[TXnMA]

I've navigated in the dark by doing this, and it works -- especially in acoustically "live" spaces (with not a lot of sound absorbers). You can also do it with hand claps or finger snaps -- especially with your hand held above and behind your head.

I'd expect that someone who didn't trash their hearing with lots of shooting without hearing protection as a youngster (as I did) could do it quite effectively. The echolocation depends mostly on high frequencies -- which shooting damage devastates... :-(

Advice to young shooters:

• Just because you're young, you (especialy your ears) are not invincible.

• That ringing in your ears is not funny; it is proof your ears are being damaged.

• If you want that ringing (tinnitus) there 24/7, (as I do) -- keep shooting without protection.

• Foam ear plugs are dirt cheap. Learn how to insert them -- and use them.

• I now use foam plugs -- with "earmuff" sound protectors over them -- even when operating the mower, tractor, etc. -- now that it is mostly too late... :-(

• Double protection is a great idea -- especially for young shooters. ("Muffs can become displaced or "leak" sound...)

What!?!??? Say again!?!???

[Reeses]

Very young children have field programmable brains. The circuits and functions that form vary depending on sensory input over time. If a blind baby is equipped with a wearable electronic clicker all the time they might be able to develop 3-D “vision” through their ears. Another device that could be useful is an ultrasonic clicker and receiver that steps down the echos to human hearing range, or transforms sounds from different directions and speeds into unique patterns. A normal baby equipped with such a device might be capable of becoming a super athlete, with eyes on the back of their heads, though they’d always have to wear the same model of the device and it couldn’t change its operating properties.