Navigating the world with White Canes
FluxFactory/Getty
People who are blind or have low vision use different tools to navigate the world. One of the most common is called a White Cane. White Canes are long, thin, and lightweight with a handle on one end and a special tip on the other.
Join Molly and co-host Jaden as they explore how White Canes work. They’ll log into an interactive game called Cane Quest 3000 where they'll use White Canes to move through a fantastical world and capture a bunch of tiny, yodeling aliens! Then they’ll link up with Brains On fan Phoenix to chat about what it’s like to use White Canes on the day-to-day. All that, plus a puzzler of a mystery sound!
A special thanks to the Braille Institute, Los Angeles.
Audio Transcript
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JADEN: You're listening to Brains On!, where we're serious about being curious.
CHILD: Brains On! Is supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation.
MOLLY BLOOM: This past summer, Brains On! producer Rosie duPont met up with 13-year-old Jaden at his house in California.
JADEN: I can hear you.
ROSIE DUPONT: I can hear you, too! Yeah!
JADEN: I'm excited for the podcast!
MOLLY BLOOM: Jaden is very good with computers. He's also blind, so he uses sound, touch, and voice commands to control his computer.
JADEN: Hello, podcast.
COMPUTER: Hello, podcast.
JADEN: I'm saying hello to this podcast.
[LAUGHTER]
MOLLY BLOOM: Rosie and Jaden sat down together at his computer so he could give her a tour of his favorite game.
JADEN: When I open this up, the game starts. And--
COMPUTER: Main menu. Please select--
[MUSIC PLAYING]
JADEN: Now, this is the home screen of the game. He uses a special tool called a screen reader to help him play. It's a computerized voice that describes what's happening on screen, and it can be really useful for people who are blind or have low vision.
COMPUTER: Connecting. Logging in. No one can survive the wild, the message of the day.
MOLLY BLOOM: Jaden's favorite game is called Survive The Wild. It's an online multiplayer survival adventure game. He listens to the game through his headphones and plays using his keyboard and trackpad.
COMPUTER: 196 thirst. You are not tracking anything.
MOLLY BLOOM: In the game, Jaden has to chase and capture animals, make tools, and figure out how to survive outdoors. Jaden has lots of other interests, too. He loves Harry Potter and listening to pop music.
JADEN: When I grow up, I want to become a singer, you know, like Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande and like a blind singer. Like, imagine what people might think.
ROSIE DUPONT: Do you want to sing a little bit of a song?
JADEN: (SINGING) I have to praise you like I should.
Or (SINGING) Think about me every night. Oh, isn't that sweet? I guess so. Say you can't sleep, baby, I know. That's that me espresso.
MOLLY BLOOM: Jaden's sharp sense of hearing helps him in many ways. And he's joining me in the studio today to talk about how he uses sound, touch, and a tool called a white cane to navigate the world.
[THEME MUSIC]
You're listening to Brains On! from APM Studios. I'm Molly Bloom, and I'm here with Jaden from El Monte, California. Hi, Jaden.
JADEN: Hi, Molly.
MOLLY BLOOM: Today, we're talking about the ways people who are blind or have low vision navigate the world. And we're going to focus on a special tool called a white cane. You have a white cane, Jaden. Can you describe it for our listeners?
JADEN: I have a white cane, yes. And my white cane is foldable. And at the bottom, I have a rolling tip, which is shaped like a marshmallow, but I just call it a rolling tip.
MOLLY BLOOM: So how tall is the cane? Is it taller than you, shorter than you? Where does it come to like on you?
JADEN: It's chest height.
MOLLY BLOOM: So where do you keep your cane when you're not using it, in a case?
JADEN: It's on a belt. And I'm wearing my belt right now, so my cane is with me everywhere.
MOLLY BLOOM: Nice. So it's always sort of like if you're not using it, it's in your case on your belt. So it's always nearby.
JADEN: Yes.
MOLLY BLOOM: Cool. And is there anything you've done to personalize your cane for yourself, or you just kind of just how it is like when you got it?
JADEN: I had a keychain holder for my cane, but it broke. So my cane is now plain from this week, so I'm actually kind of sad.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, man.
JADEN: Yeah, I need a new keychain holder.
MOLLY BLOOM: So if our listeners have not come across a white cane before, they're long and thin, kind of a bunch of markers stacked on top of each other. They're lightweight, kind of like a fishing rod, and usually white with a handle on one end and a special tip on the other. People who are blind or low vision use white canes to get information about the world around them, so they can get around on their own. They do this by rolling or tapping the tip of the cane along the ground.
JADEN: My cane makes different sounds and vibrates as I move it on the ground.
MOLLY BLOOM: This information can tell you what kind of space you're in, or what type of surface you're walking on.
JADEN: And there are all different types of white canes.
MOLLY BLOOM: Because people want their canes to give them different information about the world.
ZANE: Like me.
JADEN: What in the what? Who are you?
ZANE: I'm Zane from the epic computer game Cane Quest 3,000, where you use white canes to navigate and capture tiny yodeling aliens trying to ransack the universe.
ALIENS: [YODELING]
JADEN: Whoa, cool.
ZANE: Want to play?
JADEN: Sure.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
ZANE: Welcome to Cane Quest 3,000. We've got lots of tiny yodeling aliens to catch, so let's get moving. First, let's pick out a white cane to use.
[CHIME]
And remember, you can always use your cane bucks to swap out my cane later in the game.
JADEN: Hmm, OK. What are my options?
ZANE: How long do you want it to be? White canes are longer than your average cane, and they're designed to fit the person using them. Most of them come up to the middle of the chest, but some are longer.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's right. The longer they are, the farther they reach out in front of you, which gives you more information about the path ahead.
ZANE: So how tall do you want my cane to be-- chest height or chin height?
JADEN: Chin height.
ZANE: Sweet deal. Let's talk materials. White canes can be made out of aluminum, which is what soda cans are made out of. Fiberglass, which is used to make things like surfboards. Cowabunga, dude. And carbon fiber, which can be used to make skis and tennis rackets. Game, set, match me with the material you want.
JADEN: Carbon fiber.
ZANE: Radical choice. Next up, let's talk about the shaft. That's basically the long, skinny part of the cane. There are stiff, straight canes that are very sensitive. There are also canes that fold up. They're less sensitive, but portable. Check it out. I carry mine in a holster on my belt when I'm not using it.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ooh, seems very handy.
JADEN: Especially if you're chasing a bunch of yodeling aliens.
ALIENS: [YODELING]
But let's go with a straight cane.
[CHIME]
ZANE: Nice. Let's pick out your cane tip.
JADEN: So many options.
ZANE: Yeah, we've got cane tips that look like baseballs and even some that are shaped like mini flying saucers. But I always start the game with one of the classics, a rolling marshmallow tip or a pencil tip.
JADEN: Rolling marshmallow tips are shaped like a marshmallow. They can roll in any direction.
MOLLY BLOOM: And the pencil tip is very pointy and hard and makes your cane super sensitive. You get so much information about the ground, it's almost like walking barefoot. You can really feel the texture of what you're stepping on.
JADEN: Yeah, let's go with a pencil tip, Zane.
