Teaching the blind to navigate the world using tongue clicks: Daniel Kish at TEDxGateway 2012

About Daniel:
Daniel Kish is an American expert in human echolocation and President of World Access for the Blind, a non-profit founded in 2000 to facilitate "the self-directed achievement of people with all forms of blindness" and increase public awareness about their strengths and capabilities. Kish and his organization have taught echolocation to at least 500 blind children around the world. Kish, who has been blind since he was 13 months old, is the first totally blind person to be a legally Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) and to hold a National Blindness Professional Certification (NOMC). He also holds masters degrees in developmental psychology and special education.
About his TEDxGateway talk:
Daniel shares his life story, his journey behind spreading the echolocation concept, and his message to the blind community across the world that nothing is impossible and seeing the world could only a matter of few tongue clicks away.
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In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@noidexe]

This should be taught to everyone at school. I would find it really useful to be able to navigate a dark environment.

[@vladdracula9844]

[TRCZ] NoidEXE Teach it to yourself, then. It is possible.

[@xfire6443]

I agree

[@Evilfish82]

Bad idea. Unless you are blind, don't' bother. Don't mess with your woking senses. Don't fix what isn't' broken cause you could end up breaking it.

[@jacquelinesmith-jackson2815]

Evilfish82 Yeah that's not true at all. First it would be much easier for a blind person to do echo location than a cited person. This is because blind people have to rely on there other senses a lot more.

[@jumpander]

@@Evilfish82 That makes absolutely no sense.

[@Rawk4Life]

A blind person learning how to skateboard? That's like a whole new world right there, and it's incredible.

[@Coolikedat227]

i this man is my hero, ever since my blindness, i couldnt have the motivation to do anything, but now i use this idea and it changed my life, thank you kish

[@sirpandaplayzstuffz3602]

so how did you type this again

[@Coolikedat227]

SirPandaPlayzStuffz # lol

[@LyunAvine]

+Coolikedat227 So how did you read that comment again

[@Absolutely_puck_fakestine]

+SirPandaPlayzStuffz with his tongue.

[@jamillprank4760]

the only blind that can read?

[@ToveriJuri]

I really hope his way of thinking becomes becomes dominant in the future. The things they can do with echolocation are amazing and just show another level of human potential.

[@senaitmulemwagebrezgi-musu6867]

I am so grateful for this young man. Freedom of self autonomy is what we humans truly aim for.

[@terraespiritus4895]

What a beautiful, gentle soul this man is. An inspiration to us all and deserves much much much more recognition than he currently has at this moment, for all that he has done in his life and the countless blind children/people he has helped to "see" the world through their blindness, regain their freedom and independence. Something that you cannot put a price on. And he has a very lovely speaking voice and so soothing too.

[@user-tb2jy9lu3d]

I love this guy's positive attitude and can-do attitude in life.

[@lornafletcher6174]

how can anyone dislike this video. He has a gift. I find him an inspiration. Well Done Daniel

[@navinbhandari2001]

There are some strange people in this world

[@vladdracula9844]

Lorna Fletcher The gift can be learned by anyone, though

[@clutchtv6299]

Vlad Dracula so because anyone can do it you think that he doesn't deserve his props for doing it

[@rajat9800gt]

These are actually clicked mistakenly

[@Quaporu]

Cause they can't use echolocation cause there not blind

[@klaviergavin4002]

I can't believe I found this again. This was my middle school LA teacher's brother wow. Ingenious ideas.

[@vexedev]

This is epic stuff: "We believe that the 'im' in impossible stands for make it possible!"

[@cycleanandt1547]

Simply amazing skills, abilities, persistence, positivity, and a great spirit for joy of life despite being totally blind since childhood 🙏

[@ps.es.2026]

I am watching this 9 years later, but am blown away by this man confidence!!!

