[optacon-l] Re: Fingers and Brains
- From: "Nick Dotson" <nickdotson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2012 20:56:07 -0600
Before we go chasing rabbit trails, may I quote Dr. Teller's post,
"We are researchers at Northeastern University and MIT who are developing a
high-resolution tactile display intended to provide blind people with a way
to gather visual input through their fingertips. The display, based on MEMS
(micro-electromechanical
systems) technology, will have roughly one "tactel" (or tactile
pixel) per millimeter in both horizontal and vertical dimensions, and will
accommodate touch by several fingertips simultaneously rather than just one.
Thus it will have both higher spatial resolution, and more total area, than
the Optacon."
The section of his post which seems to have become decontextualized,
distorted beyond recognition, and woefully mischaracterized occurs a
paragraph beyond the previous quote. And, as it is a longer and more
complex construction mixing several potentialities of the device, more than
a passing reading may be required to staunch the current wounds in the
Epistemological realities encapsulated in this passage of Dr. Teller's post,
"One use case would involve coupling the device to sensors integrated
unobtrusively into clothing, to provide real-time information about the
wearer's surroundings, including: orientation with respect to the compass
or landmarks; mobility hazards such as obstacles and dropoffs; the presence,
identities and motion of any people nearby; the presence and contents of
nearby signage; and other aspects of the environment, to be determined in
consultation with users. (In this way the device would produce sensations
at the fingertips analogous to those on the tongue described in Nick
Dotson's recent posts.)
The system would "interpret" raw sensor data to varying degrees as per the
task and the user's preferences. For example, while names of approaching
people might be displayed as Braille, the user could also elect to receive
raw data directly, for example to read distant signage or to feel the shape
of others' faces at a remove. And of course the system would support an
Optacon-like mode in which the user could move the retina across any
document or object in order to experience a minimally interpreted tactile
version of whatever data the retina was capturing."
May we return to critiquing the proposal rather than these speculations
based on the history of other device designs which historically haven't come
even close to manufacture and unseating the capabilities of our Optacon in
We Product Orphan's hands, hearts, imaginations, and minds. A new device
can't dethrone the Optacon's legendary mythic status in our minds... Or can
it? (mischievous grin)
Nick
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Catherine Thomas
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2012 7:56 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Fingers and Brains
TeleSensory did a lot of research and testing before they chose the size of
the Optacon display and the resolution (space between individual pins).
Other fingers can be taught to read with the Optacon just as they can be
taught to read braille. It does take training and practice, a sort of
finger-education. Those who ever tried to read micro-braile know why it
never caught on even though more content would have fit on pages. The
resolution was just too close and the brain could not comprehend it. Those
of us who had Cannon Optacons discovered that the smaller display provided
less detail and images which were less clear and less able to be fine-tuned.
There is a lot we don't know about brains and fingers, but we do know some
and I think we should keep in mind what we painfully already learned.
When I'm reading, I'm reading. Using other body parts besides my hands does
not appeal to me personally.
Catherine
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-Catherine Thomas
braille@xxxxxxxxx /
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