[CHIME]
ZANE: Dunzo. Let's go! First task-- use my cane to figure out where the heck we are. I'll start exploring by using a cane technique called the two-point touch. That's where you tap your cane two times in a row as you walk.
[TAPPING]
Listen to the sounds my cane makes. These sounds will tell me what kind of surface I'm walking on and what kind of space I'm in. Any guesses?
JADEN: Sounds like a hard surface. I'm thinking tile?
MOLLY BLOOM: And there's an echo, which makes me think Zane is walking down a big empty hallway.
ZANE: Then we must be in the Castle of Gorgonzola.
[TRUMPETING]
It's a massive old castle, overgrown with these gigantic flowers, oozing stinky Gorgonzola cheese. And you know who's obsessed with Gorgonzola flowers?
ALIENS: [YODELING]
JADEN: The tiny yodeling aliens.
ZANE: This way!
[TAPPING]
Hear that? I hit something with my cane. White canes help identify objects that might be in the way. I'm going to tap it again.
[TAPPING]
What does that sound like to you?
JADEN: A wooden door?
ZANE: Let's see if you're right. I'm going to reach out here and see if there's a doorknob. Bingo! Onwards.
[CREAKING]
Oop, I'm stuck. The pencil tip in my cane just got caught in a crack in the ground. I need a different cane tip.
JADEN: I'm going to use my cane bucks to give Zane a rolling marshmallow tip.
MOLLY BLOOM: Great idea. The marshmallow tip won't get stuck in cracks or crevices.
ZANE: Awesome! With this cane tip, I'm going to switch things up and use something called the constant contact method.
JADEN: That's where you sweep your cane back and forth across the floor, sort of like a windshield wiper.
MOLLY BLOOM: Marshmallow tips go great with the constant contact method because they glide so easily across the ground.
ZANE: OK, hold up. The ground here is real bumpy. My cane is hitting a dip and bump every few steps and--
ALIENS: [YODELING]
ZANE: [GASP] The tiny yodeling aliens! There they are.
JADEN: Let's catch them.
MOLLY BLOOM: But there are so many. And they're yodeling so enthusiastically.
ZANE: Don't worry, we'll just use my super satchel. It's filled with extra stinky Gorgonzola cheese. Here, aliens. Hop in.
[SPRINGING]
[YODELING]
We got 'em!
MOLLY BLOOM: Woo hoo! High five!
JADEN: Take that tiny aliens.
ZANE: Congrats, yo. You just beat level one.
COMPUTER: Brains, brains, brains.
JADEN: Cane Quest 3,000 was pretty cool.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yeah, it helped me imagine moving through space with different white canes. Everyone's experience moving through the world is a little different, so we invited another guest on the show to talk about her experience. Phoenix is 15 years old and blind. She's also a longtime Brains On! fan and has been listening since she was six. Hi, Phoenix.
PHOENIX: Hello.
MOLLY BLOOM: Are so happy you're here today.
JADEN: Hi.
PHOENIX:
PHOENIX: Hey, Jaden.
MOLLY BLOOM: So, Phoenix, I know you're very musical. You have perfect pitch. You play the Irish tin whistle, and you also sing. So do you sing in a group or more on your own?
PHOENIX: I sing in a choir as well as by myself.
MOLLY BLOOM: What's the name of your choir?
PHOENIX: The St Cecilia Singers.
MOLLY BLOOM: I'm also in a choir, so I love singing with choirs. I love the harmonies and stuff. So what does it mean to have perfect pitch?
PHOENIX: Perfect pitch essentially means that I can name any note that is played, and I can sing any note.
MOLLY BLOOM: So if we just said like G-sharp, you'd be like no problem?
PHOENIX: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, Can I hear G-sharp?
PHOENIX: [SINGING NOTE]
MOLLY BLOOM: Beautiful. So, Phoenix, Jaden also loves music and singing. So I'm wondering, the two of you, what is like your song of this season? Like, what has been your favorite song you've listened to recently?
JADEN: Recently, I listened to a lot of new songs-- Sabrina Carpenter, "Good Graces." I think a lot of things on the radio. Ooh, Ariana Grande.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ooh, yes. We love Ariana Grande.
JADEN: I wish I could sing Ariana Grande whistle note. [SINGING NOTE]
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, that was pretty close. I'm impressed. Phoenix, how about you? What have you been listening to lately?
PHOENIX: I recently have just been listening to "Rosanna" by Toto a bit too much.
MOLLY BLOOM: Nice. Both of you have excellent taste in music.
JADEN: Thank you.
MOLLY BLOOM: So we have been talking about white canes, and I'm curious about your relationship to your white cane, Phoenix. When did you first get it?
PHOENIX: I received my first white cane when I was two. So essentially, as soon as I learned to walk, I received my first white cane.
MOLLY BLOOM: So like Jaden was talking about earlier, I guess, you need to get different sizes of canes as you grow. Do you still have your first baby cane?
PHOENIX: I do. I have all of the canes I've ever owned, so I've got about 12 canes.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's so cool.
PHOENIX: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: So basically, you can't remember a time before you used a white cane, probably?
PHOENIX: No, I cannot.
MOLLY BLOOM: When you change to a new cane size, do you kind of have to relearn things, or is it easy to just slip into the next one?
PHOENIX: Nope, you don't have to relearn anything. One of the biggest indications that you need a new cane is that you get lazy with it.
JADEN: Usually, for me, if my school wants me to get a new cane, I'm being measured, or they're just like, oh, Jaden, you're getting too tall for this, so.
PHOENIX: They don't like measure me. They just give me two inches longer. Except for the fact that I begged my O&M instructor for a 58-inch cane because I like chin-height canes.
MOLLY BLOOM: What's an O&M instructor?
PHOENIX: O&M instructor is a person who teaches you orientation and mobility, so teaches you how to use a cane. Teaches you how to navigate.
MOLLY BLOOM: So in the video game, we got to choose between chin and chest-height canes. So it sounds like for you, Phoenix, you prefer a chin height.
PHOENIX: Actually, no, I prefer a nose-height cane.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh! OK.
PHOENIX: I'm crazy. I'm crazy. I love long canes.
JADEN: Nose height?
PHOENIX: Yeah. Oh my gosh.
MOLLY BLOOM: What is it about a longer cane that you like?
PHOENIX: So I can walk a lot faster with a longer cane.
MOLLY BLOOM: So you just-- you're able to tell what's happening further away from you?
PHOENIX: Yes.
MOLLY BLOOM: So you don't have to go-- I see. That makes a lot of sense. And so how about you, Jaden, do you remember when you first got your first white cane?
JADEN: I remember the first time I got my white cane. I was at my old school before I moved. And I was like, is this-- what is this? I think this belongs to someone else. Here you go. You can take it back.
PHOENIX: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: How old were you when you got your first white cane?
JADEN: I was five.
MOLLY BLOOM: So you were not quite as young as Phoenix was when they got their white cane, but you've both got a ton of experience with them. We'll hear more about your experience with white canes after the break. But now, it's time for the--
[WHIRRING]
[CLANG]
CHILD: (WHISPERING) Mystery sound.
MOLLY BLOOM: Here it is.
[CLANGING]
What do we think? Jaden, what is your guess?
JADEN: Aliens, lasers, space.
