[optacon-l] optacon research

  • From: Rebecca Blaevoet <amrywoddyddiauheulog@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:20:42 +0000

Hello cAtherine,
Your comments about the optacon wizards brings up an interesting point. Is the 
technology still under patent somewhere or can schematics be got by private 
individuals? I have noticed a reticence on the part of engineers and 
programmers to give specific information to those not in the inner circle as it 
were and I'm wondering if it's concern that someone else, not related to the 
said wizards, would develop a modern version of the device sooner? If there is 
no exclusivity, can the relevant schematics/diagrams be made available? If 
there is exclusivity, under whose name is it and was it transferred from 
Telesensory Systems, even though that company saw no reason to continue 
manufacturing of the Optacon?
Perhaps others on this list know the answers to those questions.
I want to see a modern version of the optacon as soon as may be, no matter who 
invents it!
Rebecca

On 2011-12-29, at 2:40 PM, Catherine Thomas wrote:

> In approximately 2006 members of this list began an effort to preserve the 
> Optacon. Many unuser and non-working Optacons were located and refurbished 
> by our excellent Optacon repairers--Dave Godfrey in England, Nigel Herring 
> in Australia and Richard Oehm in the U.S. Leo Drell of the U.S. also 
> repairs Optacons. Richard Oehm has been selling refurbished Optacons at a 
> reasonable price including a warranty. You can contacct him at:
> oehmelec@xxxxxxx
> Phone: 408 971-6250 in the U.S.
> 
> List mebers have done a lot of outreach to locate Optacon users. We 
> created a survey to help us identify how the Optacon is used in these days 
> of computers and scanners. Please email me if you have not yet filled out 
> the survey and would like to.
> 
> We have a group of engineers and software experts who call themselves the 
> Optacon wizards. They have been at work on their own time at a possible 
> re-development of the Optacon which would read some of the more modern 
> displays and additional colors.
> 
> The Optacon is still the only device that reads print in real time without 
> re-interpreting it first. This feature is essential.
> 
> The Optacon repairers have fabricated a couple of the essential parts to 
> keep the current Optacons running such as a new version of the delicate 
> retina cable. During 2011 progress has been made on figuring out 
> technology for the more modern arrays. Hopefully, in 2012 we will come 
> even closer to a new Optacon. In the meantime we are still looking for 
> non-working or unused machines. If an Optacon can't be repaired it is used 
> for parts.
> 
> Happy New Year to all.
> Catherine
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> -Catherine Thomas
> braille@xxxxxxxxx                     /
> 
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