Hello Dan. I'm ain iPhone user and also use JAWS every day. I have worked
with OpenBook, Kurzweil, the KNFB Reader and Prismo. I haven't found a
device yet that will do for me what the Optacon can do. The strength of the
Optacon is the lack of OCR. When I scan something into Kurzweil, Openbook or
the KNFB reader, I'm relying on OCR technology to make decisions for me. If
the print is perfectly laid out and nice and black, OCR software does very
well. However, scatter the printing around the page, muck up the contrast,
etc. I can do a much better job with the Optacon. Besides, I can correct the
camera position and get immediate feedback with the Optacon. It's impossible
to get that kind of feedback with Kurzweil, Openbook or the KNFB reader in
spite of its field of View reporting. Just try printing a check and checking
to see if it's properly lined up and printed with today's security features
with OpenBook or KNFB Reader. It's virtually impossible. The Optacan can do
these things for us. If a device can be developed that will integrate with
an iPhone, give me the option to kick OCR to the curb when I don't want it
and use OCR when it makes sense, I'm all in. I don't know how proficient you
were with the Optacon. I know it takes a lot of work and commitment from the
user.
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Dan Tevelde
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2016 11:28 AM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Wy did the Optacon Die
Hello All,
I have stated my case before but my ideas have been criticized and shot
down. However, I am going to take a chance on stating my case again.
First of all, the present optacon is not fine the way it is and wouldn't
atract new users. The current device has one advantage and only one. It
does one task and does it well. The problem is I don't see how it could
easily be updated without sending a device to someone to make repairs or
update any hardware and software.
I used an optacon in high school but felt no incentive to keep up my skills
as the optacon was on loan from the department of education and I didn't
have any resources to buy one so I could make a long-term investment on the
use of the device. I didn't think about the practicality of a new optacon
until I got my current job as a computer programmer and had access to
Braille displays. My employer bought me my first disppay. Later, I was
able to afford my own displays and notetakers. I currently use my Braille
Sense as a notetaker and a Braille display with my iPhone. I''m lucky to
have the best of both worlds. I can use the convenient options of a
notetaker and still take advantages of the increasing opportunities and
tasks I can do with a phone. Any new type of optacon will need to offer the
capabilities of the current optacon while still taking advantage of the
opportunities offered by mainstream technologies. Providing some of the
capabilities of mainstream technolo gy would make the optamon more
attractive to potential users and easier to maintain and update.
Their are several promising technologies which could be combined to make a
new optacon which would be attractive to new users, easy to learn, and easy
to update.
A new optacon could be developed using a mobile tablet. These devices are
already available and are becoming cheaper to sell. We already have ocr
which runts on these devices and it could be harnessed for a new optacon.
The KNFB Reader as a starting point. Say what you will about the NFB but
they succeeded at developing an attractive app which can be used on devices
which fit in your pocket. What would be needed is the capability of taking
advantage of the haptic feedback which is already on phones. The latest
addition to this sooftware is Apple's force touch technology. There are
also individuals who are working on technology which would replace
piezo-electric Braille cells with new proprietary technology which would be
cheaper to make and also add the ability of displaying graphical
information. I could forsee the development of a tactile array which could
communicate with a mobile device using BlueTooth technology. The tactile
array could sit next to the phone or both the phone and the tactile array
could sit side by side in a case. A smaller tactile array could be housed
in a small camera which would look like the current camera for the
traditional optacon it could also communicate by BlueTooth technology so the
camera could be placed on any object at any angle.
A mobile tablet could also add many capabilities which the current optacon
doesn't have like sythetic speech, Braille, and Internet and file-sharing
capabilities. This would allow the development of many types of training
materials and apps would be specifically developed for the blind.
Let's face it, sooner or later everyone will need to have some computer
skills and the use of assistive technology. I have known people who were
put off about learning to use a computer and a screenreader but were able to
learn to use an iPhone in a relatively short time because the iPhone has an
intuitive interface. I keep finding more and more uses for my iPhone while
the need to use the traditional screenreader has decreased.
I'm convinced that the approach I am stating is the only practical one where
we could make a case to the computer industry and assistive technology
companies. I have just scratched the surface as I can think of many more
applications for the type of device I am proposing. I'm old enough to
remember the advantages and disadvantages of the current optacon but young
enough to have learned how to use an iPhone. The iPhone has its limitations
but it has improved my quality of life. Sometimes the only way to make
progress with any technology is to have a paradigm shift. There's no reason
that a blind person should be exempted from this process. We can keep past
technologies which have worked and be willing to think about assistive
technologies in new ways. I would be happy to correspond with anyone on
this list. All I ask is that people have an open mind.
Thanks,
Dan
Sent from my iPhone
On Feb 15, 2016, at 10:17 AM, JOHN HUFFMAN <J73.HUFFMAN@xxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:
they made it.
Paul,
Folks more learned than I will have to respond to hour specific questions.
Chers!
John, who is not a techie
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Paul Hunt
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2016 10:55 AM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Wy did the Optacon Die
Hello John. If the bimorph was once made, it can be made again. If we
can create the demand for the Optacon, and a company is willing to
take it on, it can be done.
What is the bimorph and what applications did it have?
Paul
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of JOHN HUFFMAN
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2016 8:51 AM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: 'Paul & Sheryl Hunt' <slhunt2@xxxxxxx>
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Wy did the Optacon Die
Paul et al,
I was told 15 or more years ago that there came a time when the
Optacon could no longer be manufactured because a key component,
called a bimorph, ceased to be available, and no replacement could be
found. I didn't ask for more nitty-gritty details because I'm not a
techie and figured they'd be over my head in any case. This by no
means takes away from Paul's points set out below.
Regards. JH
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Paul Hunt
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2016 9:32 AM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: Paul & Sheryl Hunt
Subject: [optacon-l] Wy did the Optacon Die
Hello everyone. I've been reading the posts on this list for about anow and have some thoughts about why the Optacon was discontinued.
month
Let's look at the issue from Telesensory Systems Inc. (TSI)'s perspective.
TSI was in the business to make a profit. Companies discontinue
products that they can't sell. If we look at their decision to
discontinue the Optacon from their point of view, we can understand why
The reason that the Optacon didn't sell was the blindness populationbring it back?
and the agencies that support them didn't buy it.
They didn't buy it because of their lack of vision. They didn't buy it
because learning to use an Optacon is hard work and you wouldn't read
War and Peace with it. Those of us who use Optacons have real vision
and have used our Optacons in many ways for many jobs. I once took a
Cobol course and had to read listings and punch cards. I couldn't have
done it without the Optacon.
I'm curious. How many members do we have on this list? Could we
petition ACB and NFB to approach the Assistive Technology companies to
Really, the work has already been done. The Optacon doesn't needquotes) in the message subject.
upgrades, it's fine the way it is. What are your thoughts? to view the
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