MOLLY BLOOM: So let's hear your guesses, Phoenix.
PHOENIX: This sounds like the lasers from Star Wars, so I'm guessing it's someone doinging a big old wire.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ooh. OK. I'm going to guess a Slinky sort of like a big old wire, but a curly, big old wire. Well, we're going to hear it again. Get another chance to guess and hear the answer at the end of the show, so stick around.
[THEME MUSIC]
We are working on an episode all about sneezing. Every sneeze is unique from big, loud honkers like a-chew to tiny little squeakers like it-chew. So we want to hear from you. If your sneeze had a name, what would it be? Record yourself doing your favorite sneezing impression and tell us what you'd name it.
So, Phoenix and Jaden, I'm wondering if you have a sneeze you'd like to demonstrate for us, and what you would like to name it?
PHOENIX: Sure. It sounds like this a-chew. Mickey Mouse sneeze, I think.
MOLLY BLOOM: I love it. OK, so, Jaden, do you have a sneeze you'd like to do?
JADEN: [SNEEZING]
MOLLY BLOOM: Ooh, I liked that one. So what would you call that? What would be a name for that kind of sneeze?
JADEN: Good morning. I'm sneezing, sneeze.
[LAUGHTER]
MOLLY BLOOM: Delightful. Listeners, record your sneeze name and sound and send it to us at brainson.org/contact. While you're there, you can send us your mystery sounds, drawings, and questions.
JADEN: Like this one.
CHILD: How do butterflies get their designs?
MOLLY BLOOM: You can find answers to questions like these on the Moment of Um podcast, a short dose of facts and fun every weekday. Find Moment of Um and more at brainson.org. So keep listening.
[THEME MUSIC]
CREW: Brains On! Universe is a family of podcasts for kids and their adults. Since you're a fan of Brains On!, we know you'll love the other shows in our universe. Come on, let's explore.
[JET ENGINE]
COMPUTER: Here we are in Brains On! Universe, home to my favorite podcasts. Brains On! Smash Boom Best. Forever Ago. I found one! Forever Ago, the history show hosted by Joey Dolo.
[ZIP]
[ZING]
[BEETHOVEN]
It was the early 1800s, Beethoven was busy composing new symphonies, steam-powered trains were brand new inventions, and a British naturalist named William Swainson was exploring the jungles of--
COMPUTER: [GASP] What a great show. [COMPUTER BEEPING] Need more Forever Ago now.
CREW: Listen to Forever Ago wherever you get your podcasts.
COMPUTER: (SINGING) Brains On, On, On.
JADEN: You're listening to Brains On! I'm Jaden.
PHOENIX: And I'm Phoenix.
MOLLY BLOOM: And I'm Molly. Today, we're talking about ways that people who are blind or have low vision get around, like white canes. We learned that white canes are tools that help people who are visually impaired move through the world and navigate it independently.
PHOENIX: They provide information in the form of sound and touch.
MOLLY BLOOM: And there are lots of different types. It all depends on what you're looking for.
JADEN: Some fold up and have a rolling marshmallow tip, like mine.
MOLLY BLOOM: Others don't fold and have a pointy pencil tip that's very sensitive to touch.
PHOENIX: And you can sweep them back and forth like a windscreen wiper or tap them on the ground.
MOLLY BLOOM: There are also smart canes, which have extra features like sensors and GPS. The sensors can help warn people of low-hanging objects in their path, like tree branches. And the GPS on a white cane is a lot like the one in your car. It comes up with directions to a location and reads them out loud. So, Phoenix and Jaden, I'm wondering, would you be interested in using a smart cane?
JADEN: I'm interested in using a smart cane because I love technology, and I want one. I really want a smart cane.
MOLLY BLOOM: How about you, Phoenix? Would you be interested in using a smart cane?
PHOENIX: No. Firstly, they're very expensive. Secondly, I think that using a smart cane makes a blind person very, very dependent on technology. And they need-- a blind person needs to be able to navigate without said technology. Say it breaks. Say you drop it in a puddle. Too much hassle.
MOLLY BLOOM: Interesting. I can see both perspectives. A smart cane might be a cool, useful tool in certain situations, but there's always the risk of becoming dependent on it. And was there ever a time when you were like I don't want to use this white cane, Jaden?
PHOENIX: Yes.
MOLLY BLOOM: So, Phoenix, you say, yes. And Jaden, how about you? Was there also a time where you didn't like it?
JADEN: I'm not sure. Maybe. Maybe.
MOLLY BLOOM: So Phoenix answered yes right away. So let's hear from you, Phoenix. Tell me when you weren't in the mood to use it.
PHOENIX: OK, so there's a phase that a lot of disabled people go through where you kind of refuse all the stuff that's going to help you out. So my phase was when I was about seven, and I refused the cane, refused O&M, refused Braille because it made me feel really alienated from everyone else.
MOLLY BLOOM: And how old were you, would you say, when you got over that phase of like being like I don't want to do this, it makes me feel different and alienated?
PHOENIX: Honestly, probably about last year--
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, OK.
PHOENIX: --was like really when I just accepted it.
MOLLY BLOOM: And so how would you say things changed for you when you accepted, like, this stuff is here to help me?
PHOENIX: Everything's gotten a lot easier. I actually read Braille now, which is nice. And I write on my Perkins.
MOLLY BLOOM: Can you say what a Perkins is?
PHOENIX: A Perkins is essentially a mechanical Braille typewriter. It is very fun. I get to go bang, bang, bang.
[LAUGHTER]
MOLLY BLOOM: And Braille is a system of writing where each letter of the alphabet is made up of raised dots. And you feel the dots with your fingers to read. So yeah, and actually, the script that we gave Jaden for this episode is in Braille. I don't know if they made it with a Perkins machine.
PHOENIX: No, they would have made it with an embosser probably.
JADEN: Yeah, that's what I was thinking.
MOLLY BLOOM: So I would like to know what would you guys say is the trickiest thing about using a white cane out in the world? Let's start with you, Phoenix.
PHOENIX: OK, I am paranoid about this now is breaking the cane is always a big possibility. And so now I keep a spare cane in my backpack because I managed to break two this year.
MOLLY BLOOM: And, Jaden, how about you? What do you think is the trickiest thing about using a white cane out in the world?
JADEN: I don't want to be mean about this to other people at my school, but they don't move out the way. They just stay there. They just stay there. And then when I'm walking, I'm like, oh, sorry. Excuse me. Like, sorry that you're getting whacked.
MOLLY BLOOM: I think that's a really good point to make. And I think that's helpful for people to know. Like, so if you see someone walking down the street with a white cane, what should you-- what would you say you want them to do? Like, what's the best thing for someone? Should they just get out of the way?
JADEN: They should either get out of my way. Or if they see that I might need help, they can ask. Like, oh, do you need help?
MOLLY BLOOM: Is that the same advice you would give, Phoenix?
PHOENIX: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: So to recap the advice, if you are moving confidently, you want to be left alone. You're like, I'm good. Just get out of my way, so you don't break my cane by accidentally stepping on it.
PHOENIX: Yep.
JADEN: Yep.
MOLLY BLOOM: And then if you are standing there, maybe not moving, not looking confident, maybe looking a little lost, then perhaps say, oh, do you need help?
