Shawn Kirkpatrick
Go blindly where everyone sighted has gone before.
Loadstone GPS for the Blind for Nokia
Global Positioning Systems (GPS) have become very popular in the
past few years, enabling users to obtain directional and routing
information via a visual interface. Accessible models on the market
are notoriously bulky and expensive. In 2004, a friend approached me
with an idea for a portable and accessible navigation system to
provide a low-cost solution to persons with vision impairment. The
objective was to use a cell phone to run the GPS program and a
receiver to connect to the GPS satellites.
At this point, neither of us had ever embarked on such a venture. I
used a cell phone regularly but had no indepth knowledge of how the
actual hardware worked. Even the operating system on which the
equipment ran was new to me. In order to ensure the reliability of
the product, I improved my knowledge of the Symbian operating system
I planned to use, as well as my knowledge of GPS and Nokia hardware.
This project presented many challenges along the way. I had never
seen a Nokia smart phone or a GPS receiver before and I had never
worked with the Symbian operating system. Storing information about
the world on a cell phone and presenting it in a way that made sense
was also far more difficult than first thought.
My knowledge of computer programming and ability to learn new
computer languages and concepts was especially useful for this
project.
Since the launch of the first release of Loadstone, I have managed
continuous implementation of program features and fixes to ensure
client satisfaction. Currently, I provide technical assistance to
users around the world through mailing lists. Loadstone has secured
the support and donations of international sponsors and users are
constantly using Loadstone on new adventures, notably sailing and
hiking.
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