[access-uk] Long Live the Opticon! (wasIs the Opticon dead?)

  • From: "Ray's Home" <rays-home@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2004 10:15:45 +0100

Thank you for the link Gordon.  The New Opticon appears to be a 
device with a lot of potential, if the description is to be 
believed.  Its an idea who's rebirth provides an interesting 
alternative to the usual scanner/OCR/speech output for those who 
learn to use it.

I do not know of anyone who has tried this device, and I've not 
heard or read any reviews of it.  At $3,000 its portability and 
the versitility claimed for it, if they are borne out in use,, do 
seem to offer the totally blind a good alternative to what has 
become the mainstream.

If it were to become available here for around £2,000 then, if 
its advertized capabilities are indeed borne out, then blind 
people, especially those living alone, could be tempted.

To read more, goto:

http://www.catechnology.net/dssbhotretiakoss2.html

(I am not totally blind myself, but I know several people who 
are, and at least one who uses the old Opticon and values it very 
much for stuff a scanner/OCR will not touch. )
Ray

Personal emails:  Email me at
mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "gordon atkinson" <g.atkinson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2004 2:18 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Is the Opticon dead?


Hi Ray

I am only aware of two Optacon-type print readers which were 
discussed on
the ACB Radio Main Menu program at the end of 2002.

One reader is called p2rd which uses a standard digital camera 
connected to
a control unit.  The image from the camera is cnverted into 
synthetic
speech.

The website is:

www.catechnology.net

The other is more akin to the Optacon.  It has a camera which is 
connected
to a control unit which has a tactile array similar to the 
Optacon.  This
one is called videotim.

The website is:

www.abtim.com

Hope this helps.

Gordon Atkinson

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ray's HomeSent: Tuesday, September 21, 2004 11:16 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Is the Opticon dead?

I seem to recall someone, maybe on this list, saying that someone
was reserecting the Opticon.  Does anyone know anything about
this?  Maybe its not called 'Opticon' now as there seem other
products out there with that name, and maybe its been trademarked
by now.
Ray

Personal emails:  Email me at
mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx



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  • » [access-uk] Long Live the Opticon! (wasIs the Opticon dead?)