[optacon-l] Fw: Reading Speed
- From: "Sarah Clark" <goldflash9@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2008 19:10:46 -0800
I'm forwarding this to the list since it mentions where I am. I thought I
had posted it to the list already but turns out it went to Catherine
privately.
Sarah
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sarah Clark" <goldflash9@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Catherine Thomas" <braille@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 6:44 PM
Subject: Re: [optacon-l] Reading Speed
> Hi Catherine,
> I'm in Los Angeles. I've never used an optican, but my husband owned one
> a long time ago. He regrets that he doesn't have it anymore. He's told
> me about them though, and I'm very interested in getting one to use. He
> said he had a friend in school who was the best/fastest optican user he'd
> ever known; he used to read maps and newspaper classifieds, not to mention
> using it exclusively with doing his work for all his physics classes.
> Apparently there wasn't anything he couldn't read.
> I forgot about handwriting being another use. Although with formally
> being sighted, I'm well aware that some handwriting is pretty much
> illegible even to sighted readers. But it could be useful when people
> have relatively clear handwriting, especially if I ask them to print.
>
> Sarah
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Catherine Thomas" <braille@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: "Sarah Clark" <goldflash9@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 3:05 PM
> Subject: Re: [optacon-l] Reading Speed
>
>
>> Hi, Sarah,
>> Have you ever tried an Optacon at all? If not, I'll explain more about
>> what you would be doing in another mesage. Basically, the learning curve
>> and how long it takes to master vary dramatically from person to person.
>> There are two skills that you must master right away. The first skill is
>> tracking. This is the ability to move the camera along a line of print
>> without losing it. This is generally done by following lines of dashes or
>> other simple symbols until you can do this and also move to the beginning
>> of the next line without difficulty.
>> There is an Optacon training manual at the freedom scientific website. It
>> is in the .pdf format and needs to be printed before using it. In other
>> words, it's not meant to be used electronically.
>> The second skill you'll need to master besides tracking is rwecognition.
>> It's not onlyh a matter of being able to distinguish the different print
>> letters, numbers, etc., it's also being able to adjust the Optacon as you
>> go along the keep the symbols you are reading the same size.
>> Another list member I am sure will answer your husband's qustions about
>> the liquid crystal displays.
>> As to reading speed, it's usually not an issue. Yes, some of us read
>> books or entire documents straight through from time to time. Most of us
>> however find the Optacon most useful for things where speed is not the
>> main consideration. Reading and identifying mail, signing documents,
>> checking printed or typed labvels, figuring ot which is the top of a
>> page, finding significant information such as the balances on a bank
>> statement are among the primary uses of the Optacon. We have people who
>> do read different types of schematics, other languages, music, etc. The
>> Optacon is the only device that can read the print on other surfaces such
>> as appliances, cans and bottles or boxes without removing the labels, or
>> locate things in megasized books such as phone books, dictionaries or
>> manuals. There are many more uses but you get the idea.
>> In other words, it's possible that you could be finding an Optacon useful
>> long before you are ever skilled enough to read the first page in a book.
>> By the way, finding the first page is another use of the Optacon.
>> If you have questions, please write to me or to the list.
>> If you want an Optacon, Richard Oehm is San Jose, California has some.
>> The cost is $750.00 which includes a warranty. Understand that no new
>> Optacons are being made, so all of them are reconditioned. The Optacons
>> originally were very well-made. There are only a few vulnerable parts.
>> Richard Oehm and our other repairers have designed a new retina cable.
>> Some of the parts for the tactile arrays have to be taken from other
>> units but still seems to be enough. The batteries in the r1 models are
>> not replaceable by the user. The repairers take the housing from the
>> battery and refill it with the right stuff. The actual original batteries
>> are no longer made. The Optacon 2 had replaceable batteries which are no
>> longer manufacturer. Again, the dead batteries are refilled by our
>> repairers.
>> Anyway, if you want to contact Richard about obtaining an Optacon, you
>> can email him at:
>> oehmelec@xxxxxxx or phone:
>> 408-971-6250
>> Also, let us know where you live. If there is another Optacon user in
>> your area, you might be able to meet and get some hands-on help.
>> Catherine
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> -Catherine Thomas
>> braille@xxxxxxxxx /
>>
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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