[@anyonecanuk]

I teach sailing and Canoeing to visually impaired adventurers. In both the vessel is tracking straight is essential for the application of technique or theory.

For a proportion of VI users a bright sunny day or a consistent wind gives a poor but usable direction anchor but England struggles for both bright days and constant wind directions.

This leaves the only option of the guide or instructor constantly calling “left a bit” “right a bit” it get frustrating and annoying for the user.

A solution would be to have a device that progressively plays a sound louder the further left of target you are and a differing sound for how right of target. In its simplest form this could just be a single button pushed when course is correct by the guide.

A more advanced version would:
1) allow the input of a target direction, 2) output an audio course confirmation periodically so the user can independently calculate and perform tacks (turns).
3) Use the same system to receive from a (usb )wind sensor an audio read of relative wind direction probably reading out the point of sail (angle of wind to the boat) this would allow a VI crew to trim the sails independently
4) allow nearby remote triggering of the settings from the safety boat or chart table to facilitate solo sailing (currently we use radio audio guidance but it’s a barrier to almost all VI sailors)

We may have a start point to this project which may be of use in that we have an adapted Pypilot hat we use for clients with mobility impairments. The system can read calculate compass course at any angle of heel and the difference between this and the target course before sending it to the motor controller which steers back towards the target. We use various switches to facilitate control for those who could not steer directly. Note this is a hack of a ready made system I have no programming skills.

[@smithty]

Hello!

Would love to help you out! Any way we can get anymore details?

Willing to do either of the ideas. Think the button push idea would work, just want to get a few more details.

We could also meet on zoom, if you are interested.

Hope to hear back.

[@anyonecanuk]

Smithy

Thats great love to zoom. Which time zone are you in?

 

[@smithty]

From the US, Eastern Standard Time.

When can you meet?

[@anyonecanuk]

Oh dear my message didn’t go through – I was wondering why there is no reply bit short notice now but…

How about Tuesday 6 December at 1600UTC with I think makes it 11am local for you?

[@smithty]

Sounds great. Would you like us to send a link, or do you have one yourself?

[@anyonecanuk]

Great here’s a zoom link Zoom user is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

 

Topic: Anyone Can Audio Compass

Time: Dec 6, 2022 03:00 PM London

 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us05web.zoom.us/j/88358331321?pwd=RFVLY0FLU2gwUHhkTjRzbXJRTS8xZz09

 

Meeting ID: 883 5833 1321

Passcode: 0WvgAb

 

Speak soon

 

Chris

[@smithty]

Hey Chris. Great talking today. Helped alot and excited to get to work.

Any way we could just get your email maybe to get in contact a little bit more direct. We need a few photos of the pypilots to get started..

[@anyonecanuk]

Hey Guys thats no problem our email address is

[email protected]

Cheers Chris

 

 

 

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