[@unuhinuii7764]

Everyone should use it. My husband says I use echolocation even when I sleep - then again, when youʻve got a visually impaired lady with a blind cat (who talks a lot and uses echolocation), and a colorblind husband... what to expect? The other cat, with the normal eyes, gives probably stinkeyes to her odd family... :) Normal people donʻt see when itʻs dark or when thereʻs absolutely no light. So learn to see beyond the limits of your eyes. I run, usually with my eyes closed, or with just one eye open a tiny bit (because my eyes hurt and are extremely light sensitive, to both natural and artificial lights), I know where to turn, where to run, where the dangerous areas for running are. Running feels amazing - especially when you also break your own limits, and exercize the eyes/brain/fears. Echolocation is so briliant - just start using it. Walk a bit, run a bit... when you have your own comfort areas to run, whatʻs stopping you? Why do so many people always switch on the lights when they go in their own bathroom? Canʻt you shower or pee without the lights? Canʻt you make a coffee in the dark in your own home?

[@rocksaltzwidaz3411]

Dang, how did you type this?

[@susanwilliams2392]

Rocksaltz with their fingers, like everyone else. Thousands of people worldwide, both blind and sighted, can touch type. We also have access to screen reading or screen magnifying software, so we can access technology just like everyone else. To the OP I am VI too, I wish I could learn echolocation, but I can't get the click right, I can do it a bit with passive sound and if I whack my cane on concrete I can get an idea of the space I am in from the echoes

[@Javo_Non]

@@rocksaltzwidaz3411 echolocatin'! Duh! ;)

[@fastmeansoftransportation2719]

@@Javo_Non Doeant work with phones tho. You can see light with echolocation cuz the sound bounces of shapes not lights

[@arty3865]

i m gonna try it out ! specially with corona confinement x)

[@cassidyS667]

tried closing my eyes and clicking around the house... my dog kept jumping on me...

[@rahuljog5710]

i did it too and banged my head

[@novemberannaleze2661]

My siblings kept hitting me to shush😂

[@rameneater9921]

He should've listen to the guards heartbeat if he made up the rules or not

[@kylemccrea873]

Props to all of the people who get this reference

[@operationstarwars]

Daredevil Netflix series

[@reeseironi]

@@operationstarwars or avatar the last airbender. hope it's both

[@keth8947]

I'm pretty sure I just watched 22 mins of him not even once blinking. My eyes were watering so badly.

[@zihadkamal896]

may you live long sir

[@qwertyuiop9060]

This guy is a real entertainer! He really knows how to engage an audience

[@ankit2056]

Huge Respect for this guy!👍

[@BubblesPothowari]

Blind Indian Industrialist,"Try getting yourself a glass of water at night without switching on the lights, and see who is handicapped." The conclusion of the presentation is Words of God. Daniel, Pl do come to Mumbai again, soon. Thank you.

[@AlbertGuilmont]

+BubblesPothowari I'll bet a fortune that Jesus NEVER saw THAT coming! Not because he was blind, but because people are better than gods in any aspect imaginable, starting with the... existence!

[@AlbertGuilmont]

***** Are you a fuckin' guru, or something? Get the fuck outta my face!

[@eirikmurito]

+BubblesPothowari i get the point to tryin to make and that ur tryin to teach us a lesson but the blind man is still the handicapped one..

[@TheLingnerFamily]

Fantastic. So cool these developments to help those who have lost the use of their eyes.

[@DaRealFiberOptix]

i admire the heck out of this dude

[@TicTacMentheDouce]

Next is Metalbending.

[@theplague680]

After that we learn to grow gills

[@Mochazuki]

Then we learn firebending

[@min-ql5yu]

i want to see the world with my feet

[@Geo2wavey]

That’s seismic sense 😂

[@CaioRodrigues001]

Did u learn seismic sense yet?

[@surjitdhillon4854]

so nice of him and I like to thanks him for the idea and efferts

[@vatsapuneet]

I just love this Man... Daniel... You are a gem 💎

[@justinevirtue1755]

Love the macro message. We are taught limitations, blind or sighted. Bravo!

