Re: The Optacon wow! good explanation
- From: "Francis Daniels" <fdaniels@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2004 15:55:12 -0700
The Optacon was like our scanner and scanning software we have now. It was
your job to move the camera over print, feeling each letter shape and put
them together into words. The camera is small, about the size of a
cigarette lighter. A cable runs out the end of the camera to the
electronics unit. You put your hand in a small cavity in the unit, with
your index finger on the tactile array so you can see the shapes. You
adjust the contrast and intensity with the same hand you use to read, using
your thumb.
I think it would be safe to say that the Optacon was for totally blind
people, or for someone who could not read magnified print well. But you had
to have pretty good finger sensitivity and be able to track - move - the
camera in a straight line without skewing it. Mistracking the camera would
result in misreading what the print was.
One neat thing I liked was that you could tell if a page had columns on it
and where the pictures were by listening to the sound. A staccato sound
usually meant print. No sound meant no print. A sold buzz meant a picture.
Very cool.
Can you tell I loved the thing? Heh.
Francis
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