Benjamin Levicek The most widely used navigation application worldwide is Google Maps, which offers many functions. Mapy.cz also has a big say in the Czech Republic, which is unsurprising information considering how well they have mapped our landscape. But what about navigation apps for the blind? Are there any specialized ones or do we have to settle for the regular ones?
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Personally, I really like using Google Maps in combination with the compass on my phone. Many of my visually impaired friends tease Google Maps for telling them which side of the world they're going to. But I have no other option to find my way around, because I can't see the displayed map, so I always turn on the compass. Otherwise, Google Maps are quite accurate in the city, in smaller villages it is a little worse. Unfortunately, it sometimes happens that there are several turns right behind me, and even if my phone tells me which one to turn into, I don't know about the previous one, which a normal user can see on the map.
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However, there are applications that are specialized for the blind. Data are often drawn from Google Maps, so their accuracy is quite good. However, you will not see the map on the screen. The applications tell you at which hour on the clock face the location is from you. To give an example, if I'm walking to a coffee shop and it's on my left, my phone tells me it's at 9 o'clock. The applications even include a compass, which greatly facilitates orientation in space. Another perfect thing is that they notify you of the places you pass by.
However, blind people have to pay attention to several factors when walking. The navigation does not announce a transition, a dug-up street or an unexpected obstacle, and sometimes it is quite difficult to concentrate on the road and talking on the phone at the same time. Therefore, it is most important to perceive more of the surroundings than the phone, even if it may not be completely easy in all cases. Personally, I consider navigation to be a great help in orientation for a blind person, but of course, walking according to it is not as easy as for a sighted user. Primarily because the normal user is shown a map in addition to navigation instructions, and can see, for example, which turn to take, which is a problem for a blind person when the turns are close to each other. On the other hand, walking according to navigation and blind can be trained.
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