[Blindmath] Tactile Displays?

Sat Jan 17 13:23:23 UTC 2009

Hi all,

I know that in Israel, a project was developed where one could put three fingers on cells and move the device (mouse) over the table to explore graphs displayed on a screen. I saw a demonstration at the end of the 1990s and it was called the "virtual touch system". Although I was quite impressed at that time, it doesn't seem to be commercialized and its website
www.virtouch.co.il
seems to be out of the air. 

Regards,
Bert

-----Original Message-----
From: blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of tribble
Sent: 16 January 2009 21:53
To: r_akshi_tgk at yahoo.com; Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Tactile Displays?

>From what I've heard, the optacon is able to do that as well -- but you 
>may
indeed be thinking of a different technology.
--le

----- Original Message -----
From: "Roopakshi Pathania" <r_akshi_tgk at yahoo.com>
To: <blindmath at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 12:27 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
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Blindmath mailing list
> > Blindmath at nfbnet.org
> >
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> >

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