Hi Enrique, I wouldn?t say I have experienced the rolling ball tip to be a better collector of feedback when using constant contact for deafblind travelers. What I have observed is when using constant contact exclusively, a lot of my students, deafblind or not, become more heavy handed with their cane technique. Regardless of a metal tip or rolling of any kind, this will cause more friction and belly poking. If your tip is constantly getting hung up on things, the feedback isn?t as clear. The sticking problem for some is solved by a roller tip. The ball ones go over a lot of uneven textures like dirt and gravel, but you can?t feel much else. The marshmallow rolling tip is at least less likely to roll over things like drop-offs I suspect because there is less momentum than the heavier ball ones. With all that said, I find a fair number of deafblind travelers love the vibrating fiberglass cane with the metal tip, so you?ll have to play around and see what works for them. I?ve had the most luck with tap slide with deafblind overall as they learn to drag longer but lift just enough to avoid becoming very heavy handed cane users. As Jane mentioned, a little bit of glue and creativity with a rolling tip can work. I?ve also gone the graphite cane with those that break the fiberglass canes routinely, often because they want the rolling tip. These can be switched to a metal tip sleeve, but the tips don?t stay on nearly as well as the screws found in the fiberglass ones. Graphite still has some tactile sensitivity and can be a good compromise from fiberglass. I?ve also worked with folks who have such poor feeling in their hands they actually don?t feel the lighter canes at all. This is really problematic for snow travel as you already have piles of fluffy stuff to push through. If the person were also deafblind, they are already at a loss of sensory information, so whatever cane you can get them to use to utilize tactile feedback is the goal. Good luck! Jennifer Kennedy From: NOMC <nomc-bounces at lists.nbpcb.org> On Behalf Of Enrique Mejia Sent: Friday, May 24, 2019 10:02 AM To: nomc at lists.nbpcb.org Subject: [Nomc] Rolling ball tips Good morning all. I have heard that the rolling ball cane tips on a straight cane, are better for deaf blind clients as they give more feedback. I have never worked with this or seen this before. Has anyone out there tried it? Is there any logic to this? A client tells me that this is what the Hellen Keller Center is promoting out there. Enrique Mejia, NOMC Rehabilitation Technology Specialist Iowa Department for the Blind 524 4th Street Des Moines IA 50309 <mailto:enrique.mejia at blind.state.ia.us> Email: enrique.mejia at blind.state.ia.us Phone: 515-443-3038 Visit us: <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.blind.iowa.gov&c=E, 1,JoL3fXjg2HTi2Hl-J3_QXmE-fe-zEuJEMEX7xgxtD28B4dW9mjmxYCttNMViZSc4x5qZ8yYo_1 nVZNzXIlOVDi2bXoGoI3rDf-9ZHPAvrI8NPRjvNw,,&typo=1> www.blind.iowa.gov ?A proud partner in the American Job Center network? This electronic communication (including any attachments) is covered by the Electronic Communication Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. ?? 2510 - 2521, is confidential and is intended solely for the use of the individuals or entities to whom the email is addressed. If you receive this email in error, any review, use, dissemination, distribution, copying, or storing of the email or its attachments is prohibited. Notify me immediately of the error by return email, and delete this message from your system.