[Blindmath] Tactile Displays?

[Rich Caloggero]

Ah, yes, the NIST thing. Started hearing about it years ago. Apparently, 
they have lisenced their technology in 2007 to a commercial ferm (see 
below), so maybe we'll be seeing some real hardware soon.

>From what I gather, they have two devices they have developed: the first 
presents a static image (similar to the way a standard 1-line refreshable 
braille display does); the second works much like the optocon - you scan the 
camera across the image and the display under your finger changes to allow 
you to feel what's under the camera / virtual mouse.

>From the article:

NIST signed a non-exclusive license for commercialization of its two tactile 
graphic display technologies in the fall of 2007 with ELIA Life Technology
Inc. of New York, N.Y. Others interested in licensing these technologies 
should contact Terry Lynch, NIST Office of Technology Partnerships,
terry.lynch at nist.gov
, (301) 975-2691.

http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/factsheet/visualdisplay.htm



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Roopakshi Pathania" <r_akshi_tgk at yahoo.com>
To: <blindmath at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 1:27 PM
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Tactile Displays?



Hi Rich and all,

Thanks for improving my knowledge about Optocon. It does sound an 
interesting way of accessing printed material.

But, I dont think that this is the device referred to in the article. The 
product seems to be a tactile graphic display meant specifically for images 
shown on the computer. The vibrating pins are set in the pattern of the 
image and removed as the image changes.
This technology is quite new and possibelly not in the market.
I still haven't discovered the name of the product, but found another 
article in this regard.
http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/factsheet/visualdisplay.htm

Regards
--- On Fri, 1/16/09, Rich Caloggero <rjc at MIT.EDU> wrote:

> From: Rich Caloggero <rjc at MIT.EDU>
> Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Tactile Displays?
> To: r_akshi_tgk at yahoo.com, "Blind Math list for those interested in 
> mathematics" <blindmath at nfbnet.org>
> Date: Friday, January 16, 2009, 2:06 AM
> 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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