Feedback:Jennifer Carpenter:
- Keep the eventual project lo-tech, like the glove concept
- Use the glove concept to teach the handler to be more consistent; using the glove to force each hand position
- Go more towards a more exaggerated series of signals; possible a large prosthetic to aid in signalling during training
Anna Rabinowits:
- Find out about prisoner training programmes for assistance dogs
- Aim to bring the bring the project in a full circle by rehabilitating the disabled through the rehabilitation of prisoners
- Obtain more info and quotes from Lu Picard at ECAD Supporting my argument
- Specify my eventual concept as a universal language between humans and dogs
Rick Penny:
- Contact experts on sign language to get a background on humans using sign
- Focus on the idea of training the person as opposed to the dog
- The eventual product could be a communication tool, accompanied by a book or dictionary of the language
Marc Bechtel:
- Go to ECAD to watch the process of training and rehabilitation
- Attempt to contact more people with disabilities and assistance dog users
- Go forward with a more subtle concept like the glove
1 comment:
Hi Elias,
I'm really sorry that I didn't manage to come over and chat with you at the event on Monday. I am very interested in your project, especially as it pertains to training service animals for use by the blind (since that overlaps with my business interests).
I think that your concept of developing a glove or other product that improves communication between service animals, trainers and disabled people is timely and needed, and could lead to an important new products being brought to market. The glove idea that you propose could, if approached thoughtfully, be highly useful and enjoyable to use. There is plenty of evidence that certain animals do understand sign language, which is quite amazing. Here's a link to a site about Koko, the sign language-understanding Gorilla. Of course, sign language is a complex, high level intellectual activity, and there is no evidence that dogs can be taught to understand it, but clealy dogs can learn to respond to all sorts of gestures. So, your glove idea appears sound, but the actual usefulness of your product will be hard to prove, because you can't ask the dog if he understands. You will have to create some kind of experiment to show that the glove promotes better understanding and easier communication between the disabled person and the dog. I assume that the dog in the pictures on your board is your dog, or that you have access to one that you can use for testing. Also, I would expect that a product like the one I think you are proposing will have to come with rather extensive documentation and instructions for use. How does the consumer use the product, and how does he or she know what gestures are most effective/learnable for the animal? I would assume that you will need some kind of curriculum to go with it, and this will probably require that you narrow down your focus to one or two user categories. Right now, it looks as if you are expecting that blind, deaf, old, and mobility impaired people will all use the same tools for training and commanding their service animals, but that is probably impractical.
steven
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