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Blind Skier Assisted Skiing

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Koshermilk
Posts: 501 - Karma: 1,892
Hey ns, so for my senior project we made a vibration-assisted vest for blind skiers to be able to ski much more independently and on their own. If you have any questions about that or want to know more you can dm me. But please help me by filling out this survey, all input is super helpful to us in developing this product to being the best it can be!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdqiqCjiOBrUEEXgGdo84Hl5mjoxrf-SHwRTeszah4XLZmSWQ/viewform?usp=sf_link
Mar 4 2021 5:19PM
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WoFlowz
Posts: 7900 - Karma: 63,934
I’m blind in 1 eye or close but this sounds cool for someone that’s like rly blind
Mar 4 2021 5:51PM
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sqeellicbic
Posts: 421 - Karma: 3,356
Do blind people actually ski? Sorry if this is ignorant but I'm genuinely curious. I always thought that if you go blind then you can kiss skiing goodbye.
Mar 4 2021 6:02PM
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Koshermilk
Posts: 501 - Karma: 1,892
sqeellicbicDo blind people actually ski? Sorry if this is ignorant but I'm genuinely curious. I always thought that if you go blind then you can kiss skiing goodbye.


Yea I was a bit confused too when I first heard about it too but yea pretty much right blind people who want to ski pretty much just have a hi-vis vest attached to a leash, where the person's instructor is telling them commands vocally. and yea that's the thing, currently blind skiing is nothing like skiing now, cause it's super reliant on the person's instructor to be very close to them and they are both restrained by being able to hear voice commands and the leash.
Mar 4 2021 6:15PM
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mattm7
Posts: 355 - Karma: 1,974
https://youtu.be/tnYX87E-PfAhttps://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/995914/Here-s-How-These-Blind-Paralympian-Skiers-Rule-the-Slopes---Start-Your-Impossible---NowThis
sqeellicbicDo blind people actually ski? Sorry if this is ignorant but I'm genuinely curious. I always thought that if you go blind then you can kiss skiing goodbye.
Mar 4 2021 6:17PM
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WoFlowz
Posts: 7900 - Karma: 63,934
sqeellicbicDo blind people actually ski? Sorry if this is ignorant but I'm genuinely curious. I always thought that if you go blind then you can kiss skiing goodbye.


Whistler blackcomb has a great documentary short film thing on blind skiers
Mar 4 2021 6:17PM
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saucelars
Posts: 126 - Karma: 1,307
sqeellicbicDo blind people actually ski? Sorry if this is ignorant but I'm genuinely curious. I always thought that if you go blind then you can kiss skiing goodbye.


Back in u16 my buddies and I all raced and my main man MkTondl got beat in a super g race by a blind guy, he’s never going to live that down.
Mar 4 2021 6:52PM
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dolanslebensraum
Posts: 5959 - Karma: -13,099
I dont know why skiing would be fun if you were blind. Like to me it seems like most of the fun of skiing is visual.

like would a deaf person enjoy an opera?

if blind ppl get kicks from skiing then thats fantastic. Im just wondering why it would be fun if you couldnt see how fast you were going.
Mar 4 2021 6:53PM
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armchair_skier
Posts: 2309 - Karma: 29,075
do they wear pit vipers tho
Mar 4 2021 6:55PM
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DominatorJacques
Posts: 11232 - Karma: 76,337
sqeellicbicDo blind people actually ski? Sorry if this is ignorant but I'm genuinely curious. I always thought that if you go blind then you can kiss skiing goodbye.


Yes! Here is another video from the adaptive program where I ski.
Check it out.

https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/995922/Lauren-with-OAS-at-Mt--Bachelor-Jan--3rd-2012-Blind-Skiing
Mar 4 2021 6:56PM
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Koshermilk
Posts: 501 - Karma: 1,892
Yo ppl fill out the form, I only got 1 response so far
Mar 4 2021 6:58PM
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ModMommy
Posts: 10815 - Karma: 57,160
sqeellicbicDo blind people actually ski? Sorry if this is ignorant but I'm genuinely curious. I always thought that if you go blind then you can kiss skiing goodbye.

Hey! There are quite a few adaptive programs out there for blind skiers. It’s not a dumb question since it seems counter intuitive. I can’t embed this atm, but here’s a 12 yr that’s legally blind crushing the Big at Big Sky. In Bozeman we have an awesome program called Eagle Mount that helps adaptive skiers get out there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MwkngQ5xNE


Also this is as blog from a blind skier, might answer some questions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui-9uNuqRyE&list=UUwf9TcLyS5KDoLRLjke41Hg&index=55

**This post was edited on Mar 4th 2021 at 7:06:37pm
Mar 4 2021 7:00PM
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Koshermilk
Posts: 501 - Karma: 1,892
DolansLebensraumI dont know why skiing would be fun if you were blind. Like to me it seems like most of the fun of skiing is visual.

like would a deaf person enjoy an opera?

if blind ppl get kicks from skiing then thats fantastic. Im just wondering why it would be fun if you couldnt see how fast you were going.


