Advanced Orientation and Mobility: Using Assistive Technology

Friday, February 9 - 10:00 am - 2:30 pm

While there is no substitute for comprehensive orientation and mobility training, certain phone applications can be beneficial to an experienced traveler. Different types of applications include visual interpretation apps, artificial intelligence apps and GPS or navigation apps. Not only can these apps aid in navigating, but can also enhance your experience when visiting a destination.

Destination: Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium

This advanced orientation and mobility outing takes us to Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium and focuses on the following phone apps:

Visual interpretation apps such as Aira and BeMyEyes provide a live person who will describe your surroundings to you. Services like this may assist you in finding lost items, reading street signs, finding room numbers or locating items in a vending machine.
Artificial intelligence apps such as Seeing AI use your phone’s camera to read documents, identify colors and money. These apps can also scan bar codes to give you more information about a product such as a menu or packaged food item.

During this outing you will be using both Aira, (free at the Shedd Aquarium), as well as seeing AI to read various signs, find animal exhibits and access the lunch menu. A guided tour will be provided to different animal exhibits and experiences.

Itinerary:

10:00am: Arrive at Second Sense, 65 E. Wacker Place, Suite 1010
10:00-10:30 am: Group discussion
11:00am-12:30pm: Shedd Aquarium Tour
12:30-1:30pm: Lunch at Shedd Aquarium
2:00pm: Arrive back at Second Sense
2:30pm: Ride pick-up at Second Sense

To participate in this outing, you must:

be able to use your phone independently
be able to download applications on your phone prior to the outing

Special Notes:

Second Sense will be providing transportation to and from the Shedd Aquarium from Second Sense via Uber/Lyft
If you are able to, please download Seeing AI and Aira prior to the outing
Second Sense will be covering the cost of lunch at the Shedd Aquarium
If bringing a guide dog, please ensure that you have a gentle leader since it is a highly distracting environment
Registration is required for this workshop. Space is limited to 6 participants

To register please call Kathy Austin at (312)236-8569 or email Kathy Austin.