Greetings, Wish to catch anybody who has used, or who still uses the Optacon, hence posting this to some groups where "techy" topics are not usually acceptable. From: "Rachel" <rachel720@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <VICUG-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2009 5:00 PM Subject: [VICUG-L] Information about the Optacon : I'm forwarding from the Optacon list. : : : OPTACON USERS UNITE TO PRESERVE VALUABLE READING DEVICE : The Optacon user list would like to share the following : information with all current and former Optacon users. : 1. The Optacons can still be repaired. There are repairers : located in the U.S., Canada, England and Australia. : 2. We are seeking all non-working or unused Optacons. These : will be repaired and put back into circulation. : 3. We invite all current Optacon users to fill out a brief : survey describing their experiences both negative and positive. : 4. If we can collect enough survey data, there is a possibility of : re-developing the Optacon with modern circuitry to read some of : the types of modern displays which other devices cannot read at this : time. : 5. There is a very active Optacon e-list where users share : experiences and make plans for the future of the Optacon. : IF YOU WOULD LIKE INFORMATION ON ANY OF THE ABOVE OR HAVE ANY : QUESTIONS, PLEASE EMAIL : braille@xxxxxxxxx : . Thank you. : WHAT IS AN OPTACON? : Invented in the early 1970's, the Optacon uses a hand-held camera : to explore a print document and convert the picture of what it : finds onto a small tactile array composed of vibrating pins. The : tactile picture is very tiny--about the size of a standard print letter : or number. With practice, the user can move the camera over the printed : material and read the images on the tactile array. The Optacon was : manufactured until the early 1990's. : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : -Catherine Thomas : braille@xxxxxxxxx : / : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List. : Archived on the World Wide Web at : http://listserv.icors.org/archives/vicug-l.html : Signoff: vicug-l-unsubscribe-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx : Subscribe: vicug-l-subscribe-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Colin Howard, who lives near Southampton in Southern England, hopes you had a very happy Christmas and will follow with a peaceful, joyous and prosperous New Year. ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq