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  • The man you're looking at can ride a bicycle, cook and see in the dark.

  • But believe it or not, this guy is actually 100% blind and he figured out a way to see the world with his ears.

  • Who is he?

  • And how does someone see with their ears?

  • Hi, I'm Daniel and I don't need eyes to live in this world.

  • When Daniel was 13 months old, doctors had to remove his eyes completely and back then he was faced with a choice, spent the rest of his life blind or find another way to see.

  • So he developed his vision with the help of his ears by using sound in a special way.

  • Basically I just make tongue clicks and that creates echoes from surfaces and I use that information so that I can move around.

  • It's the same technique bats and submarines use and with enough practice, humans can master it too with only a few clicks.

  • Daniel can get a sense of what objects are around him, how far they are from him and even what some of them are made of.

  • And he can do it all even in the darkest night.

  • When people use light to see, they're basically using reflected light that bounces from surfaces back to their eyes.

  • I do a very similar thing but using sound instead of light.

  • So we have a structure here that has a roof: a pavilion.

  • And you can try it too.

  • All you need to do is go in a dark room and make a sound with your mouth.

  • Now by coming closer to an object, you'll hear the sound slowly changing, telling you how far the object is and little by little you will be able to make a map in your head of where you are, just like a bat.

  • You'll be able to hear that signal bounce from a surface, just like an echo locator is able to hear.

  • So it would sound something like this.

  • Thanks to his ears, Daniel can live a life of freedom.

  • He can hike, bike, cook, travel the world all on his own terms.

  • I'm 56 years old.

  • I have rarely needed anyone to do things for me.

  • I make my own decisions.

  • I live my own life and I see no reason that other blind people should be restricted or limited.

  • That's why Daniel decided to create a non-profit school where not only blind people, but also autistic children and sighted people can learn the techniques Daniel uses.

  • I've been learning from Daniel since 2018 when I moved here, he has really helped my confidence with being able to go out and navigate my world.

  • Daniel is inspiring.

  • Not because he can live without vision, but because he is a teacher who shares his knowledge with the people who need it the most.

  • What would you like to say to Daniel?

  • You are doing a wonderful job.

  • You've helped children and other people in the world who can't see, navigate their world, helping their parents understand, thank you for giving back!

  • Nobody can really see what freedom is, but thanks to Daniel, maybe you'll be able to hear it.

The man you're looking at can ride a bicycle, cook and see in the dark.

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