Enjoy the Journey with the VR Cardinal LE

Students need a book reader to increase learning and a reliable GPS to aid them in Orientation and Mobility (O&M) class as they practice new routes. The VR Cardinal is an advanced, limited edition device that meets both these requirements and is a great alternative to a cell phone, which is often put away during the school day. 

A handheld device with tactile buttons, the VR Cardinal has two modes: Book Reading and Orientation Guidance. In Book Reading mode, students can download books for school or leisure from dedicated libraries such as NLS Bard, Bookshare, Audible, and NFB-NEWSLINE. They can transfer content from a PC to the device’s removable flash memory card and navigate multiple file formats including DAISY, MP3, NISO, and electronic text. Wikipedia access allows students to look up word meanings to increase their vocabulary, and a built-in recorder makes recording lectures easy. After school, enjoy podcasts, stream internet radio, or transfer content to listen offline. 

In Orientation Guidance mode, students can virtually explore map areas to familiarize themselves with their surroundings or prepare for family trips by examining future vacation spots. Simply enter an address using the telephone keypad on the VR Cardinal or search for nearby points of interest to receive pedestrian or vehicle turn-by-turn instructions. “What differentiates the features of a unit for blind users versus sighted is that we want a lot more verbosity,” said Mike May, APH Navigation Technology Advisor. “We want to hear about what we’re passing, and the VR Cardinal has that feature.” At any point in a route, students can press the “Where am I” button (key 5) to determine their current direction, upcoming intersections, intersection configurations, distance to the next intersection, and nearest address. Having this information leads to location literacy. “If you’re going to learn your environment and develop your mental mapping skills, then having an accessible GPS is how we get that location literacy, and the VR Cardinal is just another way of doing that that’s very convenient and has its benefits,” said Mike. 

Another unique aspect of the VR Cardinal is its ability to record points of interest with one’s voice. “You might be camping or in an open field or something and want to drop a pin to be able to get back to that spot,” said Mike. Other options include marking one’s home or school. Afterwards, the device can help students navigate back to that saved point of interest, and routes can also be saved to travel again later.  

Utilizing a tactile device with buttons is easier for some users than swiping through a typical GPS app on an iPhone. One field tester said, “I feel that having it on my belt is nice to confirm where I think I am. I also like that I don’t have to fiddle with touch screens while out and about.” The VR Cardinal’s GPS doesn’t drain the battery like most navigation apps on one’s phone do because the GPS is onboarded on the device. This means that if someone is in a place with no internet or cell service, they will still have access to the maps as they are downloaded on the VR Cardinal.  

Our field testers provided more positive feedback on the VR Cardinal. One said, “I think it is a very solid solution for somebody going to college or is in high school. Also, I think it is a very good device for O&M instruction.” Another agreed and said, “This device is very well-built and helpful for reading books, taking notes, listening to podcasts, and going to the market with the GPS.” 

Whether a student uses it for reading books, walking routes, or both, the VR Cardinal is a great addition to the classroom. Purchase the VR Cardinal LE today.