Ergonomics, Mechanics and Functional Aspects of the Long Cane

In spite of all the effort put into the development of electronic mobility aids, we still have a long way to go before we can offer the visually handicapped a device that can fully replace the (long) cane (e.g. Jansson, 1975; Armstrong, 1977). Therefore, this indispensible aid deserves the full attention of the rehabilitation engineer, and the more so because it seems so deceptively easy to manufacture. As Thornton (1977) already remarked: “In spite of all experimentation, the ideal cane which meets all the requirements has yet to be found”. This conclusion is as valid today, as it was seven years ago.