
It won't be the be all and end all when it comes to blindness, it'll probably be wierd to use in the beginning, there might even be quite a few refunds because people just won't be able to get used to it.
I think it's best for us to have a don't put all your eggs in one baskket mindset when it comes to any device for the blind.
In agreement with Ash
Don't let the tool be the reason you go out. Let the tool assist you while you're out, but don't let it be the reason you go out at all. When my dog was sick, I had to rely on old faithful (my white cane). When my dog was injured, again I had to depend on old faithful. Finally, when it was time to retire my dog for good, I was left with old faithful. My dog was not the reason I went out, though I will admit, that being out with a dog, made me a lot more approachable than being out with my white cane. Something about a dog seems to get people to be more friendly and personable towards you, than a guy wandering around with a stick in his hand. Lol
I will reiterate what has already been said here, this is not going to be your savior, it will just be your assistant. It will be up to you as to whether or not you are able to use it, learn from it, and have a more engaging and fulfilling life, whether you end up with this device, or sticking to good old faithful. 👨🦯
It's going to be interesting.
I'm hoping by the time it comes out next year I'll be in a new place,, I'm hoping to move out some time this year or early next.
It is odd to use at first but once they get the AI added, I think it'll make it worth it.