[optacon-l] Re: Optacon Preservation Update
- From: "Linda Webb" <rtfan@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:07:18 -0500
> >Catherine and List
I don't post as regularly as I did at the start of this list but I take time
to go through the e-mails.
> >Catherine, I enjoyed your read on moving forward and all the uses of the
Optacon. I do know a few people that do use their scanners to read their
e-mail but admittedly for them, it is time consuming. One of them also has
her husband check the mail but often he just brings it in and often when she
asks about something, he has been known to say it didn't come only to find
it a month later that it had and he had just misplaced it. This is one of
those things, had this person had an Optacon could have been avoided.
Unfortunately for her, bills have been included among these things and
payments late because of it.
Another friend just has her cleaning lady go through things when she comes
once a week. Most of the time that would be okay but anything urgent then
has to wait which as I'm sure we all know isn't good.
And how many times have you had someone, when you do happen to have a stack
of mail handy ask them what it is and they say "oh this one isn't important,
it's just an ad." Well, I don't know about you but I might want to know
what the ad is and can I save money, etc. With our trusty machines, we can
check it out at our leisure.
On a personal note, I had somewhat of a scare earlier this year and about a
year ago they diagnosed me with diabetes. Now that in and of itself can be
controlled for some but in the same time frame I tripped on something and
fell. Later my left hand, my reading hand and arm began to develop a
tingling sensation which made it very difficult to read for any length of
time and it was very annoying. My doctor tried to convince me it was part
of the diabetes; I honestly felt I may have a pinched nerve having fallen
and believed with any luck, my hand, for whatever reason it was would
become normal again.
So far, god has blessed me with the problem residing but just a thought, as
we move forward, diabetics do often lose touch. I am not sure if there is
any resolve in that for them using an Optacon or not. Just something to
think about. I don't have an answer but perhaps someone would.
Always and Forever...A Randy Travis Fan
Linda and Guide, Greg
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Dan and Bonnie Tonge
Sent: Saturday, April 18, 2009 8:01 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Optacon Preservation Update
I used to read my bank statements using the Optacon.
Dan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Feinstein" <harlynn@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, April 12, 2009 2:44 AM
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Optacon Preservation Update
I think Linda makes a valid point. For myself, I use the Optacon plus my
Reading Edge, but I do not make out my own checks, and for long reads, I
prefer to be read to. There may be a need for companionship. But also,
thinks like bank statements, I find very difficult to read with the
Optacon, and wish I could do better, as I don't like people reading those.
Does anyone know if there are any good machines on the market like the
Reading Edge that have been upgraded and improved?
Bob
On Sun, 12 Apr 2009, Linda Gehres wrote:
> Hi Katherine,
> I have at least a partial answer to your last question. Even among blind
> people who do have Optacons, I know several not on this list who would for
> reasons unknown and unfathomable by me wish to defer to getting their mail
and
> some other things read by paying readers to go through their mail, make
out
> their checks, etc. They would be capable of doing it themselves but for
some
> reason feel they need help. I wonder if it isn't as much a need for
> companionship they're trying to solve. Just my thoughts. Also, i do know
> people who go through their own mail with scanners and do all right via
that
> method.
>
> Linda G.
>
> On Sat, 11 Apr 2009 23:47:39 -0400 (EDT), Catherine Thomas wrote:
>
>
> >It is hard to believe that time goes by so quickly but it does. April of
> >2009 marks the beginning of our fourth year of work to preserve the
> >Optacon. During these three years we have accomplished many wonderful
> >things especially considering two facts: first, we have spent no money.
> >Second, the Optacon as a device has not been manufactured or distributed
> >for at least 15 years. We have also learned a lot about the place of the
> >Optacon in today's environment alongside dozens of other devices that
> >didn't exist when the Optacon was first purchased by most of its current
> >users. Most importantly we have countless examples of activities
performed
> >by the Optacon that could not be performed at all by other devices
> >currently available. We have established that there is still a viable
> >place for a device that can read print in real time without
> >interpretation.
> >
> >As we progress through the next year I hope that we can continue to
> >promote the value of the Optacon on two levels: first, we want to
continue
> >letting current and former Optacon users know that it is still possible
to
> >have Optacons repaired and that they can still be purchased. Our outreach
> >has been good but not good enough. By now everyone should know that the
> >Optacon lives. The second level that we want to continue to work on is
the
> >Optacon's future. In an ideal world it would be possible to create a
> >modernized Optacon. We have the design talent thanks to our engineers and
> >dedicated repairers but there are some real questions as to whether the
> >expense to create a new device could ever be recouped by sales and
whether
> >such a device would be marketable.
> >
> >It is at this point that we encounter some circular situations. The
> >technical problems, such as the tactile array design would have to be
> >conquered before any device, even a prototype, could be created. However,
> >if the device will never be created, there isn't much point in conquering
> >the technical problems.
> >
> >Another circular problem is that we don't know how marketable an
> >Optacon-like device would be. There is no way of finding that out unless
> >we know what the device would be able to do--e.g. what additional types
of
> >displays it could read, whether there would be software for computer
> >screens, etc.
> >
> >Even confronted by these major obstacles, all is not lost. Many of the
> >parts of the Optacon have been refabricated thanks to the dedication and
> >interest of our repairers. Although some material is missing, much of the
> >documentation and design specifications used for the original Optacon are
> >still available. If it ever comes to the point where we have to prove the
> >value of an Optacon-like device, we have many many examples of its
> >usefulness and descriptions of many situations in which other devices
just
> >did not do the job. We also have testimony proving that persons who were
> >trained on the Optacon at any time, even if they never owned or purchased
> >one, would still be able to use one by some committed practice with no
> >need for retraining. We also have many examples where the Optacon has
> >substituted for the ordinary way of performing a task and saved people a
> >lot of problems.
> >
> >So where should we go from here? Surprise! I can't answer that.
> >
> >For now I hope that we can continue to reunite more users with Optacons
> >and keep them working. I also hope that if some technical breaktroughs
> >occur, that we can find the courage to keep the reading of print in real
> >time and on all the serfaces where it appears as an option that those who
> >want it can have.
> >
> >Lastly, ther is one area we have not delved into very much. We really
need
> >to find out more about the problems experienced by visually impaired
> >non-Optacon users and give serious consideration to addressing how many
of
> >those the Optacon can solve. For instance, how many blind people have
> >missed improtant appointments or torn up checks or other important
> >documents becuse they could not identify for themselves what they were
and
> >had them misidentified by others? Someone just mentioned using a printer
> >via "blind faith" and how often the results could be a disaster. What we
> >need to find out is, how many times were the results a disaster and what
> >embarrassing and humiliating things happened that could have been avoided
> >if a person could read for themselves. Maybe they do, but I can't picture
> >any blind person that I know taking the current stack of mail and running
> >it through the scanner to find out what it is. How do people cope and are
> >they coping to their own satisfaction or are they just making the best of
> >it because they see no choice? Anyway, this is one area we need to
explore
> >in more depth. As others have pointed out, not having to read their own
> >documents gives many blind people the perfect way to pass these
> >responsibilities on to others. As I said, I don't know how we could
obtain
> >more information. I do find it hard to believe that those experiencing
> >sight loss related to aging are so very willing to give up all of their
> >independent functions and to turn their privacy over to others. Maybe
this
> >group has the most potential as a market for a new Optacon.
> >
> >All things considered, we are doing well and we will continue to remind
> >the world that the Optacon lives and that it should live.
> >
> >Catherine
> >
> >
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
> >-Catherine Thomas
> >braille@xxxxxxxxx /
> >
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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