PHOENIX: Yep.
MOLLY BLOOM: So, Jaden and Phoenix, when you are moving through the world, are there things you'd like sighted people to know about your experience?
PHOENIX: No question is a stupid question, unless you're asking how many fingers you're holding up.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's really good advice. What about you, Jaden? What would you like people to know?
JADEN: Don't just grab onto me because that's what I'm a bit scared of. Maybe just ask me first if I need help before doing it.
MOLLY BLOOM: People just sometimes grab you and try to help you without asking first?
PHOENIX: Yes.
JADEN: Mm-hmm.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, that's quite annoying. Yeah, don't do that. Ask people. So do you have any last thoughts about navigating the world with white canes?
PHOENIX: Oh, there's actually a song that the New Zealand Blind School wrote. It's all about canes. It's called "White Cane Day." It's "The White Cane Day" song.
MOLLY BLOOM: Cool!
JADEN: Oh, you guys wrote that?
PHOENIX: Yeah, we wrote that.
(SINGING) When we need to find our way
When we need to navigate
When we need eyes on the ground
But we can't see to get around
We still want to be independent without stumbling all around
There is one solution that we found
It's a long white thing that looks like a stick made of metal and string with a rubber grip
My guide to get me from A to B
It's my white cane
It helps me to see
[THEME MUSIC]
MOLLY BLOOM: People who are blind or have low vision use lots of different ways to navigate the world.
JADEN: One way is to use a white cane.
PHOENIX: White canes are long and thin and have a bunch of different tips.
MOLLY BLOOM: They give you lots of information about the world in the form of sound and touch and help you get around independently.
PHOENIX: The point is, if you're blind or have low vision, there are lots of tools available to help you explore the world on your own.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's it for this episode of Brains On!
JADEN: This episode is written and produced by--
ROSIE DUPONT: Rosie duPont.
JADEN: Edited by--
SHAHLA FARZAN: Shahla Farzan.
JADEN: And--
SANDEN TOTTEN: Sanden Totten.
JADEN: Fact-checking by--
JESS MILLER: Jess Miller.
PHOENIX: With production help from the rest of the Brains On! Universe team.
MOLLY BLOOM: Molly Bloom.
NICO GONZALEZ WISLER: Nico Gonzalez Wisler.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Ruby Guthrie.
JOSHUA RAY: Joshua Ray.
MARC SANCHEZ: Marc Sanchez.
LAUREN HUMPERT: Lauren Humpert.
CHARLOTTE TRAVER: Charlotte Traver.
ANNA WEGGEL: Anna Weggel.
ANNA GOLDFIELD: Anna Goldfield.
PHOENIX: And--
ARON WOLDESLASSIE: Aron Woldeslassie.
MOLLY BLOOM: We had engineering help from Sean Campbell, Doug Gerry, and Derek Ramirez with sound design by--
ROSIE DUPONT: Rosie DuPont.
MOLLY BLOOM: Original theme music by
MARC SANCHEZ: Marc Sanchez.
MOLLY BLOOM: Beth Perlman is our executive producer and the executives in charge of APM Studios are Chandra Kavati and Joanne Griffith. Special thanks to Lap and Robert Hooke, Kyra Mayes, Madeline Hernandez, Karen Kay Esquivel Maze, and the Braille Institute.
JADEN: Brains On! Is a nonprofit public radio program.
MOLLY BLOOM: There are lots of ways to support the show. Subscribe to Brains On! Universe on YouTube, where you can watch animated versions of some of your favorite episodes or head to BrainsOn.org.
PHOENIX: While you're there, you can send us mystery sounds, drawings, and questions.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, Jaden and Phoenix, are you ready to listen to that mystery sound again?
JADEN: Yes.
PHOENIX: Yep.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, let's hear it again.
[CLANGING]
Jaden, what is your guess? Would you have any new guesses?
JADEN: Lasers, video games, aliens, spaceships, probably aliens, something related to space.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yeah, maybe yodeling aliens?
JADEN: Maybe.
MOLLY BLOOM: Maybe.
PHOENIX: They're all from Switzerland.
MOLLY BLOOM: What do you think. Phoenix?
PHOENIX: I still think it's the same. It's a wire, I think.
MOLLY BLOOM: Doinging a wire. All right, I'm ready for the reveal.
JADEN: Me, too.
MOLLY BLOOM: Let's hear it.
CHILD: That was the sound of a Slinky on the table.
PHOENIX: A Slinky?
MOLLY BLOOM: Slinky.
PHOENIX: On the table?
JADEN: On the table?
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, my gosh.
JADEN: Wait.
MOLLY BLOOM: I've never gotten a mystery sound right. I swear. So a Slinky is basically a wire, so you were right too, Phoenix. I'm giving you credit as well. So Slinky is a wire that's been coiled up into like a swirly whirly shape. And you can bounce it back and forth between your hands. It's very-- it makes kind of that noise when you wiggle it around.
JADEN: That actually sounds like a spaceship. Oh, my gosh.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, so cool. Nice work, both of you.
[CLANGING]
Now it's time for the Brains Honor Roll. These are the incredible kids who keep the show going with their questions, ideas, mystery sounds, drawings, and high-fives. Elizabeth and Jack from Newton, Massachusetts. Rhett and Dawson from Brandoxville, Pennsylvania. June from Lincoln, Nebraska. Abby and Chelsea from Swampscott, Massachusetts. Flo and Penny from Darby, United Kingdom. Eleanor May from San Antonio, Texas. Naomi from Rockville, Maryland. Ray from Honolulu.
William from Houston, Texas. Aaron from Staunton, Virginia. Horatio and Lila from Phuket, Thailand. JJ from Plymouth, Minnesota. Azara from Boston. Sofie from Philadelphia. Ella Marie from Prospect Heights, Illinois. Maurice from Lawrence, Kansas. West from San Francisco. Ray from Chiayi, Taiwan. Alex and Lucy from Charlotte, North Carolina.
Lila, Brooke, and Knox from Fayetteville, Georgia. Daria and Ari from Irvine, California. Briggs from Amarillo, Texas. Emily, Katie, and Cora from Vail, Oregon. Clifford from Cleveland. Connor from Las Vegas. Zahra and Rohan from Monrovio, California. Srishti from Copenhagen. Ayaan from Irving, Texas. Rosie from Virginia. Oliver from Vancouver. Josephine from Lakeville, Minnesota. Frazier from Scotland. Benjamin from Lexington, Kentucky.
Lily from Golden Valley, Minnesota. Jack from Lakewood, California. Dom from Los Angeles. Sophia from Odessa, Florida. Chloe from San Francisco. Kavya from Perth, Washington. Julie from Waco, Texas. Nikita from Tampa, Florida. Vincent from Callosa d'en Sariyer, Spain. Cam and Bri from Lincoln, Nebraska. Ayeta Claire from Spring, Texas. Chris from Maryland. Jovi from Buffalo, New York. Nora from Greenville, Wisconsin.
Declan from San Francisco. Katie from Waukesha, Wisconsin. Caleb from Comox Valley, British Columbia. Lorenzo from Maine. Aviana from San Diego, California. Connor from Warsaw, Indiana. Kashfi from Poway, California. Summer from Arcadia, California. Jack from Fairport, New York. Manasi from Georgetown, Ontario. Peter from Chicago. Satnam from Barrie, Ontario. Zeke from Rutland, Vermont. Magnus from Missouri, and Savannah from Raglan, New Zealand.
