[optacon-l] Re: A Question: Is it Possible to Build New Optacons?
- From: "Philip Hall" <p.hall.eml1@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 08:05:28 -0400
Actually, it is very easy to stop the noise.
While I was working at Blazie Engineering, we produced a prototype that used
a sine wave to activate the piezoelectric reed instead of the square wave
that is used with the existing Optacon arrays.
Using a sine wave eliminated the noise.
Unfortunately, when freedom scientific took over Blazie engineering, they
cancel the project to produce a new Optacon.
Phil
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of MikeD
Sent: Sunday, October 26, 2014 11:52 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: A Question: Is it Possible to Build New Optacons?
Can it be cloned? Yes and No!
The Optacon works by vibration pins that the user feels, vibrating pins
make noise!
Stop the noise by stopping the vibration, and the Optacon doesn't work.
Cloning the Optacon involves the following;
Yes - The camera, cables, internal electronics and battery/power supply
can all be replaced with current technology and at a reasonable cost.
It can be done sections or as a complete unit. The physical size can
also be reduced.
No - the display can't easily be replaced. There are some companies that
have the technology,
but it is very expensive and nobody is willing to build an Optacon like
display in any quantity.
(building displays in small quantities means possibly costs of +$10,000
per display!)
Building a display with the tech used in Braille products would mean the
Optacon display would be 1 to 2 inches across!
The current Braille tech can't be compressed to get 144 pins in a square
centimeter area.
Lots of people are trying to come up with a solution, but.......I
haven't heard or seen anything
that would come close to the capabilities of the Optacon!
The Optacon was a very well designed box, especially for the 1980s
In 1980 the Commodore 64 was a hot machine, a current smart phone can
run circles around what was the 64.
But again there has been no noticeable progress in display technology as
seen in the Optacon.
Mike Donegan
On 2014-10-26 9:06 AM, Jyrki Voutilainen wrote:
> Right. As already told on the list, the Optacon could be reproduced using
updated components, which means that it could be made more quiet than
earlier etc.
>
> Some of us do probably have modern Braille displays in use, and they are
really quiet and sophisticated products. What if the display on the Optacon
could be built by using similar cells instead of traditional needles? As I
see, the letters as well as other symbols could be formed by using such
cells as well as by using needles.
>
> Some of us are looking for something more than just a traditional Optacon,
e.g. something like Brain Port. But why not reproduce the Optacon and still
look for solutions like Brain Port, or why not reproduce the Optacon and
look for an artificial vision? Does one thing necessarily have to exclude
another, or is this a money issue once again?
>
> On Sun, 26 Oct 2014, Carrie Green wrote:
>
>> Dear Listers,
>> Everyone on this list, including myself, would love to have the Optacon
readily available again.
>>
>> Is it still possible to have them made? I mean are the schematics/circuit
boards/wiring etcetera still available? I cannot understand why this device
cannot be replicated in today's world. Is it just a money issue? How much
money would be needed to make them? Crowd Funding sources such as Indiegogo,
may be a place to look, if it would still be possible to produce them. Of
course, this is a moot discussion, if they cannot be produced at all due to
lack of materials/knowledge.
>>
>> Carrie Green
>>
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