Blind marathon runner to be guided by smart glasses

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Patrick Hughesand

Charlotte Andrews,South of England

BBC

Clarke Reynolds ran the London Marathon with the help of a physical guide - but plans on running the Brighton Marathon relying on people watching and talking through his glasses

A blind runner plans to run a marathon using technology that allows sighted people to see what he sees - and to give him directions - in real time.

By day, 45-year-old Clarke Reynolds is a creator who turns braille into works of art to raise help raise awareness of sight loss.

But he said that running has given him “another opportunity to spread the word.”

He previously completed the London marathon with the help of a physical guide runner - but plans on running his next with the help of a worldwide network of virtual volunteers.

Reynolds is planning on running the Brighton marathon later this month

He is being supported by Fight for Sight, a charity which funds research into sight loss, for which he is an ambassador.

Reynolds, from Havant, is also known as “Mr. Dot” - an alter-ego he employs when he travels around the country teaching braille through art in schools.

He has been visually impaired in his right eye from the age of six, but 13 years ago noticed a shadow in his left eye.

“I went to the hospital and they sat me down and said, 'Mr. Reynolds, do you drive?”, he said.

“I said yes, and they said, ‘hand over your licence, you’re going blind.’ And that’s how you were told.”

He describes his sight now as like “being underwater” - he can see shapes, shadows and some colour.

Despite that, he creates visual art using braille - such as the replica of Nirvana’s iconic “Nevermind” album cover.

The braille on a replica of Nirvana’s iconic album cover spells out the lyrics to the band’s song “Smells Like Teen Spirit”.

But he’s now found another way to raise awareness.

With the help of a tethered guide runner, he ran the London marathon three years ago to raise funds for charity.

Later this month, he’ll be running the Brighton Marathon - but is upping the ante.

Rather than using a physical guide, an app called Be My Eyes will connect him with a worldwide network of sighted volunteers.

Through the camera and speakers on his smart glasses, they’ll be able to see what he sees and speak to him in real time, directing him through the 26.2 miles (42.2km),

“They tell me if there’s a bin or there’s a parked car through the glasses - but the majority of the time we’re just discussing, ‘what is sight loss?’”, he said.

The glasses feature an in-built camera (on the top left-hand side of the frame) which, with the help of an app, allows sighted people to see what Clarke sees in real time

Be My Eyes is usually used for day-to-day tasks such as helping a visually impaired person find the right button on a TV remote, for example.

Reynolds explained that he accesses the help of the volunteers - who are strangers - by saying “Hey Meta, come be my eyes” and they tell him if there is an obstacle or a person in his way.

He described the glasses as “similar to a Peleton bike with someone guiding you”.

“They are not only my eyes but my cheerleaders too,” he added.

So it can be surprising when they connect and see Reynolds mid-run.

“They probably think, ‘Oh my god, this is a bit strange’,” he said.

He has been training by running laps of the 0.7 mile-long crescent (1.1km) where he lives - a route he knows by heart.

And he said he’s had over 100 people supporting him - some from as far afield as Jordan.

The volunteers for race day are being organised by the charity Reynolds works with, Fight for Sight, with the help of the company behind Be My Eyes.

There will also be a back-up guide runner in case the technology fails.

And although he said he was “really scared” before taking on the London Marathon, he feels confident about taking on Brighton.

“I’m really excited to do this,” he said.

“If you had told me 13 years ago that I’d be an ambassador for a major charity and I’d be inspiring visually impaired children around the world, I’d never have believed you.”

More on this story

Braille artist Mr Dot creates children’s book

Visually impaired runner takes on London Marathon

Blind marathon runner ‘found strength’ through disability

Fight for Sight

Brighton

Havant

Marathon running

Meta

Blindness and visual-impairment

Hampshire & Isle of Wight