The Development of a 'Magic Cane' for Mobility of the Blind in a Swampy Terrain

Abstract

Most visually impaired people greatly rely on a cane for Orientation and Mobility (OM).Canes so far in use may not effectively accommodate the needs of blind people, in particular for navigation in water body dominated terrainlike swamps and river basins. Thus, the aim of this research is to develop a 'magic cane' to assist in the orientation and mobility of blind people in swampy terrain. This research used the ADDIE R & D (Research and Development) design, which consisting of five stages, namely: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. Research subjects composed of visually impaired people in The Barito river basin, of South Kalimantan in Indonesia. The data was collected by using action tests, questionnaires, and documentation. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to determine the effectiveness and practicality of developing the magic cane. This study produced a product dubbed the'magic cane'after its conceptualization by researchers and subsequently assembled by partners, the cane developed is equipped with audio features that can identify obstacles when being used in mobility such as potholes, puddles, and fire. The trial results showed that the magic cane's effectiveness reached 82% with a very effective criteria, but from a practical point of view it was only around 60%, bypractical criteria. Thus, it can be concluded that the development of themagic cane can be a vital mobilityaccessory for blind people in moving on terrain with water patches and swampy environment.