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