That's Humoody Jauda Smith using sound to see.

At 11, he's taking strides toward self-reliance with a different kind of sight. He was blinded at 2 when insurgents shot him in the face in Iraq.
His family sent him from Baghdad to Snohomish with hope that American doctors could restore his vision. After discovering that wasn't possible, his host parents, Randy and Julie Robinett Smith, fought to keep him here. Now, they're giving him the chance to learn to live independently. And he's surpassing expectations using new techniques and technologies.
The best thing people can do to help the blind is — not help, Humoody said.

“People think we need help all the time,” he said. “It's a nice thought. But if I'm going to become independent, I can't have people doing that.”

Humoody is already seeing success as he learns to do the same things as a sighted person. But he's doing it in his own way.

He's navigating the dark with echolocation. Humoody makes noises, such as clicking with his tongue, and interprets the sounds as they bounce off nearby objects. He uses that information to create a mental map of his surroundings.

“I'll purposely do my best in front of people just to show them I can get around by myself,” he said. “There's nothing I can't do that a sighted person can.”

Humoody has honed his echolocation skills well enough to guide his family on a hike. On a trip through southern California's Angeles National Forest last summer, he led the way up steep terrain and across streams. He figured out how to get back using landmarks.

He spends his summers working on echolocation with Daniel Kish of Los Angeles. Kish developed the technique after losing his sight at 1. It is similar to the acoustic wayfinding method used by bats, dolphins and toothed whales.

Kish leads his nonprofit, World Access For the Blind, by example. He rides a mountain bike using echolocation. Humoody isn't at that point yet, but he practices on a tandem bike with his dad.

Humoody said he connects with other blind people, such as Kish, because they understand what his life is like.

“Imagine walking around your whole life with a blindfold on that's permanent,” he said. “You've got to rely on your senses.”

SOURCE: Herald Net