[Blindmath] Tactile Displays?

[David Andrews]

To answer one of the original questions, the Optacon was a commercial 
device, but hasn't been made for about 20 years.  Some people still 
use them, there is a mailing list, and a few people do repairs -- but 
it isn't an option for most.

Dave

At 02:36 PM 1/15/2009, you wrote:
>Haven't read the article you cited, but I wonder if this may be a 
>reference to something called the optocon (not exactly sure of 
>spelling). Its an old adaptive device that has a camera which is 
>moved over the material to be read/imaged. The image is "displayed" 
>on a small array of vibrating pins which sit under one finger. As 
>you move the camera across the page (it was meant to allow reading 
>of printed material), a vibrating image of the character moves 
>across the pin display.  The image is very small, and it cannot be 
>used to read pictures or graphs or anything; its specifically meant 
>to read text.
>
>Hope this helps..
>-- Rich
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Roopakshi Pathania" 
><r_akshi_tgk at yahoo.com>
>To: <blindmath at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 12:21 PM
>Subject: [Blindmath] Tactile Displays?
>
>
>>
>>
>>Hi all,
>>
>>The recent discussion on the list regarding the accessibility of 
>>Mathematica reminded me of the time when I was personally 
>>researching the accessibility of same software. I came across an 
>>article about a blind physicist. I realise that there are quite 
>>afew around these days, but this particular physicist caught my 
>>attention. The article mentions a device used by him that consists 
>>of a camera attached to a tactile display with vibrating pins.
>>My questions is: how does this device operates? Also, is this 
>>product in the market or just a personal invention?
>>The article can be found here.
>>http://www.wolfram.com/news/strickland.html
>>
>>Regards
>>Roopakshi from India
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
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