White cane
Encyclopedia
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
or visually impaired, both as a mobility tool and as a courtesy to others. Not all modern white canes are designed to fulfill the same primary function, however: There are at least five varieties of this tool, each serving a slightly different need.
Types
- Long cane: This "traditional" white cane, also known as a "Hoover" cane, after Dr. Richard Hoover, is designed primarily as a mobility tool used to detect objects in the path of a user. Cane length depends upon the height of a user, and traditionally extends from the floor to the user's sternum. Some organizers favor the use of much longer canes.
- "Kiddie" cane: This version works in the same way as an adult's long cane, but is designed for use by children.
- Identification cane ("Symbol Cane" in British English): The ID cane is used primarily to alert others as to the bearer's visual impairment. It is often lighter and shorter than the long cane, and has no use as a mobility tool.
- Support cane: The white support cane is designed primarily to offer physical stability to a visually impaired user. By virtue of its colour, the cane also works as a means of identification. This tool has very limited potential as a mobility device.
Mobility canes are often made from aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
, graphite-reinforced plastic or other fibre-reinforced plastic
Fibre-reinforced plastic
Fibre-reinforced plastic is a composite material made of a polymer matrix reinforced with fibres. The fibres are usually fibreglass, carbon, or aramid, while the polymer is usually an epoxy, vinylester or polyester thermosetting plastic...
, and can come with a wide variety of tips depending upon user preference.
History
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
that the white cane was introduced.
In 1921 James Biggs, a photographer from Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
who became blind after an accident and was uncomfortable with the amount of traffic around his home, painted his walking stick white to be more easily visible.
In 1931 in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Guilly d'Herbemont
Guilly d'Herbemont
Guilly d'Herbemont was the inventor of the white cane for blind people.In 1930, d'Herbemont wrote a letter to the director of the national daily newspaper L'Écho de Paris...
launched a national white stick movement for blind people. On February 7, 1931, Guilly d'Herbemont symbolically gave the first two white canes to blind people, in the presence of several French ministers. 5,000 more white canes were later sent to blind French veterans from World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and blind civilians.
In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the introduction of the white cane is attributed to George A. Bonham of the Lions Clubs International
Lions Clubs International
Lions Clubs International is a secular service organization with over 44,500 clubs and more than 1,368,683 members in 191 countries around the world founded by Melvin Jones Headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, United States, the organization aims to meet the needs of communities on a local and...
. In 1930, a Lions Club member watched as a man who was blind attempted to cross the street with a black cane that was barely visible to motorists against the dark pavement. The Lions decided to paint the cane white to make it more visible. In 1931, Lions Clubs International began a program promoting the use of white canes for people who are blind.
The first special White Cane Ordinance was passed in December 1930 in Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
granting blind pedestrians protections and the right-of-way while carrying a white cane.
On October 6, 1964, a joint resolution of the Congress, HR 753, was signed into law authorizing the President of the United States to proclaim October 15 of each year as "White Cane Safety Day
White Cane Safety Day
thumb|upright|A long white cane, the symbol of White Cane Safety DayWhite Cane Safety Day is a national observance in the United States, celebrated on October 15 of each year since 1964...
". President Lyndon Johnson was the first to make this proclamation.
Canes around the world
While the white cane is commonly accepted as a "symbol of blindness", different countries still have different rules concerning what constitutes a "cane for the blind".In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, for example, the white cane indicates that the individual has a visual impairment; with two red bands added it indicates that the user is deafblind.
In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, laws vary from state to state, but in all cases, those carrying white canes are afforded the right-of-way when crossing a road. They are afforded the right to use their cane in any public place as well. In some cases, it is illegal for a non-blind person to carry a white cane.
I-Cane
In the Netherlands, the I-Cane Foundation Stichting I-cane is, together with industrial designer Monique de Wilt, developing a cane with GPS navigation and surface scanning. As of 2008, it is still a prototype, for which the route has to have been walked once before, and there can't be too many surrounding buildings because, unlike a car GPS system, it has to have a precision of a few metres. Under the user's thumb, there is an arrow that points the way by turning. The surface scanner can tell if the ground ahead moves up or down, which information is transmitted to the arrow, which then tilts forward or backward accordingly. This warns not only for obstacles. The product is expected to be perfected in a few years.Controversy
National Federation of the Blind
The National Federation of the Blind is an organization of blind people in the United States. It is the oldest and largest organization led by blind people in the United States...
in the United States started a campaign to promote the use of non-collapsible, straight canes. Though they are harder to store, the NFB and some others believe that the lightness and greater length of the straight canes allows greater mobility and safety. Those who support the collapsible canes, which can be folded for storage, say that the benefits of the straight cane do not outweigh the inconvenience of having to store them carefully in crowded areas such as classrooms and public events.
There is also a movement among blind people which believes that guide dog
Guide dog
Guide dogs are assistance dogs trained to lead blind and visually impaired people around obstacles.Although the dogs can be trained to navigate various obstacles, they are partially color blind and are not capable of interpreting street signs...
s, the other major mobility tool for blind people, should be used by blind adults. They claim that canes are not safe enough to cross streets and go in other insecure places with, because the dog can interactively warn the user. Despite the high profile of guide dogs, however, most blind people still use canes at least sometimes, and many still use canes entirely. Additionally, some people are allergic to dogs which may make them unsuitable for certain blind people. It is also important to note that some people just don't like dogs and/or do not want to look after an animal.
Some educators of blind people, particularly those who are not totally blind, have been reluctant to have children use canes until they are older. Many organizations, such as the National Federation of the Blind, have attempted to change this, largely with success.
Children and canes
In many countries, including the UK, a cane is not generally introduced to a child until they are between 7 and 10 years old. However, more recently canes have been started to be introduced as soon as a child learns to walk to aid development with great success.Joseph Cutter and Dr. Lili Nielsen, pioneers in research on the development of blind and multiply-handicapped children, have begun to introduce new research on mobility in blind infants in children. Cutter's book, Independent Movement and Travel in Blind Children, recommends a cane to be introduced as early as possible, so that the blind child learns to use it and move around naturally and organically, the same way a sighted child learns to walk. A longer cane, between nose and chin height, is recommended to compensate for a child's more immature grasp and tendency to hold the handle of the cane by the side instead of out in front. Mature cane technique should not be expected from a child, and style and technique can be refined as the child gets older.
See also
- Guide dogGuide dogGuide dogs are assistance dogs trained to lead blind and visually impaired people around obstacles.Although the dogs can be trained to navigate various obstacles, they are partially color blind and are not capable of interpreting street signs...
- Guide horseGuide horseA guide horse is an experimental mobility option for blind people who do not wish to or cannot use a guide dog. They are provided by The Guide Horse Foundation, founded in 1999 to provide miniature horses as assistance animals to blind users living in rural environments.There are several perceived...
- Cane (medical device)
- Hoople (mobility aid)Hoople (mobility aid)A Hoople is a hoop-shaped mobility aid used by some blind and visually impaired people, and was designed to help them navigate their way over rough terrain or in a rural environment. It performs a similar role to a white cane, but is designed for use in conditions where using a white cane can be...