Interesting
Innovative Opportunity for Blind Archers
An
innovative method of aiming that could boost the interest of blind
people in
archery has been developed and field-tested in the CzechRepublic.
The method is based on a direct
connection of the bottom edge of the butt with very simple bow-fitted
sights by
means of a nylon wire. The fact that the sights are part of the bow
provides a
blind archer with considerable freedom of body movement; thus, his/her
way of
aiming more closely resembles the aiming of sighted archers. The sights
are so
designed that, while aiming, the archer takes advantage of his/her
fingertips’ sensitivity
as in reading Braille.
The
tight wire functioning does not mechanically facilitate the aiming
itself; it
rather resembles the application of a camera or a device for
transmitting of
electromagnetic or light signal between the archer and his/her target;
obviously, the resulting cost is incomparably lower.
The
mechanical connection of the bow and target, in fact, utilizes a
similar
principle to that used in regular athletic disciplines for linking the
runner
with his/her trackguide.
After
approx. nine months of field-testing, the described method has yielded
highly
promising results.
More
detailed information can be obtained frommojza@quick.cz
Communication
can be conducted either in Czech or in simple English.
The method is still in
evolution, but the principle remains the same.
Defence of long-term activities and ideas of czech visually
impaired archers
Czech mode of aiming for blind archers
Part 1 (practical)
The comparison standard devices used for aiming blind archers to
our sighting device
A. Correspondence:
1. The both make possible to shoot without sight control.
2. In both cases touch is used instead of sight.
B. advantage of our device:
1. It is more light.
2. Smaller (more space-saving).
3. Cheeper.
4. there is used the more sensible part of body - finger-end -
(standard devices use touch on back of the hand).
5. Aiming information is not distorted by change of archer
position.
6. Our device make posible to train and take part in competitions
with minimal help of an other person.
7. It does not need any complicated setting, so that also makes
possible participation in common competitions (with seeing archers).
Blind archers can respect standard rulles of these competitions
(drawing lots of butt number, of target place, only six test-arrows,
remove of competitor from 50 m to 30 m without any other test-arrows
etc).
8. The device usually gives better results.
C. Disadvantage:
1. cold weather decreases sensibility of fingers more than
sensibility of back of the hand.
2. Our method is not traditional.
3. It is not considered by IBSA rules.
Part 2 (emotional arguments)
Logical:
"We aim by sight - we have visual contact with target.
You aim by touch - you have tactile contact with target by aiming
cord."
Advantage of our device:
1. Common blind person gets clear feeling of aiming already during
the first lesson.
Training with standard devices we even did not get this feeling
during several lessons.
2. Common blind person can go for his arrows himself during the
first lesson so he has exact image of butt, distance of shooting line,
and position of arrows on target.
3. During another lessons Blind archer learns how very simply to
count his own score without sight control, it is very motivating.
4. Less dependence on assistants help paradoxically makes possible
for better integration blind archer among other archers. If he
needs any help only a few times, he can turn to anybody near by, and
communicate with him. Continual help of assistant to a certain degree
isolates the blind person from others.
Disadvantage:
1. Some people suppose that the arrow is somehow leaded to target
by aiming cord.
If we imagine ballistic curve of flying arrow, and stright cord
ending on under margin of butt, we see, it is only ilusion.
2. Even skilled archers sometimes suppose that the aiming cord
works as a stabiliser or returnes a bow to correct shoot position.
Aiming cord is (for right handed persons) fixed on right-side from
vertical axis of a bow. It tries to turn a bow to left by its tension.
Stronger tension - stronger tendention of a bow to turn away to left
from correct direction.
If somebody can feel and respect this force and if he can aim by
its stabilisation, his arrows would fly very far to left out of
butt.
3. I encounter the argument: "if you lean back contrary the
tension of aiming cord, your body will get better stability."
If I use a rope or massive rod, and I fix it to butt, this
argument would be right.
We can not use the tension of aiming cord for stabilisation,
because
this cord is tensioned by hanging weight and its tension is
constant during any moves of archers body.
Part 3 (procedural)
I know that FITA rules and IBSA rules are different in some
points, but I suppose that FITA rules are primary.
Perhaps I ommited something, but during studying of FITA rules I
did not find any point which would be disobeyd by using our tactile
sighting device.