[THEME MUSIC]
We'll be back next week with an episode all about sneezes.
ALL: Thanks for listening.
CHILD: Brains On! Is supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation.
MOLLY BLOOM: This past summer, Brains On! producer Rosie duPont met up with 13-year-old Jaden at his house in California.
JADEN: I can hear you.
ROSIE DUPONT: I can hear you, too! Yeah!
JADEN: I'm excited for the podcast!
MOLLY BLOOM: Jaden is very good with computers. He's also blind, so he uses sound, touch, and voice commands to control his computer.
JADEN: Hello, podcast.
COMPUTER: Hello, podcast.
JADEN: I'm saying hello to this podcast.
[LAUGHTER]
MOLLY BLOOM: Rosie and Jaden sat down together at his computer so he could give her a tour of his favorite game.
JADEN: When I open this up, the game starts. And--
COMPUTER: Main menu. Please select--
[MUSIC PLAYING]
JADEN: Now, this is the home screen of the game. He uses a special tool called a screen reader to help him play. It's a computerized voice that describes what's happening on screen, and it can be really useful for people who are blind or have low vision.
COMPUTER: Connecting. Logging in. No one can survive the wild, the message of the day.
MOLLY BLOOM: Jaden's favorite game is called Survive The Wild. It's an online multiplayer survival adventure game. He listens to the game through his headphones and plays using his keyboard and trackpad.
COMPUTER: 196 thirst. You are not tracking anything.
MOLLY BLOOM: In the game, Jaden has to chase and capture animals, make tools, and figure out how to survive outdoors. Jaden has lots of other interests, too. He loves Harry Potter and listening to pop music.
JADEN: When I grow up, I want to become a singer, you know, like Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande and like a blind singer. Like, imagine what people might think.
ROSIE DUPONT: Do you want to sing a little bit of a song?
JADEN: (SINGING) I have to praise you like I should.
Or (SINGING) Think about me every night. Oh, isn't that sweet? I guess so. Say you can't sleep, baby, I know. That's that me espresso.
MOLLY BLOOM: Jaden's sharp sense of hearing helps him in many ways. And he's joining me in the studio today to talk about how he uses sound, touch, and a tool called a white cane to navigate the world.
[THEME MUSIC]
You're listening to Brains On! from APM Studios. I'm Molly Bloom, and I'm here with Jaden from El Monte, California. Hi, Jaden.
JADEN: Hi, Molly.
MOLLY BLOOM: Today, we're talking about the ways people who are blind or have low vision navigate the world. And we're going to focus on a special tool called a white cane. You have a white cane, Jaden. Can you describe it for our listeners?
JADEN: I have a white cane, yes. And my white cane is foldable. And at the bottom, I have a rolling tip, which is shaped like a marshmallow, but I just call it a rolling tip.
MOLLY BLOOM: So how tall is the cane? Is it taller than you, shorter than you? Where does it come to like on you?
JADEN: It's chest height.
MOLLY BLOOM: So where do you keep your cane when you're not using it, in a case?
JADEN: It's on a belt. And I'm wearing my belt right now, so my cane is with me everywhere.
MOLLY BLOOM: Nice. So it's always sort of like if you're not using it, it's in your case on your belt. So it's always nearby.
JADEN: Yes.
MOLLY BLOOM: Cool. And is there anything you've done to personalize your cane for yourself, or you just kind of just how it is like when you got it?
JADEN: I had a keychain holder for my cane, but it broke. So my cane is now plain from this week, so I'm actually kind of sad.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, man.
JADEN: Yeah, I need a new keychain holder.
MOLLY BLOOM: So if our listeners have not come across a white cane before, they're long and thin, kind of a bunch of markers stacked on top of each other. They're lightweight, kind of like a fishing rod, and usually white with a handle on one end and a special tip on the other. People who are blind or low vision use white canes to get information about the world around them, so they can get around on their own. They do this by rolling or tapping the tip of the cane along the ground.
JADEN: My cane makes different sounds and vibrates as I move it on the ground.
MOLLY BLOOM: This information can tell you what kind of space you're in, or what type of surface you're walking on.
JADEN: And there are all different types of white canes.
MOLLY BLOOM: Because people want their canes to give them different information about the world.
ZANE: Like me.
JADEN: What in the what? Who are you?
ZANE: I'm Zane from the epic computer game Cane Quest 3,000, where you use white canes to navigate and capture tiny yodeling aliens trying to ransack the universe.
ALIENS: [YODELING]
JADEN: Whoa, cool.
ZANE: Want to play?
JADEN: Sure.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
ZANE: Welcome to Cane Quest 3,000. We've got lots of tiny yodeling aliens to catch, so let's get moving. First, let's pick out a white cane to use.
[CHIME]
And remember, you can always use your cane bucks to swap out my cane later in the game.
JADEN: Hmm, OK. What are my options?
ZANE: How long do you want it to be? White canes are longer than your average cane, and they're designed to fit the person using them. Most of them come up to the middle of the chest, but some are longer.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's right. The longer they are, the farther they reach out in front of you, which gives you more information about the path ahead.
ZANE: So how tall do you want my cane to be-- chest height or chin height?
JADEN: Chin height.
ZANE: Sweet deal. Let's talk materials. White canes can be made out of aluminum, which is what soda cans are made out of. Fiberglass, which is used to make things like surfboards. Cowabunga, dude. And carbon fiber, which can be used to make skis and tennis rackets. Game, set, match me with the material you want.
JADEN: Carbon fiber.
ZANE: Radical choice. Next up, let's talk about the shaft. That's basically the long, skinny part of the cane. There are stiff, straight canes that are very sensitive. There are also canes that fold up. They're less sensitive, but portable. Check it out. I carry mine in a holster on my belt when I'm not using it.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ooh, seems very handy.
JADEN: Especially if you're chasing a bunch of yodeling aliens.
ALIENS: [YODELING]
But let's go with a straight cane.
[CHIME]
ZANE: Nice. Let's pick out your cane tip.
JADEN: So many options.
ZANE: Yeah, we've got cane tips that look like baseballs and even some that are shaped like mini flying saucers. But I always start the game with one of the classics, a rolling marshmallow tip or a pencil tip.
JADEN: Rolling marshmallow tips are shaped like a marshmallow. They can roll in any direction.
MOLLY BLOOM: And the pencil tip is very pointy and hard and makes your cane super sensitive. You get so much information about the ground, it's almost like walking barefoot. You can really feel the texture of what you're stepping on.
JADEN: Yeah, let's go with a pencil tip, Zane.
[CHIME]
ZANE: Dunzo. Let's go! First task-- use my cane to figure out where the heck we are. I'll start exploring by using a cane technique called the two-point touch. That's where you tap your cane two times in a row as you walk.
[TAPPING]
Listen to the sounds my cane makes. These sounds will tell me what kind of surface I'm walking on and what kind of space I'm in. Any guesses?
JADEN: Sounds like a hard surface. I'm thinking tile?
MOLLY BLOOM: And there's an echo, which makes me think Zane is walking down a big empty hallway.
ZANE: Then we must be in the Castle of Gorgonzola.
[TRUMPETING]
It's a massive old castle, overgrown with these gigantic flowers, oozing stinky Gorgonzola cheese. And you know who's obsessed with Gorgonzola flowers?
ALIENS: [YODELING]
JADEN: The tiny yodeling aliens.
ZANE: This way!
[TAPPING]
Hear that? I hit something with my cane. White canes help identify objects that might be in the way. I'm going to tap it again.
[TAPPING]
What does that sound like to you?
JADEN: A wooden door?
ZANE: Let's see if you're right. I'm going to reach out here and see if there's a doorknob. Bingo! Onwards.
[CREAKING]
Oop, I'm stuck. The pencil tip in my cane just got caught in a crack in the ground. I need a different cane tip.
JADEN: I'm going to use my cane bucks to give Zane a rolling marshmallow tip.
MOLLY BLOOM: Great idea. The marshmallow tip won't get stuck in cracks or crevices.
ZANE: Awesome! With this cane tip, I'm going to switch things up and use something called the constant contact method.
JADEN: That's where you sweep your cane back and forth across the floor, sort of like a windshield wiper.
MOLLY BLOOM: Marshmallow tips go great with the constant contact method because they glide so easily across the ground.
ZANE: OK, hold up. The ground here is real bumpy. My cane is hitting a dip and bump every few steps and--
ALIENS: [YODELING]
ZANE: [GASP] The tiny yodeling aliens! There they are.
JADEN: Let's catch them.
MOLLY BLOOM: But there are so many. And they're yodeling so enthusiastically.
ZANE: Don't worry, we'll just use my super satchel. It's filled with extra stinky Gorgonzola cheese. Here, aliens. Hop in.
[SPRINGING]
[YODELING]
We got 'em!
MOLLY BLOOM: Woo hoo! High five!
JADEN: Take that tiny aliens.
ZANE: Congrats, yo. You just beat level one.
COMPUTER: Brains, brains, brains.
JADEN: Cane Quest 3,000 was pretty cool.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yeah, it helped me imagine moving through space with different white canes. Everyone's experience moving through the world is a little different, so we invited another guest on the show to talk about her experience. Phoenix is 15 years old and blind. She's also a longtime Brains On! fan and has been listening since she was six. Hi, Phoenix.
PHOENIX: Hello.
MOLLY BLOOM: Are so happy you're here today.
JADEN: Hi.
PHOENIX:
PHOENIX: Hey, Jaden.
MOLLY BLOOM: So, Phoenix, I know you're very musical. You have perfect pitch. You play the Irish tin whistle, and you also sing. So do you sing in a group or more on your own?
PHOENIX: I sing in a choir as well as by myself.
MOLLY BLOOM: What's the name of your choir?
PHOENIX: The St Cecilia Singers.
MOLLY BLOOM: I'm also in a choir, so I love singing with choirs. I love the harmonies and stuff. So what does it mean to have perfect pitch?
PHOENIX: Perfect pitch essentially means that I can name any note that is played, and I can sing any note.
MOLLY BLOOM: So if we just said like G-sharp, you'd be like no problem?
PHOENIX: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, Can I hear G-sharp?
PHOENIX: [SINGING NOTE]
MOLLY BLOOM: Beautiful. So, Phoenix, Jaden also loves music and singing. So I'm wondering, the two of you, what is like your song of this season? Like, what has been your favorite song you've listened to recently?
JADEN: Recently, I listened to a lot of new songs-- Sabrina Carpenter, "Good Graces." I think a lot of things on the radio. Ooh, Ariana Grande.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ooh, yes. We love Ariana Grande.
JADEN: I wish I could sing Ariana Grande whistle note. [SINGING NOTE]
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, that was pretty close. I'm impressed. Phoenix, how about you? What have you been listening to lately?
PHOENIX: I recently have just been listening to "Rosanna" by Toto a bit too much.
MOLLY BLOOM: Nice. Both of you have excellent taste in music.
JADEN: Thank you.
MOLLY BLOOM: So we have been talking about white canes, and I'm curious about your relationship to your white cane, Phoenix. When did you first get it?
PHOENIX: I received my first white cane when I was two. So essentially, as soon as I learned to walk, I received my first white cane.
MOLLY BLOOM: So like Jaden was talking about earlier, I guess, you need to get different sizes of canes as you grow. Do you still have your first baby cane?
PHOENIX: I do. I have all of the canes I've ever owned, so I've got about 12 canes.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's so cool.
PHOENIX: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: So basically, you can't remember a time before you used a white cane, probably?
PHOENIX: No, I cannot.
MOLLY BLOOM: When you change to a new cane size, do you kind of have to relearn things, or is it easy to just slip into the next one?
PHOENIX: Nope, you don't have to relearn anything. One of the biggest indications that you need a new cane is that you get lazy with it.
JADEN: Usually, for me, if my school wants me to get a new cane, I'm being measured, or they're just like, oh, Jaden, you're getting too tall for this, so.
PHOENIX: They don't like measure me. They just give me two inches longer. Except for the fact that I begged my O&M instructor for a 58-inch cane because I like chin-height canes.
MOLLY BLOOM: What's an O&M instructor?
PHOENIX: O&M instructor is a person who teaches you orientation and mobility, so teaches you how to use a cane. Teaches you how to navigate.
MOLLY BLOOM: So in the video game, we got to choose between chin and chest-height canes. So it sounds like for you, Phoenix, you prefer a chin height.
PHOENIX: Actually, no, I prefer a nose-height cane.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh! OK.
PHOENIX: I'm crazy. I'm crazy. I love long canes.
JADEN: Nose height?
PHOENIX: Yeah. Oh my gosh.
MOLLY BLOOM: What is it about a longer cane that you like?
PHOENIX: So I can walk a lot faster with a longer cane.
MOLLY BLOOM: So you just-- you're able to tell what's happening further away from you?
PHOENIX: Yes.
MOLLY BLOOM: So you don't have to go-- I see. That makes a lot of sense. And so how about you, Jaden, do you remember when you first got your first white cane?
JADEN: I remember the first time I got my white cane. I was at my old school before I moved. And I was like, is this-- what is this? I think this belongs to someone else. Here you go. You can take it back.
PHOENIX: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: How old were you when you got your first white cane?
JADEN: I was five.
MOLLY BLOOM: So you were not quite as young as Phoenix was when they got their white cane, but you've both got a ton of experience with them. We'll hear more about your experience with white canes after the break. But now, it's time for the--
[WHIRRING]
[CLANG]
CHILD: (WHISPERING) Mystery sound.
MOLLY BLOOM: Here it is.
[CLANGING]
What do we think? Jaden, what is your guess?
JADEN: Aliens, lasers, space.
MOLLY BLOOM: So let's hear your guesses, Phoenix.
PHOENIX: This sounds like the lasers from Star Wars, so I'm guessing it's someone doinging a big old wire.
MOLLY BLOOM: Ooh. OK. I'm going to guess a Slinky sort of like a big old wire, but a curly, big old wire. Well, we're going to hear it again. Get another chance to guess and hear the answer at the end of the show, so stick around.
