Dear Jim, Those ideas sound wonderful. I hope it can come to fruition. I can't remember when I started using the Optacon, and do use a scanner more these days, partly because I don't want to overuse the Optacon and then have it break. Thank you for your efforts. Janet ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Bliss" <jamescbliss@xxxxxxxxx> To: <optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 10:43 AM Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Optacon article from January 2009 Braille Forum > Mary, > Thanks for sending the Optacon article. It inspired me to write the > following draft of new Optacon ideas. I would be interested in any feedback > from the Listserv. > > Jim Bliss > > *New Optacon Design Ideas* > > *by James C. Bliss* > > *1/26/09* > > * * > > The Optacon was designed in the late sixties at the dawn of > integrated circuits, silicon photocell arrays, and before microprocessors. The > design was based on extensive experiments with human subjects, blind and > sighted, that used computer simulation of various designs to determine the > most effective for reading text. > > The final design incorporated a novel array of tactile stimulators composed > of piezoelectric reeds, or bimorphs, a custom integrated array of silicon > photocells, and custom integrated circuits of shift register/bimorph > drivers. > > The custom integrated circuits and unique piezoelectric reeds, > together with the small market, made the Optacon a difficult product to > source parts and manufacture. However, for those that mastered its use, the > Optacon filled an essential need. Even though the Optacon has been out of > production for over fifteen years, there are still over 150 avid users > trying to maintain their Optacons and demanding a new Optacon. > > Now, almost 40 years after the original Optacon design, advances > in technology make possible a new Optacon design that could have greater > resolution, be easier to learn and use, and could have features that would > greatly extend the applications of use. > > To reach the widest possible market, it is important to keep the > simplicity of the original Optacon while enabling new capabilities and > applications. Below are my thoughts on design possibilities that could be > considered. Not all of these ideas may be worth developing, but considering > them to assign priorities could help the process toward a new Optacon. > > > > I. Resolution and Field of View > > The original Optacon was designed around an array of 24 rows and > 6 columns of pixels that drove a corresponding array of 24 rows and 6 > columns of bimorph tactile stimulators. The 24 by 6 was based on tests > with human subjects that indicated this was the minimum number of pixels for > reading and tracking text at a practical speed. Actually, if you consider > 24 pixels across a 0.1 inch letterspace, this is equivalent to only 240 > dots/inch compared to the 300 dots/inch typically considered to be the > minimum needed for OCR. Also, the Optacon's 24 pixels across a 0.1 inch > letterspace is equivalent to a visual resolution of only 20/40. > > In addition, reading with an Optacon requires the user to move > the hand held camera along a line of text. The limited field of view of the > Optacon camera requires this scan to be very precise; else the images of the > text are cut off. So reading would be easier and faster if the field of > view of a new design could be greater, thereby relaxing the precision needed > for line tracking. > > Thus, for ease of tracking and reading a wider range of text > fonts and text quality, more pixels would certainly be better, analogous to > the greatly enhanced picture quality resulting from the recent television > change from a 480 line interlaced scan to a 1080 progressive line scan. > > Fortunately, advances in technology make an improved resolution > and field of view possible at a reasonable cost. Therefore, I believe that > a goal of basing a new design on 36 vertical pixels to provide both improved > resolution and greater field of view should be considered. > > Unfortunately, the Optacon II, which was designed by Canon, had > only a 20 by 5 array. This reduction in resolution and field of view was > one of the reasons reading is more difficult with it. > > In the original Optacon design, the pixels were not square, but > rectangles that were twice as wide as they were high. This is because when > camera is moved along a horizontal line of text the letterspace is sampled > in the vertical direction, but an analog signal is obtained horizontally > across the letterspace. All of the image information can be obtained from > one column of pixels moved horizontally across the letterspace. However, > tests with human subjects clearly showed that reading accuracy increased as > more columns were added. > > Based on these considerations, I suggest that a new design have > 12 columns across the same horizontal field of view as the original Optacon. > Thus, the newly designed Optacon's pixels would be square, with the vertical > and horizontal resolutions being the same. The 36 by 12 array would > increase the number of pixels to 432, compared to the 144 in the original > Optacon, perhaps justifying a name for the new model as "Optacon HD" for > "high definition". > > > > > > II. Tactile Array > > In the past 40 years, there have been some significant advances > in piezoelectric materials. Several years > > ago there was a study at Stanford University that indicated the bimorph > reeds in the Optacon tactile array could be half as long as in the original > design. This would allow incorporating the increased number of bimorphs in > approximately the same space as before. > > A complaint about the Optacon has been the noise that it makes. > This noise comes from the bimorphs, which are being driven by a 250Hz square > wave, a frequency of maximum tactile sensitivity. This provides a strong > tactile sensation. The bimorph reeds were designed to be at near resonance > at this frequency to consume a minimum amount of power from the battery. After > the Optacon design was finalized and production had begun, we discovered > this noise was greatly reduced if the bimorphs are driven with a 250Hz sine > wave instead of a square wave. This is because the human ear is much more > sensitive to the harmonics of a square wave than to the fundamental 250 Hz > frequency. However, we never had the opportunity to test whether there was > any detrimental effect on the tactile sensation when a sine wave drive is > used instead of a square wave. In a new design this should be tested and > the sine wave used if desirable. > > At Telesensory the assembly of the tactile array was labor > intensive requiring considerable skill. Modern manufacturing techniques > including robotics could help reduce this cost. > > > > III. Retina Module > > When the Optacon was designed, no suitable integrated solid > state arrays of photocells were available, so a custom design was developed > in the Stanford Laboratories. Finding and maintaining sources for this > custom part at the relatively low quantities needed made Optacon production > difficult and expensive. Now integrated solid state arrays of photocells > are widely used in digital cameras, web cams, cell phones, etc. Thus in a > new design, a standard off-the-shelf part should be used if at all possible. > > > > IV. Lens Modules > > The original Optacon lens is not a true zoom lens because only > the lens is moved to change the magnification. This meant that the image is > only in true focus at two points along the zoom range and out of focus at > the ends and middle of the zoom range. The amount of out of focus is > sufficiently small to not be a problem given the low resolution of the > original Optacon retina. Because of the increased resolution I'm suggesting > in a new design, a better zoom system will be required. Actually, one of > the Optacon prototypes built at SRI and Stanford did have a zoom system that > moved both the lens and the retina to keep the image in true focus. This > did not change the size of the camera and would not be a significant > increase in cost after tooling for production. > > Various lens modules, such as the typing attachment and CRT > screen module, were very important for the Optacon market because they > increased employment applications. While these particular accessory lens > modules are not as important today, others could be developed for producing > handwriting, reading LCD screens, viewing and taking pictures at a distance, > etc. > > In addition to image signals from the Optacon camera, an > independent signal indicating camera movement should be considered. While > sometimes this can be derived from the camera images, there may be > situations in which it may be desirable to have signals from the lens module > rollers. > > > > V. Electronics > > Since the original Optacon was designed before microprocessors, > the electronics did not include a microprocessor, however Optacon II did and > any future designs most certainly would. In addition, a new design could > include some image storage as well as a port for an external memory > stick. This > would enable camera scans to be stored for later retrieval and/or further > processing on a PC. > > OCR and synthetic speech capability could be built into the > Optacon electronics. These capabilities, together with the storage > capability, means that the new design would need to have file handling and > other software built-in. > > A very important control on an Optacon is the threshold, which > determines the photocell signal level between black and white. Especially > for poor quality print and for different colored print, how the threshold is > set can determine whether the text is readable or not. For precision > threshold setting, I think this part of the circuitry should be analog with > a high resolution potentiometer. Unfortunately, in Optacon II this control > was digital with too few bits for precision. > > In addition to threshold and tactile stimulator intensity, there > would need to be some additional controls, or buttons, similar to those on a > "point and shoot" digital camera, for deleting images from storage, cycling > through a menu, etc. > > > > VI. Ports > > A new design could have a port for the camera (possibly > wireless), a port for power (batteries could be charged in the Optacon or on > a separate charging station), a port for a memory stick, and a USB port for > sending camera images to a PC, for enabling the PC to write on the tactile > array, and for enabling new software to be installed in the Optacon. > > > > VII. Battery > > The Optacon II design was an improvement in battery convenience > over the original Optacon and a new Optacon design could improve things > further. A system with readily available batteries that the user could > easily replace and charge should be the goal. > > > > VIII. Packaging > > The Optacon II design was an improvement in packaging over the > original Optacon and a new Optacon design could improve things further. > > > > IX. PC Software for the Optacon > > By providing a new Optacon with a USB port where camera images > can be transferred to a PC and the PC can write tactile images on the > Optacon means that the basic simplicity of the Optacon