Gordon Fuller, Senior Managing Director of Cavu, joins us to talk about a number of concepts for improving the ability to explore the world and everything in it. From technology for indoor mapping and navigation to advertising and taking advantage of existing accessibility in various venues, Gordon discusses his current research and future plans for himself and his company. Visit the Cavu website for information on forthcoming products, existing case studies on a variety of topics, and much more.
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Transcript
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Hide transcriptTranscribed by Kayde Rieken
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Now, here's J.J. Meddaugh.
J.J. Meddaugh: We're here at CSUN 2015 with Gordon Fuller. He is the Senior Managing Director — probably lots of other things, too, right? —
Gordon Fuller: (Laughs)
JM: — for a company called Cavu — C-a-v-u — out in Silicon Valley, and — to talk about all sorts of emerging and future tech. And welcome back to Blind Bargains, Gordon.
GF: Well, thank you so much. I so enjoyed the show last year, and what an opportunity it is to meet and talk with you here in this wonderful place with so many innovative ideas to make life easier and improve the quality of life for people. I — I really am very glad to be here, and certainly glad to see you and, once again, revisit with Blind Bargains.
JM: You're like me, too. You have your irons in about 50 different fires at once.
GF: (Laughs)
JM: But you're talking a lot about navigation and things like that. What are some of the latest things that you've been working on?
GF: Well, right now we have a new company which is called Go Here Safe, and we're looking at way-finding waypoints. We're thinking that, when people go out in public, they like to know, before they get there, if where they're going can accommodate them effectively. And one of the things I've noticed — one thing that I — I think is a great thing to celebrate — is, people in the United States have invested in inclusion. They've spent who knows — untold amounts of money, removing barriers — physical barriers; improving accessibility, in general, in all public spaces — all commercial buildings, all commercial pools. And yet — fascinating to me — no one's ever really advertised that fact. I mean, beautiful hotels such as this one — wonderful facility, very accessible. And yet, you know, this hotel has no advertising campaign targeting people when they have impairments of any kind. So to me, one of the things that's really missing as a result — as a natural consequence of this lack of information — is the information about accessibility.
JM: So how would you provide that?
GF: Well, I think there's a number of ways to do it these days. Of course, indoor mapping has become the watchword of the Internet of Things as we begin rolling down that road. As things begin to improve their form, fit, and function for the rest of humanity, they're looking at how to improve navigation indoors. GPS doesn't work out — indoors, so now they're using beacons, Wi-Fi, magnetometers built into our smartphones, accelerometers — gadgets that we're very familiar from our work in virtual reality in the past. And we see a whole new potential coming online here over the next few years, and we want to be part of that evolution because we think it means a lot of social change.
JM: Are there specific technologies that you've identified? I mean, you've talked before about iBeacons. Are there other ones that you have found that are working better than others, or what kind of development have you done on that?
GF: Well, you know, it's really interesting. After a year of research and development on our part, we found that the beacons are, you know, in an early stage. They're really clearly evolving and changing their form and their shape and their power requirements and their range and — (Laughs) — ah, so many things. And so people are looking at how to improve them. So it's a — it's a period of transition. You know, we're looking at a number of technologies, a number of companies; but what we really find is that, right now, today, there are effective technologies. I think of it as my palette of colors. When I think about designing technology, I look at what there is out there, what — what may solve a problem, meet an unmet social need. And what I see is — as a blind person myself, navigating in the world, way-finding — is what I need most. I need orientation so that I can figure out where I am in a building and find my way to the next point. And if I don't have that, it's very difficult, even being a very good cane user. And I think that's true for most people. When you stand in front of a Costco as a fully sighted person, you cannot see what's on Aisle 36, you know, in the back there.
JM: Right.
GF: So — you know, getting ahead of the game, pre-planning your trip, being able to reach out and use the indoor mapping systems to kind of allocate your time and effort when you get there is everything. And for those of us who need special accommodations — people who are blind, people who are deaf, people who have physical or cognitive, emotional disabilities — they need to know what kinds of resources are available. And of course the merchant, of course the venue, the store, the — the facility wants you to know that because they've provided them. So the problem is only getting a new technology in place that helps us identify and locate those things.
JM: So you've been doing the research phase for the past year, so have you identified technologies that work? Are you — do you have a product that you're going to be launching in that, or are you still kind of just experimenting at this point, trying to figure out —
GF: Well, I think — I think — you know, we're in an ongoing evolutionary sense. Just like the iPhone started out as one thing, it's become quite a lot of others ever since —
JM: Right.
GF: — we're in that same phase. We're looking ahead. We're saying, What we need are very simple, human, friendly technologies. I always like to refer, with my techy friends, to the spec on human beings. That includes children and the very old; and in between, there's a spectrum of capabilities. There's a spectrum of impairments. I don't like to talk about disability; I like to talk about how we can decrease the problems created by an impairment and use accessible and assistive technology solutions to get us there; and thereby, we don't have any disabilities. So trying to figure out how to use the current technology is the challenge, and we see quite a few opportunities in that space to make improvements and to bring to other industries and technologies the good news that they don't have to continue to be inaccessible — and thereby, you know, in fact, flouting the law, in many cases —
JM: Right.
GF: — and/or, you know, not being threatened by competitors who will eventually pick up on the idea and run with it, leaving them behind. So —
xxx
JM: Speaking of opportunities, you — you, as a company, too — you're kind of — you're looking for input or trying to — you know, if people have ideas as well, right, as far as research?
GF: We — we look — we look for ideas; we look for products; we look for services; and we look to network with people because it's all about people at the end of the day, isn't it? I mean, really, people is — is what it's all about. It so for me, I really enjoy creative people and the ideas they have; so I really — I try to — try to network as much as I can in that area.
JM: Sure. So going forward, if people want to have some input or some dialog with you, or — or just find out about — more about your company, what's the best way they can do that?
GF: They can reach me right now through Gordon@cavu — that's Charlie, Alpha, Victory, Uncle — .us, like Uncle Sam. Cavu.us. Cavu is an aviation term — means ceiling and visibility unlimited. Pilots use it; it means clear blue sky. And that's what I'm interested in: clear blue sky. Clear sailing.
JM: Awesome. There's a website — Cavu.us.
GF: Yes. That's right. Absolutely. And we have a number of products that we will showcasing there and some of our case studies that are there, and our invitation to people to get in touch. We're looking for investors, also. We want to help people. One of the bit challenges today is helping people make good investments. Banks aren't very useful. The stock market is your only option. And in private equity investing, people can bet on a winner and — and come out very far ahead —
JM: Sure.
GF: — or, you know, take a risk. But it's important, when there are social needs involved, it's a fair bet. So —
JM: Right. Well, cool. And that information's over on the website, or not — or some of that is, and people —
GF: Yes, it is. Yes
JM: if it's not,they can get in contact with you.
GF: Absolutely. Yeah.
JM: Awesome. Hey, thank you so much for sharing and giving us some updates. We really do appreciate it.
GF: Hey, look forward to next year, and we'll have some new stuff and — really to talk about. And it'll be great.
JM: Thank you.
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J.J. Meddaugh is an experienced technology writer and computer enthusiast. He is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a major in telecommunications management and a minor in business. When not writing for Blind Bargains, he enjoys travel, playing the keyboard, and meeting new people.