[@DanielElson]

Not going to lie that blind man can ride skateboard better than me

[@JordanSullivanadventures]

This is absolutely fascinating, and it's wild to me that we don't teach and support every blind person to use their other senses in this way and create their own freedom of movement. We as a society seem to care more about maintaining a static ideal of "normal" than we do about appreciating the breadth of varied human experience. "Disability" is truly an invention of society. E.g. nearsighted people aren't considered disabled bc they can access glasses in most cases, but blind people are supposed to just accept complete dependence on others for their entire lives bc society doesn't even present them with an alternative in most cases. I believe research into teaching the brain new senses via different types of stimulation may be extremely transformative. Can't wait until it's not unusual to have wear-able gadgets that give people a sense of magnetic north or a wider frequency band of light.

[@bofosu1]

This definitely amazing. It opened my eyes to the fact that excuses only keeps us from the God given potentials in our lives. Thank you Daniel.

[@qwertyuiop9060]

Just finished watching the whole video. Truly inspiring..More power to you, sir!

[@crystaldragonwoman]

beautiful presence shines through - fantastic inspiration inviting all of us to 'reach for the sky' freedom - by a different way of seeing - we all need a different way of seeing - beyond our limiting concepts of ourselves and others :-)

[@teresahopemiller1008]

I like your mindset.

[@ranjeethstudio2483]

While Riding bicycle, identifying curve and corner in road is difficult and dangerous but he did it👍. In my opinion driving bike and car is not possible because of more disturbance in sound.

[@jojosh6778]

I came here to become daredevil

[@veroboy3163]

Im done

[@jojosh6778]

+Veroboy316 I wasn't sirius.

[@veroboy3163]

+Jos' drawing oh

[@AlienAhmed]

+Jos' drawing me too

[@DailyClips2.5]

me too

[@miladbanan2445]

Thank you so much

[@TerminallyChill85]

Kish is amazing. WOW! I wonder if he could get his ears enlarged to enhance his abilities

[@vijayganesh7367]

This guy came to Mumbai , so fascinating yaar

[@stevenswithav]

This guy is amazing. Great sense of humour too :)

[@surjitdhillon4854]

it is very good to know ...and action on it /

[@dablo3530]

This is very inspirational thanks Daniel

[@TheManinthenet]

Genius !

[@SamDavey12]

EASILY the strongest LIKE ratio i've seen all year, KEEP IT UP PEOPLE!!! :D

[@r1pp3dx]

Absolutely amazing.

[@PhysicsOfParkour]

SO deep at the End

[@sapheaj9983]

a story about Kish was on my ELA state test today XD it interested me so i looked him up

[@晓夜-e5s]

Echolocation can help blind people a lot，I‘ll try to practice that.

[@RockBrentwood]

You don't need the clicks. You can do it straight off the acoustic effects of objects in the visual field on the ambient background noise. That's what I do.

[@adrianfernandofv]

Omg, I am number 3. That's nice for a change.

[@stockhut2106]

It's really work ... thankyou so much

[@sureshkumar-zq3lr]

Yes,We Can Do

[@carolkittenheart5513]

My husband has done this for years. He is a successful piano technician and also sells used pianos. The only negative comments I've heard about this method from other blind people is the fact that 'clicking' draws attention to the blind person. He is not behaving naturally and the clicking gets on others' nerves. My husband pretty much only does it when he is on his own. He also rode a bike in a narrow alley way, having put a paper against the spokes, secured by a clothespin. I guess if it improves someone's life, then let it be. I just wonder why not an echo originating from some device that only the blind person can hear? N on one can take away Daniel's success, whatever they think about the peculiarity. There have been others no KZbin as well. This is not new, but not everyone has had the fortitude to resist opposition.

[@noidexe]

Carol Wigent that should be simple enough and maybe it would provide better resolution than tongue-clicks. You just need an ultrasound emitter, and a pair of microphones and earphones. You can cut all frequencies not in the emitter range and then bring them down to something audible. The only problem is that the earphones must be designed in a way that still allow you to properly listen to your surroundings.

[@Olehenry]

Thanks for sharing, Carol Wigent . In Replying, I also wanted to invite BJ Beasley to this video and some interesting comments, in case it was useful in his journey.

[@deanpsomotragos8359]

+Carol Wigent you are totally right

[@TheRojo387]

It works best when the incoming sound is echoed from outgoing sound.

[@Javo_Non]

@@noidexe bone conduction?

