Noel,
Sadly I have to agree with you. The most recent device I'm aware of which
people though had potential was the Dot Watch. This product has four
Braille cells so I suppose someone could use their fingertips to read
Braille. The device is available but there have been numerous complaints
about the quality of the Braille cells. I won't get into that discussion
here that's a topic for other mailing lists.
Another more serious issue I see is that as far as I know no organization of
the blind or organization which serves the blind has any interest in
developing a new optacon. A number of years ago there was an article about
the optacon in the ACB Braille Forum. The author made a case for a new
optacon and that was where the discussion ended. Freedom Scientific wasn't
interest in continuing Deane Blazie's work. I don't know if APH would be
interested but I doubt it.
When reading recent social media posts about graphics displays none of them
mentioned the need for a fingertip display. That would be an additional
challenge to persuade blind people that a fingertip display would be
valuable. I don't have a solution. The only hope I can see is that if
actuators become really cheap then I could see someone taking a risk in
developing a new optacon.
Dan
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On
Behalf Of Noel Runyan
Sent: Monday, August 10, 2020 10:51 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: New Optacon
Dan,
Sorry to disappoint you, but the technology for Optacon-type tactile
displays is not currently showing much potential for near-term improvement.
The current thrust of most tactile reading technology is focused on braille
and tactile graphics displays, and this part of the field is making progress
with several new products and patents or patent applications.
The technology for fingertip tactile image displays is not currently able
to produce (in the near-term) dynamic tactile image displays that could be
significantly better, reliable, and less expensive than the 50 year-old
piezo electronic reed tech that was used in the Optacon 1 and 2.
The technology that seems most promising for appropriate tactile image
displays is the recently developed 4D printing techniques for building fine
arrays of EAP (Electro Active Polymer) structures that may be able to
rapidly vibrate pins of a tactile image displays. MEMS (Micro Mechanical
Electronic Machine) fabrication techniques is another method of fabricating
arrays of EAP vibrators, and some MEM researchers were beginning to
investigate using MEM tech to make an Optacon array; however, the Covid-19
pandemic has stalled or maybe even totally killed the most hopeful of that
work.
I (and I suspect several others) will be happy to let this list know if and
when any tactile image technology proves to be viable for use on a new
Optacon.
Cordially,
Noel
At 06:31 AM 8/10/2020, dan.tevelde@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Hi Noel,happen to other Braille display manufacturers.
I'm a bit surprised about the results finding a tactile array which
would work. I know you mentioned that the technology used by Orbit
Research isn't suitable. I participate in their monthly Zoom calls.
Has anyone approached Orbit Research to see if they are interested?
With all the research and implementation of haptic technology I would
think that someone could come up with a suitable tactile array. I
recently read that the American Printing House for the Blind is
soliciting a proposal for the development of a graphics display. Could
they be persuaded that a new optacon might have some value?
I agree with you that for now we should concentrate on repairing
existing optacons. I guess if worse came to worse, someone could
fabricate new optacons based on the present design instead of
developing a new type of optacon. I would think the challenge would be
getting parts. Getting parts would be a challenge for any new device
as well. Humanware is introducing a new Braille display because they
say they can't get parts for their current models. I suppose this could
These are just my thoughts.getting everybody's'
Dan
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
On Behalf Of Noel Runyan
Sent: Sunday, August 9, 2020 7:08 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: New Optacon
Dan et al,
There have ben several researchers, other than Charles Pond, who have
been working on developing tactile array systems for a possible new
Optacon device. Lavan Fernando and others have built actual hardware
systems to test the actuators. However, there do not appear to be any
current display projects that are showing enough promise to be worth
hopes up. Until there is a truly promising tactile array technologyshould be avoided.
demonstrated and vetted by others in the tactile actuator research
field, it would be foolish to start ramping up hopes and fund raising
efforts towards a complete Optacon III development project.
At the current time, I think the best use of our time and resources is
best invested in gathering together all the unused Optacons and support
equipment such as cameras.
Cordially,
Noel
-
Noel H. Runyan
-
At 12:44 PM 8/9/2020, Dan.tevelde@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
I think there are several reasons why we are not seeing a new optacon.other OCR application incorrectly interprets tabular data.
So far, Charles Pond has been the only person as far as I know who
has reported on prototyping a new optacon. If others on the list
have been involved in a project, I don't know about it. In order to
develop a new optacon we need the following items.
The easiest item would be developing some promotional videos. The
videos I have seen on YouTube are out of date. We need new videos
demonstrating the optacon in terms of tasks which no other device can
do. I'm not qualified to make such a video. I lost my optacon
skills because I didn't have access to a device. It would be great
if someone making the videos would compare the optacon with some
currently-available technology in such as way that the person
watching or listening to the video would understand what makes the
optacon unique. One approach might be comparing the optacon to an
OCR application like KNFB Reader. Find an example where KNFB Reader
or some
started.
The next steps would be to create social media accounts on Facebook,
Twitter, and LinkedIn. People are using social media rather than
mailing lists to get information. The word optacon would get lots of
search results through search engine optimization. I see numerous
job leads and connection requests on LinkedIn every day. IF there
are people in this group who are savvy with social media then they
can get
The other items we need are formal documents containing use cases and
user data for the current optacon, a possible specification for a new
optacon, and a formal business plan. A couple of years ago I tested
a hardware device which was a type of mouse to provide tactile
feedback and allow the user to interact with a computer. I thought
the device had potential. The company failed because they had no
formal documentation of how their technology worked or a formal
business plan to request funds for producing the device. The
president of the company thought he could succeed by begging for
money. The project failed for a variety of reasons and I don't
expect anything more from the company unless they determine what they
want to accomplish. I mention the failure as an object lesson in what
to:to:
So this is the situation we are in. It would be a tall order to
develop a new optacon but I don't think it would be impossible. It
takes an organized group of people to develop a business plan.
Dan
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