can be maintained > while providing the possibility of adding many new features for expanding > Optacon use. Some examples are: > > > > A. Optacon Reading Lessons and Speed Building > > Optacon training was essential in producing so many people that > were successful in Optacon use. Teaching someone to use an Optacon > effectively was a labor intensive process. The most successful Optacon > training programs involved one teacher full time for every student for > several weeks. Since the seventies when these programs started, labor costs > have dramatically increased relative to the cost of technology. > > However, with the widespread availability and increased > capability of PCs, it is now feasible to develop software that could > automate at least part of the training process. The PC could write letters, > words, and text on the Optacon tactile screen, build speed by presenting > these at various rates, test student progress, and provide feedback through > synthetic speech. > > > > B. Speech and Braille Output > > By OCR processing the images from scans from the Optacon camera, > the PC could provide speech or Braille output. Several tactile stimulators > could be combined to simulate a Braille dot on the Optacon's tactile screen. > Speech and Braille files could be stored in the PC in addition to image > files. > > > > C. Optacon Screen Reader Software > > Optacon screen reader software could be developed in which > images from the PC screen were displayed on the Optacon tactile array. The > PC mouse could be used to move the field of view of the tactile image around > on the screen. This could be particularly useful in understanding screen > layout, viewing graphics on the screen, and in formatting documents. > > > > X. Conclusion > > I believe that developing and disseminating a new Optacon along > the lines described here would significantly enhance the educational and > vocational opportunities, as well a personal independence, of blind people > around the world. I've described a design that would preserve the basic > simplicity of the original Optacon, greatly improve the quality of the > tactile image, and make tracking along a line of text easier. By adding the > capabilities of memory storage and communication with a PC, new features > could be developed to make reading easier and faster through speech and > Braille, and that would expand Optacon applications. These design ideas > need to be evaluated by the blindness community. > > My guess is that the development of this basic Optacon alone > could cost several million dollars. (The PC software and other accessories > could be developed later by third parties.) However, the relatively small > market coupled with the cost of development and the difficulties of selling > to this market will discourage private companies from taking on such a > project. The situation is analogous to that with low incidence diseases > where biopharmaceutical companies don't develop treatments unless there is > some consideration such as "orphan drug status". > > The hope for bringing back a new Optacon might rest on obtaining > grant support for development and dissemination from private foundations or > government. For this to be viable would require strong support from the > blindness community and leadership from an organization with the capability > of accomplishing the task. > > > > > On Sun, Jan 25, 2009 at 5:40 PM, Mary Emerson <maryemerson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote: > > > Here it is, below. > > PLEASE BRING BACK THE OPTACON! > > by Pam Coffey > > > > For many years, my faithful print-reading aid was the Optacon, distributed > > by Telesensory Systems, then in Palo Alto, Calif. For those of you who are > > relatively > > new to blindness issues, this was a tactile scanner. Weighing about four > > pounds, it was extremely portable. It had a rechargeable battery pack and AC > > adapter, > > making it usable when the power went out or you were far from an electrical > > outlet. It was unusually dependable (my Optacon had to be repaired only > > three > > times), and it was incredibly versatile. > > > > To use this device, you placed the camera, which wasn't much larger than a > > finger, onto what you wanted to read. The camera, connected to the main unit > > by a long cable, picked up what was directly underneath it, and the > > electronics within the main unit converted it into tactile vibrations > > according to > > the shape of the character under the camera. The vibrations registered on a > > little plate, called the array, which was in the main unit. You moved the > > camera > > with your right hand and read the vibrations with your left index finger. > > The reading was quite slow -- you read only one character at a time -- and > > considerable > > training was required in order to use the device. But increased proficiency > > came with experience, and the rewards were great, because you had absolute > > control over what you read. > > > > Because the camera rested on the material to be read, you could read things > > that were curved, such as labels on soup cans or medicine bottles, without > > first > > removing the label. You could make adjustments for the size, color, and > > boldness of the print, as well as for the intensity of the vibrations. If > > the text > > was complicated by graphics, insets, sidebars and other such things, you -- > > and not the machine -- decided how best to deal with them. While you might > > not be able to decipher the minute details of a picture, you could > > determine its size, shape, and other basic characteristics. Because the > > device did not > > talk to