Page 58 - December_2015_Life_in_Naples_Magazine

DANIEL KISH ALAN RUSSELL

CUTTINGINESCDIEGNCEE

by Kelly G Cooper

O n February 22, 2016 the 6th annual Imagine Solutions
Conference will bring alive science and technology through
stories of dynamic innovators and their outstanding
achievements.These brilliant minds are making breakthroughs
in the fields recognized as key to economic growth and global leadership.
This is a session that will stretch your mind, amaze you, and make you very
proud while touching your emotions.

You will have the opportunity to interact
with the blind man who taught himself to see
Daniel Kish, who has raised public awareness
towards the way the world views the blind
and the way the blind view the world. Daniel
Kish is an expert in human echolocation and
President of the non-for profit World Access
for the Blind. Kish will share his personal
perspective and life’s work on teaching the
visually impaired to empower themselves
using human echolocation, which he named Flash Sonar. Sightless since the
age of 13 months, he discovered vision and learned to ‘see’ by the simple click
of his tongue. By actively creating the clicking sound he was able to interpret
the sound waves reflected by nearby objects enabling him to identify their
location and visualize the object. With the mastery of human echolocation
Kish has passionately taught the visually impaired how to use flash sonar and
perceptual mobility around the world. He will discuss his global travels and
unique stories of leadership notably guiding and teaching a group of blind
teenagers how to navigate to new locations safely throughout the wilderness
with the use of flash sonar.Kish will deliver a passionate and genuinely personal
perspective on his own life living sightless and helping others navigate their
challenges. He will share with you his dream to help all sight-impaired people
see the world as clearly as he does.
Over half of the world’s population suffers from some from of cognitive,
emotional, motor, or sensory condition. Through technological innovation
now individuals do not have to accept limitations and can in fact exceed their
disability. Presenter Hugh Herr is a perfect example of an individual who has

58 Life in Naples | December 2015