Blind Pilot

Man Flies From London to Sydney Proving the Blind Can Have Fun Too

A 58-year-old blind pilot from the UK, Miles Hilton-Barber, completed his dream of a lifetime, a 13,500 flight from London to Sydney, Australia, braving severe weather conditions. He flew a Microlight aircraft that resembles a hang-glider/tricycle. It was equipped with specialized navigational information, which enabled the success of the flight.

This story proves that one can accomplish anything, given the right motivation.

(Now, if only I could find the right tail spin to get my grandson’s kite off the ground.)

A blind British adventurer touched down in Sydney Monday to end an epic 13,500-mile flight by microlight aircraft from London. Miles Hilton-Barber braved snowstorms, freezing temperatures and torrential downpours during his 59-day journey under the supervision of sighted co-pilot Richard Meredith-Hardy.

Artificial Cornea

Implant Restores Sight to the Blind

Technological advancements have allowed researches from Frauhofer Institute in Germany to produce an aesthetic cornea that may give hope to the blind. The Cornea is carefully layered with a special protein that latches to the natural cornea after implantation.

These sight-saving implants have been tested in the Regensburg University Hospital Laboratory using rabbits’ eyes. Successful results yield the proposition to grant human use sometime in 2008.

Tactile Wand is the New Blind Stick

The Cand Gets Wiimoted

Looking like a cousin of Nintendo’s Wiimote, the Tactile Wand is actually a ’smart’ wand designed to replace the traditional long stick used by the visually impaired. Created by Jin Woo Han, the Wand utilizes a sensor on the front to detect nearby objects and provides feedback about how far away they are with varying levels of vibration. The wand includes a tactile strip where you place your thumb that will actually indicate the position of objects around you.