you, your imagination gave voice to what you read, as it does when > > you read braille or a sighted person reads print. > > > > When you turned the machine on, you didn't have to wait for it to warm up, > > and you didn't have to wait for it to scan an entire page -- it was "read as > > you go." There was even an optional magnifying lens for extremely small > > print, and an optional typewriter attachment which enabled you to read what > > you > > were typing. > > > > When, in October of 2003, my 26-year-old Optacon let me know that it needed > > a fourth repair, I discovered that not only were they no longer being made, > > but also that no one was servicing them. Therefore, because I am always > > needing access to printed materials, my only choice (since I am not a > > computer > > geek) was to invest in one of the new-fangled speech-output stand- alone > > scanners. I finally decided on one that was relatively small (about 14 > > pounds), > > and that didn't require a technician to set it up. This was important, as I > > would soon move from a fair-sized house into an apartment, and because I am > > not much of a techie. > > > > I soon found myself at the mercy of the machine. I waited for it to boot > > up, then waited for it to scan a whole page, then, once I was reading, I > > hoped > > it didn't decide to power down by itself or the power wouldn't go out and > > I'd lose what I was reading. Because the material lays on a flat screen, it > > must > > be perfectly flat in order to be read properly -- which means peeling the > > label off the soup can. If the material has those complications mentioned > > above, > > you either endure a considerable wait for everything to process, or you are > > given an announcement such as "no text is recognizable." Also, you have no > > way of knowing how the material is laid out on the page, and things really > > get interesting if the page is larger than the screen. In that case, I scan > > part of it at a time, then jump back and forth between the segments -- > > possible, but often exasperating. This was not an issue with the Optacon. As > > long > > as the cable would reach, it made no difference. > > > > True, you can read faster with the newer machines, but only when no quirks > > appear and no scanning delays occur. And yes, you can save material for > > later > > use with these machines, which is nice and often convenient, but if the > > power surges while you are feeding the material in, you lose it. In > > addition, you > > cannot use them without electricity. While, overall, the reading voices of > > these scanners are very good, they sometimes have difficulty dealing with > > regional > > dialects, foreign words, and abbreviations which can be used for several > > different words (e.g., Dr. can mean "doctor" or "drive"). The machine > > chooses > > one interpretation for an abbreviation, when the text might refer to the > > other. In addition, you may get the same announcement when a page is utterly > > blank > > as you do when it is totally covered by a non-captioned picture. With the > > Optacon, on the other hand, if the page was blank, the array didn't vibrate > > at > > all. If the page was covered by a graphic, the whole array might vibrate. > > > > Finally, there is the dependability issue. Because the newer, more > > computer-like scanners are so complex, there are more things that can go > > wrong with them. > > After less than two years, my speech-output scanner had to go across the > > country for repairs, and then two more times over the next seven and a half > > months. > > In light of this inconvenience, I invested in a second scanner (of a > > different brand) in order to have a backup. This second scanner then became > > my main > > one. Three months after the warranty expired, it had to go to a neighboring > > state for repairs -- then again after another six months. Because these > > scanners > > are larger, shipping them for repairs is quite expensive. My Optacon, on > > the other hand, only needed its first repair after seven years. > > > > Now don't get me wrong; I am grateful for any means of being able to read > > print, but as one who always preferred braille over talking books, I feel > > that > > I (and others of the same persuasion) should be given a choice as to how we > > all read printed materials. My plea: Someone out there with the know-how to > > do so, please bring back the Optacon! > > > > to view the list archives, go to: > > > > www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l > > > > To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to: > > > > optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the > > quotes) in the message subject. > > > > Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a message > > to: > > > > optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the > > quotes) in the message subject. > > > > > > > to view the list archives, go to: > > www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l > > To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to: > > optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the quotes) in the message subject. > > Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a message to: > > optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the quotes) in the message subject. > to view the list archives, go to: www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to: optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the quotes) in the message subject. Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a message to: optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the quotes) in the message subject.