The Miniguide is only intended as an accessory to the more traditional aids such as the white cane and guide dog. The Miniguide is not a replacement for these primary aids, it should only be used as a secondary aid.
The Miniguide can not detect drop offs. So please rely on your primary aid in areas where drop offs might be present, for example, railway stations, near stairs and so on.
People should only use the Miniguide once they have read and understood the instructions, as the instructions include important information and warnings about its use. People who may have difficulty understanding the instructions should only use the aid under expert supervision. Children should only use the aid under adult supervision.
Back to topOriginally the Miniguide was supplied in a snug fitting fabric case. The present model has a hard plastic case and cap. (Manufactured by the good people at Beneficial Plastics www.beneficialplastics.com.au). A picture of the inside of the case (with battery removed) can be found here.
The Miniguide uses ultrasonic echo-location to detect objects. The aid vibrates to indicate the distance to objects - the faster the vibration rate the nearer the object. There is also an earphone socket which can be used to provide sound feedback.
The aid utilises the latest electronics to provide excellent robustness, reliability and battery life. The battery will normally last for many months.
A single push button is used to switch the aid on or off and also change settings. The aid has various modes and options. The main modes are:
Only large objects can be detected at 4 meters or beyond, for example, fences, walls.
Cane and guide dog users have found that the Miniguide has assisted them in many ways, including:
More detailed information about the operation of the Miniguide can be obtained by reading the User Manual.
Back to topExcerpt from Horizons Newsletter
The following are some more comments from people using the Miniguide.
"The Miniguide is an extremely important breakthrough in the area of mobility aids for totally blind people. It is exquisitely small, powerful and inexpensive." - Andrew Downie (Andrew is possibly the world's longest-term user of electronic aids.)
"I've used the Miniguide intensively over the last few weeks and have now come to depend on it as an integral part of my mobility. ..... It's early days with the Miniguide for me yet, but so far I'm very impressed. Well done!" - Mike
"The greatest success I've experienced (so far) has been using the 4 meter mode outside when I've needed to find a mailbox and trash can. I know approximately where they are, but my dog doesn't cooperate when I'm looking for them because they're on the way home, and he's convinced I really mean to go to the subway station. I know the area they're in, but with him, he pulls back when I'm looking for them because he doesn't want me to run into them. With your device, I was able to locate them, and hear when I was getting close enough to reach out and touch them. Without your device, I've given up in frustration because I've felt around, reaching out into empty space, and gotten concerned about wandering off the sidewalk into traffic. With your device, I found what I wanted, walked up to it, and deposited what I needed to, and went on my way happily." - Jeffrey
"As for the Miniguide, I'm enjoying experimenting with it. It's nice to be able to search for hallways and such while walking down the middle of a hall instead of near the wall. I'm also enjoying the ability to get a better sense of how far something is from me." - Anna
Back to topMiniguide Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
There are two user manuals:
Back to topThe Miniguide is available from the following organisations:
SenderoGroup in the USA or Canada. Sendero Group's Shop Miniguide page.
American Printing House for the Blind (APH - www.aph.org) sell a
specially customised
version of the Miniguide (called the "Miniguide US" - pictured below).
This version of the Miniguide has an extra push button that allows
quick access to the gap finding modes. This model is only available
from APH via the link below. It can also be purchased with school
quota funds.
APH's Miniguide US.
GDP Research is a small company based in Adelaide, Australia.
Our email address is mail124 at the domain gdp-research.com.au
People can help fund our work by sponsoring the purchase of Miniguides. This allows the organisation to receive valuable equipment and for us to receive extra income to help fund our research. The sponsor can usually claim the donation as a tax deduction if the organisation is a registered charity.
The following organisations are very familiar with the Miniguide and would probably appreciate donations to help buy more:
Here's a short history of the development of the Miniguide.
There have been lots of different electronic travel aids. We think the Miniguide is pretty good because it is reliable, robust, has a long battery life and is small. For your interest, here is a list of some of the past and present electronic travel aids:
