Efficacy of the Touch Technique for Surface and Foot-Placement Preview

Abstract

Seven orientation and mobility specialists were videotaped simultaneously on three stationary cameras while traveling with long canes. The cameras were calibrated to allow for the exact determination of the relative position of the various body and cane parts as the travelers passed through the coordinated focal point. Input from the videotapes was digitized and entered on a computer to provide continuous traces of movement. A visual analysis of the traces indicated that the cane tip consistently touched outside the foot (and therefore did not provide foot-placement preview) and that surface preview was inconsistent.