51����

The world’s most famous human echolocator Daniel Kish wants more people who are blind to have the chance to learn to navigate with mouthclicks like he does.

Kish has been blind almost since birth, but he can navigate around unfamiliar places just by making “click” sounds with his mouth and listening to the echoes. “You can tell a tree from a post and from a human,” says Kish.

Blind children sometimes discover echolocation for themselves but are often stopped from using it by well-meaning parents and teachers, who don’t want them to seem different. It’s akin to the way deaf people used to be discouraged from using sign language, says Kish.

Kish taught himself the technique as a toddler, and wants other children to be able to learn. He advocates giving children who are blind a cane at a young age – even before they can walk – and allowing them to explore their environment, without holding on to someone.

“Most blind children are only taught how to move around while being guided by others, or to follow routes designed by others,” he says. “They don’t get any form of training in freedom of movement, which is establishing your relationship with your environment in your own way. It’s assumed that a blind person could not do that.”

Some specialist schools for children who are blind have even banned the use of canes. “The cane is often regarded as troublesome,” says Kish. “Blind kids who are less mobile are easier to manage, as they are less demanding and more compliant.”

Kish has set up a charity, called , which teaches echolocation and early cane use to people in their homes. It takes children two to four days to pick up echolocation and adults take one or two days longer, he says. “Everyone has different levels of aptitude but everyone can learn to some level of ability that is useful, that makes moving around easier. I don’t think I’ve encountered any blind child or adult who simply couldn’t learn.”

The charity helps around 250 people a year, and has also provided training to the UK charity as well as . “More and more people are using it or are interested in learning to do so.”