Our idea started because some veterans who lost their vision doing whatever wanting to be able to ski again, and I think its just the feeling of being on skis again and the feeling of gliding on the snow is what they are craving
Mar 4 2021 7:00PM
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Koshermilk
Posts: 501 - Karma: 1,892
safarisamHey! There are quite a few adaptive programs out there for blind skiers. It’s not a dumb question since it seems counter intuitive. I can’t embed this atm, but here’s a 12 yr that’s legally blind crushing the Big at Big Sky. In Bozeman we have an awesome program called Eagle Mount that helps adaptive skiers get out there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MwkngQ5xNE


Also this is as blog from a blind skier, might answer some questions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui-9uNuqRyE&list=UUwf9TcLyS5KDoLRLjke41Hg&index=55

**This post was edited on Mar 4th 2021 at 7:06:37pm


I'll check those out thanks!
Mar 4 2021 7:08PM
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ASAPCarter
Posts: 918 - Karma: 10,356
just filled it out!
Mar 4 2021 7:08PM
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Koshermilk
Posts: 501 - Karma: 1,892
armchair_skierdo they wear pit vipers tho


100% tint pitvipers
Mar 4 2021 7:08PM
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ModMommy
Posts: 10815 - Karma: 57,160
zeke.obliqueI'll check those out thanks!


Here’s the link to our program: https://eaglemount.org/about/

They’re awesome and could be a good resource if you reach out and they answer!
Mar 4 2021 7:11PM
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DesertStix
Posts: 2540 - Karma: 14,982
In December, we were riding through purgatory and saw the adaptive program with legit 4 instructors in tow and 2 cops. I guess they were park rangers or whatever but they had sidearms while skiing and enforcing the area around the rider. I’ve seen another dude rip around solo but with the “visually impaired” vest and I have absolutely no idea how that works. Blows my mind.
Mar 4 2021 7:42PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51644 - Karma: 162,265
Seeing the blind skiers on the mountain is so fucking cool. A tremendous amount of respect to them and the people assisting them. The amount of trust you have to put in the people around you. It's fucking amazing and probably super freeing.

Always gets me super stoked.
Mar 4 2021 7:57PM
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DesertStix
Posts: 2540 - Karma: 14,982
Hell yeah. They are like the only mountain employees who will blow a whistle at me and my response is 10/10 “oh shit my bad”. I can totally see why they’re so aggressive. Someone is BLINDLY trusting them with their life...
theabortionatorSeeing the blind skiers on the mountain is so fucking cool. A tremendous amount of respect to them and the people assisting them. The amount of trust you have to put in the people around you. It's fucking amazing and probably super freeing.

Always gets me super stoked.
Mar 4 2021 8:43PM
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WilliamsAnderson
Posts: 2 - Karma: 15
That blind skier project is genius, But not an popular one.
Mar 4 2021 9:10PM
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DominatorJacques
Posts: 11232 - Karma: 76,337
zeke.obliqueHey ns, so for my senior project we made a vibration-assisted vest for blind skiers to be able to ski much more independently and on their own. If you have any questions about that or want to know more you can dm me. But please help me by filling out this survey, all input is super helpful to us in developing this product to being the best it can be!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdqiqCjiOBrUEEXgGdo84Hl5mjoxrf-SHwRTeszah4XLZmSWQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

IDK, if you have not already, but maybe talk to these folks.

https://www.moveunitedsport.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Move_United
Mar 4 2021 9:27PM
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ColoradoDogfart
Posts: 2443 - Karma: 29,005
I always love seeing blind people ski, watching them absolutely rip or even if they're just making some small turns on the greens makes me so happy. I can't imagine the freedom it gives them just being able to do an activity just like any other person would be able to. great project op
Mar 4 2021 10:32PM
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SlitherySnake
Posts: 1168 - Karma: 8,614
haven't seen any blind people at my mountain but there's always chair skiers and last week I saw a guy absolutely shredding it with an above the knee amputation so he was on one ski. shit's sick
Mar 4 2021 11:45PM
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cyphers
Posts: 1657 - Karma: 18,285
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/995956/Blind-Faith---Whistler-Blackcomb
Mar 5 2021 12:47AM
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jprene8
Posts: 298 - Karma: 2,046
DolansLebensraumI dont know why skiing would be fun if you were blind. Like to me it seems like most of the fun of skiing is visual.

like would a deaf person enjoy an opera?

if blind ppl get kicks from skiing then thats fantastic. Im just wondering why it would be fun if you couldnt see how fast you were going.

I assume a deaf person could still enjoy an opera due to the vibrations the instruments make, they could potentially still get some enjoyment out of it
Mar 5 2021 8:48AM
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Koshermilk
Posts: 501 - Karma: 1,892
jprene8I assume a deaf person could still enjoy an opera due to the vibrations the instruments make, they could potentially still get some enjoyment out of it


I also think having the freedom to not have someone shouting commands at you constantly would be very nice
Mar 5 2021 9:56PM
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Koshermilk
Posts: 501 - Karma: 1,892
DominatorJacquesIDK, if you have not already, but maybe talk to these folks.

https://www.moveunitedsport.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Move_United


Thanks fam! I’ll definitely check these out
Mar 5 2021 9:58PM
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DominatorJacques
Posts: 11232 - Karma: 76,337
zeke.obliqueThanks fam! I’ll definitely check these out

I hope you can see, I messed up on the second link to the Wiki page. united, not unite
Mar 6 2021 10:59AM
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