[THEME MUSIC]
We are working on an episode all about sneezing. Every sneeze is unique from big, loud honkers like a-chew to tiny little squeakers like it-chew. So we want to hear from you. If your sneeze had a name, what would it be? Record yourself doing your favorite sneezing impression and tell us what you'd name it.
So, Phoenix and Jaden, I'm wondering if you have a sneeze you'd like to demonstrate for us, and what you would like to name it?
PHOENIX: Sure. It sounds like this a-chew. Mickey Mouse sneeze, I think.
MOLLY BLOOM: I love it. OK, so, Jaden, do you have a sneeze you'd like to do?
JADEN: [SNEEZING]
MOLLY BLOOM: Ooh, I liked that one. So what would you call that? What would be a name for that kind of sneeze?
JADEN: Good morning. I'm sneezing, sneeze.
[LAUGHTER]
MOLLY BLOOM: Delightful. Listeners, record your sneeze name and sound and send it to us at brainson.org/contact. While you're there, you can send us your mystery sounds, drawings, and questions.
JADEN: Like this one.
CHILD: How do butterflies get their designs?
MOLLY BLOOM: You can find answers to questions like these on the Moment of Um podcast, a short dose of facts and fun every weekday. Find Moment of Um and more at brainson.org. So keep listening.
[THEME MUSIC]
CREW: Brains On! Universe is a family of podcasts for kids and their adults. Since you're a fan of Brains On!, we know you'll love the other shows in our universe. Come on, let's explore.
[JET ENGINE]
COMPUTER: Here we are in Brains On! Universe, home to my favorite podcasts. Brains On! Smash Boom Best. Forever Ago. I found one! Forever Ago, the history show hosted by Joey Dolo.
[ZIP]
[ZING]
[BEETHOVEN]
It was the early 1800s, Beethoven was busy composing new symphonies, steam-powered trains were brand new inventions, and a British naturalist named William Swainson was exploring the jungles of--
COMPUTER: [GASP] What a great show. [COMPUTER BEEPING] Need more Forever Ago now.
CREW: Listen to Forever Ago wherever you get your podcasts.
COMPUTER: (SINGING) Brains On, On, On.
JADEN: You're listening to Brains On! I'm Jaden.
PHOENIX: And I'm Phoenix.
MOLLY BLOOM: And I'm Molly. Today, we're talking about ways that people who are blind or have low vision get around, like white canes. We learned that white canes are tools that help people who are visually impaired move through the world and navigate it independently.
PHOENIX: They provide information in the form of sound and touch.
MOLLY BLOOM: And there are lots of different types. It all depends on what you're looking for.
JADEN: Some fold up and have a rolling marshmallow tip, like mine.
MOLLY BLOOM: Others don't fold and have a pointy pencil tip that's very sensitive to touch.
PHOENIX: And you can sweep them back and forth like a windscreen wiper or tap them on the ground.
MOLLY BLOOM: There are also smart canes, which have extra features like sensors and GPS. The sensors can help warn people of low-hanging objects in their path, like tree branches. And the GPS on a white cane is a lot like the one in your car. It comes up with directions to a location and reads them out loud. So, Phoenix and Jaden, I'm wondering, would you be interested in using a smart cane?
JADEN: I'm interested in using a smart cane because I love technology, and I want one. I really want a smart cane.
MOLLY BLOOM: How about you, Phoenix? Would you be interested in using a smart cane?
PHOENIX: No. Firstly, they're very expensive. Secondly, I think that using a smart cane makes a blind person very, very dependent on technology. And they need-- a blind person needs to be able to navigate without said technology. Say it breaks. Say you drop it in a puddle. Too much hassle.
MOLLY BLOOM: Interesting. I can see both perspectives. A smart cane might be a cool, useful tool in certain situations, but there's always the risk of becoming dependent on it. And was there ever a time when you were like I don't want to use this white cane, Jaden?
PHOENIX: Yes.
MOLLY BLOOM: So, Phoenix, you say, yes. And Jaden, how about you? Was there also a time where you didn't like it?
JADEN: I'm not sure. Maybe. Maybe.
MOLLY BLOOM: So Phoenix answered yes right away. So let's hear from you, Phoenix. Tell me when you weren't in the mood to use it.
PHOENIX: OK, so there's a phase that a lot of disabled people go through where you kind of refuse all the stuff that's going to help you out. So my phase was when I was about seven, and I refused the cane, refused O&M, refused Braille because it made me feel really alienated from everyone else.
MOLLY BLOOM: And how old were you, would you say, when you got over that phase of like being like I don't want to do this, it makes me feel different and alienated?
PHOENIX: Honestly, probably about last year--
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, OK.
PHOENIX: --was like really when I just accepted it.
MOLLY BLOOM: And so how would you say things changed for you when you accepted, like, this stuff is here to help me?
PHOENIX: Everything's gotten a lot easier. I actually read Braille now, which is nice. And I write on my Perkins.
MOLLY BLOOM: Can you say what a Perkins is?
PHOENIX: A Perkins is essentially a mechanical Braille typewriter. It is very fun. I get to go bang, bang, bang.
[LAUGHTER]
MOLLY BLOOM: And Braille is a system of writing where each letter of the alphabet is made up of raised dots. And you feel the dots with your fingers to read. So yeah, and actually, the script that we gave Jaden for this episode is in Braille. I don't know if they made it with a Perkins machine.
PHOENIX: No, they would have made it with an embosser probably.
JADEN: Yeah, that's what I was thinking.
MOLLY BLOOM: So I would like to know what would you guys say is the trickiest thing about using a white cane out in the world? Let's start with you, Phoenix.
PHOENIX: OK, I am paranoid about this now is breaking the cane is always a big possibility. And so now I keep a spare cane in my backpack because I managed to break two this year.
MOLLY BLOOM: And, Jaden, how about you? What do you think is the trickiest thing about using a white cane out in the world?
JADEN: I don't want to be mean about this to other people at my school, but they don't move out the way. They just stay there. They just stay there. And then when I'm walking, I'm like, oh, sorry. Excuse me. Like, sorry that you're getting whacked.
MOLLY BLOOM: I think that's a really good point to make. And I think that's helpful for people to know. Like, so if you see someone walking down the street with a white cane, what should you-- what would you say you want them to do? Like, what's the best thing for someone? Should they just get out of the way?
JADEN: They should either get out of my way. Or if they see that I might need help, they can ask. Like, oh, do you need help?
MOLLY BLOOM: Is that the same advice you would give, Phoenix?
PHOENIX: Yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: So to recap the advice, if you are moving confidently, you want to be left alone. You're like, I'm good. Just get out of my way, so you don't break my cane by accidentally stepping on it.
PHOENIX: Yep.
JADEN: Yep.
MOLLY BLOOM: And then if you are standing there, maybe not moving, not looking confident, maybe looking a little lost, then perhaps say, oh, do you need help?
PHOENIX: Yep.
MOLLY BLOOM: So, Jaden and Phoenix, when you are moving through the world, are there things you'd like sighted people to know about your experience?
PHOENIX: No question is a stupid question, unless you're asking how many fingers you're holding up.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's really good advice. What about you, Jaden? What would you like people to know?