[@ffnovice7]

>that one guy coughing every five seconds

[@TheVamxie]

Dan probably knows where he is😭💀😂

[@kgb4150]

This comment aged like fine wine

[@pandapirate25yearsago33]

Totally different meaning now in 2020

[@vibhaskitchen225]

@@pandapirate25yearsago33 yeah bro

[@rootintooter]

Your awesome! also nice posture!

[@theNateFrog]

wunderbar

[@HolyLesGod]

I can see but my depth perception is so bad that I often run into things thinking they were further than they were, so I want to learn echolocation.

[@god6384]

If I was blind I would walk around with a bandana around my eyes just because

[@novemberannaleze2661]

I literally jusy realised he doesn't blink😂💖

[@straaths]

Make a youtube course please!

[@moanguspickard249]

Cant they make high frequency emiter (that humans cant hear) send out signals that are picked up by reciever in blind persons ear and it translates them to what we can hear. That way it can be stronger and constant, while not disrupting any other humans ( if that is something theyd be bothered with)

[@hollyozioma]

So funny when he said keep your eyes closed, I'd actually opened them just before. Quickly snapped them shut again 🙈 How did he know?!

[@Rufio629]

Oh my god he’s Stick and Juan Luis is like Daredevil

[@TheRojo387]

Tongue clicks for speech or for sight? You choose!

[@sarys73]

Wouldn't it be better if they made a little device that would click for them. This way it's always a precise click, and you don't end up with a dry mouth.

[@orbismworldbuilding8428]

agreed, maybe a metronome app or a beeper would work?

[@yodelissosa7791]

I seriously wonder if this can be used to help those who have hearing loss. This isn't the first time I've heard of this: Human Echo-Location. I was born Half-Deaf and would love to learn as I have trouble locating sounds, say finding a ringing phone, etc.

[@kylemccrea873]

Yo by the end of this lockdown I will have ascended to a new level of existence

[@Pithisius]

Lol, hows it going.

[@kylemccrea873]

@@Pithisius pretty ascended

[@Absolutely_puck_fakestine]

Misleading title ... i thought it was Teaching the blind to navigate the world using thong clicks.

[@blackhatvisions]

+Rocco siffredi ikr

[@tatianahawaii13]

❤

[@kaos.]

Momento di unità nazionale 18:24

[@teresahopemiller1008]

great message. it would be a worthy skill. I have Retinopathy of Prematurity.baby blindness. I concur. I am a cane user. my spouse is a person who uses a sighted guide. independence comes with self esteem confidence. I was with a crowd of 1500 in aBernie Sanders event. my cane. me and God. my husband is a great man he does what he can.

[@mariahrichardson1745]

I need a transcript for this.

[@carsonp3389]

His movement reminds me of C3PO from Star Wars

[@abisamraj4408]

help me iam a blind but can see partially where do you have learn this skill

[@Quaporu]

Your probably turning blind slowly form DNA in your family

[@abisamraj4408]

@@Quaporu no I am the only person with this problem in my fam

[@sosazo]

Wow

[@jmeier0724]

6:30 it looks like his throat is gone

[@Pinkie007]

The real life daredevil

[@petslife-rafi]

In India where is echolocation course

[@batbat1209]

He kinda looks like a wax figure. Something about his skin complexion. But nevertheless, truly inspirational.

[@shamarni1]

thats what I was thinking

[@danyfarina]

His eyes are fixed. They don't move. That's what makes him look like a wax figure.

[@blindinsight9799]

His eyes are glass prostheses.

[@timzhang7337]

What if one's visual cortex is damaged? Can he or she still do this?

[@cliveramsbotty6077]

+Tim Zhang I believe so seeing as it is an auditory phenomenon

[@ewouthonig371]

+clive ramsbotty You didn't understand one bit of what he was telling you. It is NOT JUST auditory, The visual centers of the brain.... oh fuck it. Watch the video again and LISTEN this time.

[@timzhang7337]

Kamer Oudste What I was asking was, for those who are unable to conjure up mental images and blind, are they able to use this method? I did not question the awesomeness of his method.

