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Second Sense - Beyond Vision Loss

Archive: November 2021

Bat using echolocation to find a flower for its sap

Echolocation: It’s Not Just for Bats

November 15, 2021 | 2 Comments

by Siobhan Midgley, CVRT, COMS, TVI

  Bats, whales and other animals create sounds that bounce off objects to learn information about their environments. This strategy, called echolocation, helps them find prey and navigate under deep ocean depths and dark nighttime skies. Echolocation is now currently being researched as a tool for people with vision loss to also learn about the […] Read More »

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Ready for an Outing? Effective Route Planning Strategies

March 1, 2021 | Leave a Comment

by Brad Blair

  Brad is hosting a route planning workshop on March 17 at 4:30 PM CST via our conference line, 312-809-1004.  This is a great opportunity to ask specific questions about the strategies he shares here.   The Coronavirus seems to be receding — finally. Restaurants, sports venues, movie theaters and art galleries are once again […] Read More »

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A large group of pedestrians crossing Michigan Avenue with the Chicago Cultural Center in the background.

GPS for the Traveler with Vision Loss: An Overview

December 15, 2020 | Leave a Comment

by Brad Blair

  Global positioning system (GPS) technology is nearly everywhere. Today, GPS is in nearly every car on the road and every phone carried in a person’s pocket or purse. It’s now taken for granted that if you are planning a route from Chicago to Portland, or even just across town, you will use GPS systems. […] Read More »

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Gear for mobility during winter travel

Weathering Mobility Challenges Season to Season

April 1, 2019 | Leave a Comment

by Rachael Eschbach, COMS

Mobility in Every Season Chicago! It’s so wonderful to have all four seasons. Of course, every season presents its own set of challenges when traveling with vision loss. Here are some of the mobility problems that crop up season-to-season.  And some tips for overcoming them.   Winter Ice Ice is something that worries everyone, vision […] Read More »

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Sara Ellen wears a blindfold with her white cane.

Blindfold Training:  How Does it Help My Mobility?

February 15, 2019 | 1 Comment

by Rachael Eschbach, COMS

  “You know what’s weird,  I feel like I did better walking to your office blindfolded using the cane, than I did walking to your office using my vision…” ~Nicole   Many people who have some useable vision may have trouble learning to use a white cane. They are still trying to rely only on […] Read More »

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Rachael Eschbach

Who is Rachael Eschbach?

September 1, 2017 | 1 Comment

by Rachael Eschbach, COMS

I am a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist, who is fortunate to be a full time employee at Second Sense.  Although I am a young professional, I have been working in the field and training clients of all ages in Orientation and Mobility (O&M) for the past 6 years.  I love what I do! I […] Read More »

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Kathy and her guide Weller stand at the corner of Randolph and Wabash in Chicago

Extreme O&M: Sharpening Orientation and Mobility Skills

January 16, 2017 | Leave a Comment

by Kathy Austin, CVA

  You’re standing at a busy intersection, white cane in hand. Cars are whizzing by, turning in all directions and horns are honking. You need to cross the intersection. You feel like you are on the edge of a pool, waiting to jump in, but the water is icy cold and you are very hesitant. […] Read More »

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The Language of Mobility

October 15, 2014 | 1 Comment

by Alex Jones, Guest Blogger

I am drawn to O&M, or orientation and mobility, because I think it is an interesting and multifaceted field of work that draws on proven methods, progressive thought and creative instincts. Vision and Gait Lately, I find myself incredibly invested in how blindness and visual impairments affect one’s gait. I have become increasingly aware of […] Read More »

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