JADEN: Don't just grab onto me because that's what I'm a bit scared of. Maybe just ask me first if I need help before doing it.
MOLLY BLOOM: People just sometimes grab you and try to help you without asking first?
PHOENIX: Yes.
JADEN: Mm-hmm.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, that's quite annoying. Yeah, don't do that. Ask people. So do you have any last thoughts about navigating the world with white canes?
PHOENIX: Oh, there's actually a song that the New Zealand Blind School wrote. It's all about canes. It's called "White Cane Day." It's "The White Cane Day" song.
MOLLY BLOOM: Cool!
JADEN: Oh, you guys wrote that?
PHOENIX: Yeah, we wrote that.
(SINGING) When we need to find our way
When we need to navigate
When we need eyes on the ground
But we can't see to get around
We still want to be independent without stumbling all around
There is one solution that we found
It's a long white thing that looks like a stick made of metal and string with a rubber grip
My guide to get me from A to B
It's my white cane
It helps me to see
[THEME MUSIC]
MOLLY BLOOM: People who are blind or have low vision use lots of different ways to navigate the world.
JADEN: One way is to use a white cane.
PHOENIX: White canes are long and thin and have a bunch of different tips.
MOLLY BLOOM: They give you lots of information about the world in the form of sound and touch and help you get around independently.
PHOENIX: The point is, if you're blind or have low vision, there are lots of tools available to help you explore the world on your own.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's it for this episode of Brains On!
JADEN: This episode is written and produced by--
ROSIE DUPONT: Rosie duPont.
JADEN: Edited by--
SHAHLA FARZAN: Shahla Farzan.
JADEN: And--
SANDEN TOTTEN: Sanden Totten.
JADEN: Fact-checking by--
JESS MILLER: Jess Miller.
PHOENIX: With production help from the rest of the Brains On! Universe team.
MOLLY BLOOM: Molly Bloom.
NICO GONZALEZ WISLER: Nico Gonzalez Wisler.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Ruby Guthrie.
JOSHUA RAY: Joshua Ray.
MARC SANCHEZ: Marc Sanchez.
LAUREN HUMPERT: Lauren Humpert.
CHARLOTTE TRAVER: Charlotte Traver.
ANNA WEGGEL: Anna Weggel.
ANNA GOLDFIELD: Anna Goldfield.
PHOENIX: And--
ARON WOLDESLASSIE: Aron Woldeslassie.
MOLLY BLOOM: We had engineering help from Sean Campbell, Doug Gerry, and Derek Ramirez with sound design by--
ROSIE DUPONT: Rosie DuPont.
MOLLY BLOOM: Original theme music by
MARC SANCHEZ: Marc Sanchez.
MOLLY BLOOM: Beth Perlman is our executive producer and the executives in charge of APM Studios are Chandra Kavati and Joanne Griffith. Special thanks to Lap and Robert Hooke, Kyra Mayes, Madeline Hernandez, Karen Kay Esquivel Maze, and the Braille Institute.
JADEN: Brains On! Is a nonprofit public radio program.
MOLLY BLOOM: There are lots of ways to support the show. Subscribe to Brains On! Universe on YouTube, where you can watch animated versions of some of your favorite episodes or head to BrainsOn.org.
PHOENIX: While you're there, you can send us mystery sounds, drawings, and questions.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, Jaden and Phoenix, are you ready to listen to that mystery sound again?
JADEN: Yes.
PHOENIX: Yep.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, let's hear it again.
[CLANGING]
Jaden, what is your guess? Would you have any new guesses?
JADEN: Lasers, video games, aliens, spaceships, probably aliens, something related to space.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yeah, maybe yodeling aliens?
JADEN: Maybe.
MOLLY BLOOM: Maybe.
PHOENIX: They're all from Switzerland.
MOLLY BLOOM: What do you think. Phoenix?
PHOENIX: I still think it's the same. It's a wire, I think.
MOLLY BLOOM: Doinging a wire. All right, I'm ready for the reveal.
JADEN: Me, too.
MOLLY BLOOM: Let's hear it.
CHILD: That was the sound of a Slinky on the table.
PHOENIX: A Slinky?
MOLLY BLOOM: Slinky.
PHOENIX: On the table?
JADEN: On the table?
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, my gosh.
JADEN: Wait.
MOLLY BLOOM: I've never gotten a mystery sound right. I swear. So a Slinky is basically a wire, so you were right too, Phoenix. I'm giving you credit as well. So Slinky is a wire that's been coiled up into like a swirly whirly shape. And you can bounce it back and forth between your hands. It's very-- it makes kind of that noise when you wiggle it around.
JADEN: That actually sounds like a spaceship. Oh, my gosh.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, so cool. Nice work, both of you.
[CLANGING]
Now it's time for the Brains Honor Roll. These are the incredible kids who keep the show going with their questions, ideas, mystery sounds, drawings, and high-fives. Elizabeth and Jack from Newton, Massachusetts. Rhett and Dawson from Brandoxville, Pennsylvania. June from Lincoln, Nebraska. Abby and Chelsea from Swampscott, Massachusetts. Flo and Penny from Darby, United Kingdom. Eleanor May from San Antonio, Texas. Naomi from Rockville, Maryland. Ray from Honolulu.
William from Houston, Texas. Aaron from Staunton, Virginia. Horatio and Lila from Phuket, Thailand. JJ from Plymouth, Minnesota. Azara from Boston. Sofie from Philadelphia. Ella Marie from Prospect Heights, Illinois. Maurice from Lawrence, Kansas. West from San Francisco. Ray from Chiayi, Taiwan. Alex and Lucy from Charlotte, North Carolina.
Lila, Brooke, and Knox from Fayetteville, Georgia. Daria and Ari from Irvine, California. Briggs from Amarillo, Texas. Emily, Katie, and Cora from Vail, Oregon. Clifford from Cleveland. Connor from Las Vegas. Zahra and Rohan from Monrovio, California. Srishti from Copenhagen. Ayaan from Irving, Texas. Rosie from Virginia. Oliver from Vancouver. Josephine from Lakeville, Minnesota. Frazier from Scotland. Benjamin from Lexington, Kentucky.
Lily from Golden Valley, Minnesota. Jack from Lakewood, California. Dom from Los Angeles. Sophia from Odessa, Florida. Chloe from San Francisco. Kavya from Perth, Washington. Julie from Waco, Texas. Nikita from Tampa, Florida. Vincent from Callosa d'en Sariyer, Spain. Cam and Bri from Lincoln, Nebraska. Ayeta Claire from Spring, Texas. Chris from Maryland. Jovi from Buffalo, New York. Nora from Greenville, Wisconsin.
Declan from San Francisco. Katie from Waukesha, Wisconsin. Caleb from Comox Valley, British Columbia. Lorenzo from Maine. Aviana from San Diego, California. Connor from Warsaw, Indiana. Kashfi from Poway, California. Summer from Arcadia, California. Jack from Fairport, New York. Manasi from Georgetown, Ontario. Peter from Chicago. Satnam from Barrie, Ontario. Zeke from Rutland, Vermont. Magnus from Missouri, and Savannah from Raglan, New Zealand.
[THEME MUSIC]
We'll be back next week with an episode all about sneezes.
ALL: Thanks for listening.
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