Deaf history buffs get Philly GPS video tours

Tyhira is deaf. Like 2 million other people in this country who use American Sign Language as their primary means of communication, she doesn't always get the full experience when she's on group tours designed for the hearing population.

"It takes forever for me to read a lot of times," she said through an interpreter.

On Friday, Tyhira and a dozen fellow students from the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in Philadelphia tested out a virtual guided tour of the city's historic district in sign language.

The students were given GPS devices resembling a portable electronic game. On the 4-inch screen, a man in costume explained in sign language the significance of where they were standing.

The devices, called GPS Rangers, were invented by Lee Little, CEO of Austin, Texas-based BarZ Adventures Inc. Little said he was tired of paying for large-group guided tours that he couldn't always hear, so he built a gadget that would give video-guided tours triggered by a person's location--as determined by a GPS antenna inside the device.

When the students and teachers stepped up to the Liberty Bell on Friday and the devices began speaking to them, their mouths dropped and their faces lit up.

"We're just walking around and there it was," said Brianna Bruce, 13.

It's like having a personal guide, with a map and restroom locations built in, said 13-year-old Selena Ramos. If they miss something, they can replay it; if they like it, they can stay longer; if they aren't impressed, they can skip it.

"I can understand everything he's saying," Tyhira said. "This is so neat ... I'm really enjoying myself today."