Hello to my Band Tour Mate and Listers,
The users of the Optacon are a die-hard dedicated base, but unfortunately a
very
small base.
The Optacon as it was cannot be produced now because there are/were customized
components that aren't available. Diesigning them would made it cost
prohibitive.
Secondly, although there are tasks the Optacon can perform that still can't be
done as conveniently using newer technology, much of the réson d'étre for the
Optacon has been surpassed by OCR software that can be carried now on your
smartphone with the KNFB Reader app for the iPhone and Android phones. You can
get excellent scanning accuracy with one of the commercially available scan
stands so even people who have spatial issues with properly aligning a phone up
with the document can do quite well reading regular material.
Technology still has yet to develop means for reading charts, and such, but I
think those solutions are in the near-future. After all, Facebook and Google,
are working on facial identification apps!
Having said all that, I think Charles' ideas for an enhanced Optacon that will
incorporate some of the enhanced features with a way to use it in a traditional
mode for these special circumstances has a lot going for it. I think the
ability to read anything using a camera along with the ability to interpret
things that aren't readily amenable to standard OCR techniques such as charts,
displays, stain detection, signature alignment, quick lookups of information,
etc. still has a market, provided manufacturing costs can be kept reasonable.
If it comes about, of course, it will be incumbent on the AT dealers to support
the producrt. Just like some other AT products, there will need to be a lot of
demonstration, some training of both customers and governmental rehab and
veterans' agencies that would constitute a substantial market for the new
Optacon.
Steve Pollo
Lansing, MI
Go Raiders!
----- Original Message -----
From: Paul Hunt
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2016 10:55 AM
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