[@cliveramsbotty6077]

Yeah I fucked up totally on that one, thanks for calling me up on my mistake Kamer

[@grichl88]

I think it's still an interesting question. If someone with a damaged visual cortex attempted to learn echolocation maybe a different part of the brain would makeup for what's damaged, or perhaps it really depends on how the visual cortex is damaged.

[@steelethescene]

10:56 i hate it when my shoes get wet!

[@abdelhakkhalil7684]

46 y o! My God I thought he was in his twenties!

[@Scensum]

Are there books on this technique?

[@DJ_Z_2004]

yes, there is a book called beginners guide to echolocation

[@Scensum]

zachery wells Thank you.

[@TinBryn]

+zachery wells I hope it's available as an audiobook

[@DJ_Z_2004]

+TinBryn it is

[@MsFGray]

@@TinBrynCono

[@supersaiyngohan]

real life daredevil

[@beatboxer9641]

Yes it's a law in India that people with disability need a caretaker with them.

[@DanielElson]

Beat Boxer it does make sense

[@susanwilliams2392]

Daniel Elson it does not make sense. We are real people, just like everyone else, and can make our own choices about how we live out lives and how much help we need. Sincerely, a blind. Autistic girl who navigates a city on her own every single day.

[@rajat9800gt]

Susan Williams it is necessary in india as the infrastructure is not that great as other developed countries and there are other problems tol

[@RiasatSalminSami]

If a non blind person learns eco location, will they loose their eye vision?

[@ricomotions5416]

Lol wat

[@minecraftobsidian7002]

NO! :)

[@BLaCkKsHeEp]

Lol

[@vistigioful]

Doing so would be useful to the deaf.

[@Skibididawglawg]

Toph 2.0 XD! Not making fun of him

[@vistigioful]

We can convert sounds into pictures, but can we convert pictures into sounds.

[@scanjet1000]

Is there a guide on this? I kinda feel like its a scam

[@susanwilliams2392]

It's not, blind echolocation is real, I know someone who is totally blind and can tell you the shape of a room just by clicking at it. I can't actively echolocate yet, but I can 'see' things like walls by the way ambient sound bounces of them, and tell the kind of space I am in by making a sharp tapping sound with my white cane and listening to the reflected sound

[@feminico2613]

I asure you, this is real.

[@kyunghyemoon7417]

Does anyone notice he never blinked even once during the whole presentation?

[@owenwalker1101]

That's because he is blind

[@acerimmeh]

he had both eyes removed at 13 years old, no need to blink for glass eyes.

[@kaisteele]

+acerimmeh i was eating then i read your comment then i accidentally threw up

[@traitorous5626]

+acerimmeh 13 months, not years.

[@traitorous5626]

He has no eyes m8, they're fake.

[@ChrisXPZ]

I thought it said daniel tosh at first, the thumbnail kinda looks like him

[@adhamhmacconchobhair7565]

Is it weird I can do a similar thing to echolocation with my feet?

[@orbismworldbuilding8428]

Is this a referrence to Avatar or for reals? I can feel people's footsteps when in any upstairs environment, so it's probably doable

[@DaRealFiberOptix]

i wonder what a blind from birth artist would draw the world to be

[@sajidnazeem9457]

I saw him in a tamil movie

[@alessandrogiacomini2588]

Jerry Scottee

[@happypiano4810]

What if you’re deaf-blind?

[@askhim]

Sooo he can se in the dark

[@isaacesmoil4084]

yes he can "see" in the dark

[@litpath3633]

I want to learn it just for that reason.

[@Spongy656]

Red Silvy I don't think that's how echolocation works...

[@minecraftobsidian7002]

@@arcaeio9008 no just no.....

[@connorhenderson2943]

arcaeio driving is a big stretch, probably riding a bike is the most

[@copypastecopypaste]

I want to be his kind of tuff.

[@dreambig3663]

I do it with repeatlly finger slap/snap,.

[@TheApepoop]

I want to chat with this guy I have an idea

[@msjkramey]

His statement about closing your eyes wasn't that impactful because I'm in my childhood home right now, which I've snuck out of more times than I can count. And in this neighborhood I bet I could even drive my way out without sight