Didn't someone on this list compile a uses list to present to NFB for
possible consideration?--Ninette
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Loren Schoof (Redacted sender "loren_schoof" for DMARC)
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2016 5:39 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Wy did the Optacon Die
Dan, Paul et Al:
If an economical way of producing a tactile display can be found, I think
some of the ideas here would be excellent. I would like to see a hybrid
machine that allowed the user to move the camera over the material to be
read. It could be fed into an OCR engine and then to speech synthesis. At
the same time, a tactile of the print being scanned would be available.
This sort of mixed approach would allow the user to listen to spoken text
when appropriate. He/she would control the speed of reading via the speed
at which he/she moved the camera over the material. Further, camera movement
would permit skimming and skipping of text based on its layout on the page.
This same ability to control the machine by camera movement would allow a
user to trace out charts and graphs just as we now do with the Optacon.
Finally, an Optacon-style tactile display would allow the user to recognize
and read materials such as math notation that don't translate well into
speech.
I think most of the technology already exists, it's a matter of finding
funding to put it all together.
Loren Schoof
On 2/15/2016 2:00 PM, Paul Hunt wrote:
Hello Dan. Now, that's an interesting idea. We would scan the pageuser wished.
with the camera on the iPhone and the output would be fed to the
array. You could then accurately capture a oletter. Perhaps then as
letters are correctly captured they could be fed to an OCR engine.
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Dan Tevelde
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2016 2:35 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Wy did the Optacon Die
Hi Paul,
You bring up some good points. All I was suggesting is taking
advantage of the camera in the phone and then using a tactile array to
read the image. I wasn't suggesting that OCR should only be used but
that OCR would be an additional option. I would think that taking a
picture would make the raw image available to a tactile array. The
image could be converted to text or otherwise manipulated as the optacon
The speed, accuracy, and resolution of cameras keeps getting betterquotes) in the message subject.
and better and I would think a new optacon should take advantage of
that technology.
Judy brought up an interesting point about three-d printing. This
process could be used to produce a prototype object people could feel
to see if they liked it. I don't know if printing could create the
actual hardware but I would think it could produce a useful mockup.
Dan
Sent from my iPhone
On Feb 15, 2016, at 1:57 PM, Paul Hunt <prhunt1@xxxxxxx> wrote:of work and commitment from the user.
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
-----Original Message-----to view the list archives, go to:
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
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