Hi, Listers, Here is a brief review of our accomplishments made over the past three weeks. 1. To avoid any possible confusion, no decision has been made as to what design a re-developed Optacon will have or how much it will cost. 2. Currently, from the eighty-one Current User surveys, we have enogh data to support investment of funds in the following three areas: a. production of a number of brand new retina cables to share among all Optacon repairers; b. production of a small number of tactile arrays to keep some Optacons functional; c. a scholarship fund to help defray the shipping costs for some users who have to send their Optacons half way across the world to get them repaired. OPTACON REPAIRS This project will change the lives of some former Optacon users who did not ralize their Optacons could be repaired. Perhaps the repairers can keep us posted on this aspect of things. OPTACON USES AND OPTACON WISHES In spite of its given limitations, the imaginative uses made of the Optacon continue to turn up. As to wishes, the overwhelming majority of users prefer the following: 1. a tactile array closer to that of the r1d than the Optacon II; 2. a replaceable battery; 3. a modular camera; 4. a screen-reading interface that would work with Windows screens and the newer types of flat-screen monitors; 5. a camera that would fit into tiny spaces; 6. a camera that could read print in more colors; 7. an interface that would let a person read and track automatically; 8. an Optacon with less buzz; 9. a smaller and lighter Optacon; 10. accessories that could read menu-driven displays such as cell phones; 10. accessories that could read backlit displays and LCD displays that cannot be read currently. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE WISHES ARE NOT IN ANY SPECIAL ORDER AND THAT THEY ARE NOT THE ONLY WISHES THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED. OTHER POSITIVE OUTCOMES At least a dozen people have joined the Optacon list. Some of these are very excited as they read about uses of the Optacon they had never thought of. The documentation for all Optacon models and the CRT lens is now available in electronic format. The donated Optacons already received will allow some repairs to be made in a far less costly manner. Our Optacon repairers plan on working together to share parts and units so that all Optacons can be repaired. POTENTIAL USER RESPONSE Although the response to our second survey is still only a small number, the information from these surveys is invaluable. They will show us which tasks are being done effectively by alternative devices and which tasks still require an Optacon to achieve a desired level of independence, privacy, and quality of life. PLEASE ASSURE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO FILL OUT A SURVEY THAT THEIR NAMES AND EMAILS WILL NOT BE SHARED WITH ANYONE. tHIS INCLUDES LIST MEMBERS. Thank you for taking the time to read Three Weeks in Review. Catherine ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -Catherine Thomas braille@xxxxxxxxx / ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to: optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the quotes) in the message subject. Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a message to: optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the quotes) in the message subject.