To run in the right direction all you need is a bearing, so it may be 40 degrees north that you need to run for a certain amount of time. So we created an app that would notify me if I deviated from the desired bearing. And the way it did that was using beeps, much like parking sensors, so the further you deviated from the bearing the higher the frequency of the beeps.

Simon Wheatcroft

Categorized in : Sports

We decided to name the app 'eAscot' because I do have a guide dog that helps me out on a day-to-day basis, who's named Ascot. But we felt he wouldn't really survive the heat of the desert, so he stayed at home and we took the electronic version instead.

Simon Wheatcroft

The key improvement is to definitely take it to the city marathon. So the app for the desert used GPS as the navigation system. So now can we create a system which can identify the objects and then translate that information to me. That's what we're working on now, some kind of sensor detection system that uses haptic to vibrate different parts of my body.

Simon Wheatcroft

Yeah, I'd absolutely love to go back. It's definitely unfinished business. The race is happening again next year, I do intend on entering.

Simon Wheatcroft

At first, I wasn’t sure if it was possible, the only mistakes I made with poles and lampposts and traffic lights were the first few times I went running because once you hit them once, you definitely remember where they are.

Simon Wheatcroft

Running without a guide is freedom, in other ways, my life is relatively controlled in terms of the areas I go to and having to use mobility aids. Running was something I can do by myself.

Simon Wheatcroft

I’m not really competitive, i just like to see what’s possible. by Simon Wheatcroft

I’m not really competitive, i just like to see what’s possible.

Simon Wheatcroft

Running on the soccer pitch wasn’t too difficult, the hardest thing about it was getting to it. One day, they planted trees between my house and the pitch. I usually went there without my cane, and I bumped into a tree.

Simon Wheatcroft