It appears from their website that the device is available for sale in
Europe.
VideoTIM3
READING DEVICE for the BLIND
Applications of VideoTIM
Picture: Tactile display TIM shows the character A
Picture: VideoTIM1 with hand-held video camera on a book page
VideoTIM devices are in use for over ten years in different jobs and in the
private sector.The most common forms of use include the reading of printed
documents and reading books.
Many VideoTIM users were previously OPTACON users. The OPTACON is an older,
no longer produced device with the same scope. The main differences should
be mentioned here: The VideoTIM device generates, in contrast to OPTACON,
neither interfering noise or vibration. The image on the TIM display is much
clearer. VideoTIM shows much more pixel. As an OPTACON user the
familiarization period is between four hours and two days.
Picture: VideoTIM1 with hand-held video camera on a newspaper
Picture: VideoTIM1 with hand-held video camera on a newspaper
Picture: VideoTIM1 with hand-held video camera on a medicine package
Picture: VideoTIM1 with hand-held video camera on a medicine package
Picture: Hand written number 7 on the TIM display
Picture: Hand written number 7 on the TIM display
Picture: Hand-held video camera of VideoTIM looks onto notes
Picture: Hand-held video camera of VideoTIM looks onto notes
Some people use the VideoTIM devices but also for other applications,eg for
newspaper reading, the reading of medicine packages, hand written notes and
foreign letters.
Picture: Business grafic on the TIM display
Picture: Letters A, B and C on the TIM display
Picture: Business grafic on the TIM display
Picture: Letters A, B and C on the TIM display
Picture: Scissors symbol on the TIM display
Picture: Windows symbol for minimize on the TIM display
Picture: Scissors symbol on the TIM display
Picture: Windows symbol for minimize on the TIM display
The Video TIM device can represent more than just writing and numerals. Some
people use the pen-shaped camera to work on flat screen displays (PC
monitors
or smartphone displays). This way some software programs can be used.
The VideoTIM can also present graphics. For example it can show simple
business charts, curves, icons and page layouts.
Picture: TIM display shows a moving hand
Picture: Hand movements in front of a video camera
The pictures above show an example of how a video camera captures the
movement of a hand against a white background. The hand movements are shown
live
on the TIM display.
table with 18 columns and 25 rows
table with 6 columns and 1 rows nesting level 1
home
home (e)
the videotim
techn. data
usage
contact
table end nesting level 1
VideoTIM3
READING DEVICE for the BLIND
Technical Data
Picture: VideoTIM3 with mini hand-held video camera on a text document
Version: VideoTIM3
list of 18 items
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Plumlee (Redacted sender "knobman" for DMARC)"
<dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 2021 1:06 PM
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: abtim reading device
I had not heard of the abtim reading device until you mentioned it; that
device might be interesting and worthy of further exploration because it
appears to be able to put a blind person back in contact with the actual
printed page. As much as I hate to see the Optacon "move off-stage," it is
happening - slowed only by those of us who are confirmed Optacon users who
still use this device. I would like to see the abtim reading device
explored in greater detail especially for the sake of young blind persons
in grade school and high school who do not have direct contact with the
printed page these days.
I would like to see more information on it - its technical specifications,
price, and the like. As I see it, one "weakness" of the standard Optacon
which would make it a "hard sell" for use in schools these days is the
fragile cable between the retina and the box. We who are experienced
Optacon users get along pretty well with the unit because we have been
taught now to take good care of that cable; but knowing what I hear about
kids these days - the way they have to rush around and carry a lot of
stuff with them - putting a standard Optacon in their hands would be
trouble waiting to happen.
Nowadays, with multiplex technology very well developed, it might be
possible to have wireless digital communication between the camera and the
box. I understand that modern pipe-organ makers use data multiplexing to
connect the organ console to the pipe room so that they can now have a
cable with far fewer wires than the cables of old which could sometimes be
the diameter of a fire hose with maybe a few hundred wires in it. Today's
multiplexing works fast enough that you wouldn't detect any delay in the
response of the organ compared to what it would be if you had hard-wire
connections for everything in the instrument. A similar system might be
possible to "cut the cord" between the camera and the "box."
The bottom line in my opinion is that my hat is off to anyone who can
develop a sustainable reading system that would put students and adults in
intimate contact with the actual printed page. Such intimate contact
would be great for showing relationships that sighted people see on a page
and take for granted. I can envision how complex equations might become
more intelligible if they could be examined on a page the way they are
laid out on that page. And we won't even talk about electronic schematics
and similar types of diagrams. Any reading device which would work as
well or better than a standard Optacon would probably have merit in
reading that type of material. The key is that the human mind needs to be
the "motor controller" and "image decoder" to gain greatest benefit.
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On
Behalf Of Alain Bardet
Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 2021 11:32 AM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] abtim reading device
Hi all,
I am a French optacon user and I still enjoy the device!
Have some of you heard about the abtim reading device? What do you think
of it?
Cheers stay well and happy new year!
Alain from Paris
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