[nfbcs] Optacon thoughts

[Steve Jacobson]

There have been several attempts to develop a modern Optacon over the past
ten years or so.  However, to my knowledge, nothing has come of it.  I still
use one and there is just nothing that gives one the same kind of
information.  However, many people can get what they need through OCR and/or
the KNFB reader, and coordinating the tracking of a line of print is a more
difficult process than one would think so many people were not able to use
an Optacon effectively.  Also, the cost of an Optacon, around $3,000 in
1974, was expensive.  An attempt was made in the later 1970's to make a
second generation Optacon with parts that were mor standard and which used
more digital circuitry.  However, it just did not work as well even though
the physical design was better.  

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbcs [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Dale HELTZER via
nfbcs
Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2016 4:42 PM
To: 'NFB in Computer Science Mailing List' <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Dale HELTZER <deheltzer at msn.com>
Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Optacon thoughts

It's amazing to me that such a relatively simple, useful tool hasn't been
resurrected. I would buy it in a heartbeat.


---
Dale E. Heltzer
deheltzer at msn.com


-----Original Message-----
From: nfbcs [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Deborah Armstrong
via nfbcs
Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2016 3:55 PM
To: nfbcs at nfbnet.org
Cc: Deborah Armstrong
Subject: [nfbcs] Optacon thoughts

So I was helping a low-vision student this morning learn to use a desktop
magnifier (VisioBook) to get her math homework done. I pulled out my old
Optacon to insure I'd picked a representative page from the book and that I
had it correctly oriented.

I taught myself Optacon so I'm not that good at it. But it got me thinking:
nobody's ever came out with a modern Optacon; something that turns a camera
image in to a tactile display that the user will OCR with his own brain
power. Or at least, I don't think such a gizmo exists.

It's rather sad, really.

--Debee

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