[optacon-l] Re: optacon research
- From: "Nick Dotson" <nickdotson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 29 Dec 2011 20:12:16 -0600
Because the whole blindness technology, particularly the reading-related
devices niche is very small. They have a line of OCR products and wouldn't
want to see their market share decrease, especially when software solutions
are less expensive to develop, sell at a lower price point than
hardware-based solutions, and because their volume is larger and base price
is less one doesn't want to deal with a competing hardware-based product.
The Optacon died due to insufficient demand because most people didn't want
to climb the training and practice curves.
Nick
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Marie Rudys
Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2011 7:17 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: optacon research
Why did they even bother to acquire the product when FS has no intention to
continue it? I just don't understand that at all.
Marie
----- Original Message -----
From: "cpond" <cpond@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2011 5:09 PM
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: optacon research
> Freedom Scientific destroyed their documentation, prototypes and spare
> parts
> for optacons which they had acquired from Blazie Engineering. Blazie had
> been working on an optacon device and had done some good work for sure on
> displays, software and the processor needed. Freedon Scientific had no
> intention to finish up the project; so, they let the NSF grant expire
> using
> it up, and that was that.
>
> Charles
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: J. R. Westmoreland
> Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2011 3:30 PM
> To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [optacon-l] Re: optacon research
>
> Currently Freedom Scientific has acquired all Optacon information when
> they
> purchased Telesensory Systems.
> I believe all patents have expired for the system.
> Work is underway to obtain a copy of all the prints and information. Some
> documents have been located and preserved others we don't have.
> There has been some initial discussion with FS but further information and
> discussions are not complete.
>
> Best,
> J. R.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> On Behalf Of Rebecca Blaevoet
> Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2011 9:21 AM
> To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [optacon-l] optacon research
>
> 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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>
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