Clock Technique

An orientation method used in mobility training for blind and visually impaired people in which directions are communicated using the positions on an analogue clock face. The user imagines standing at the centre of a clock with 12 o'clock directly ahead, 3 o'clock to the right, 6 o'clock behind, and 9 o'clock to the left. This provides a simple, intuitive way to convey directional information including intermediate angles — for example, "turn to 2 o'clock" indicates a slight right turn. The clock technique is widely used in orientation and mobility instruction and has been adopted in audio-based GPS navigation systems as an accessible alternative to cardinal compass directions, which require users to know their current heading relative to north.