HumanWare Partners with Leader Dogs for the Blind to launch GPS for Visualy Impaired People

By partnering with HumanWare for its GPS, Leader Dogs for the Blind becomes the first dog guide school in the United States to permanently integrate a talking GPS navigational tool into dog guide classes for people who are blind and visually impaired. 
According to the CEO of Leader Dogs for the Blind, the inclusion of a talking navigational device in training is revolutionizing the art of dog guide training. He said "One of the overriding themes we hear from our students is the anxiety and apprehension of travel in a new environment. For many, the first time using a dog guide combined with travel in a new city creates a situation that makes learning difficult and stressful. We believe we can really enhance the way we provide services by placing a GPS device in every student's hand while in our training program."
The company has mapped out plans on how to go about the training, each student will be trained in the use of the device during their 24-day stay at Leader Dogs for the Blind. The Trekker Breeze is an audible device that will give step-by step directions for a programmed route and notify the user of upcoming streets and landmarks, among other functions. 
After the students complete the 24-day training at Leader Dogs for the Blind, 14 of the American students will return home with the Trekker Breeze. These students have been selected to participate in an ongoing study to determine the long-term usability and assess the functionality of the GPS device in their home environment.
Passing his own comment, Gilles Pepin, CEO of HumanWare said that they are pleased to partner with Leader Dogs for the Blind in this initiative that will bring GPS technology benefits to an even wider portion of the visually impaired population. Combining the renowned expertise of Leader Dogs for the Blind and the Trekker Breeze will significantly enhance the traveling experience of the students. This program is a new chapter of this success story.
Leader Dogs for the Blind is known throughout the world for its forward thinking and innovation in the dog guide field. In fact, Leader Dogs for the Blind is the only dog guide school in North America to hold a dedicated program to train dog guides for people who are deaf and blind. Leader Dogs for the Blind is also the only dog guide school to offer an entire continuum of learning for people who are blind and visually impaired, including: classes on learning to travel safely with a white cane, classes on how to use a GPS talking navigational tool, and classes on using a computer with a screen reader.