Hello,
I couldn’t imagine coping without my optacon. I first saw an optacon when I was
21 years old and attending the RNIB secretarial college in London. My roommate
had an optacon and I was desperate to learn to use it.
She persuaded her optacon teacher to give me some lessons, and I took to it
like a duck to water.
However, I had to wait another six years to have an optacon allocated to me for
work. In the meantime, I had earned a degree in French and decided to be a
computer programmer. Back then, in Britain, programmers were given optacons.
Since my optacon training had been informal, an optacon teacher was sent to
verify that I was able to use the device. It didn’t take long for me to prove
that no further training was necessary.
The optacon allowed me to work efficiently as a programer for the next 15
years, and as a translator after that.
These days, my iPhone has taken over many of the duties of the optacon, but if
I had to choose, I would take the optacon over any other technology.
Cheers,
Anne
On 24 Sep 2016, at 23:06, Charles Pond <cpond@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
You would not believe the number of rehabilitation teachers who have never
heard of the optacon, let alone any experience with an optacon. I was one
visiting with a rehab. teacher, and I asked her if sshe could have her
druthers what would she like to see invented. She replied immediately that
she would like there to be a device where a blind person could feel what a
camera sees as the blind person moves the camera. She sounded almost
dejected as she said this. So, when I told her about the long-since
discontinued optacon, she became almost animated (for her personality), and
she wondered why people had not heard of this "optacon", and why such a
device had been disconinued years before.
Charles
-----Original Message-----
From: DavidPlumlee (Redacted sender "knobman" for DMARC)
Sent: Saturday, September 24, 2016 4:32 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Optacon works where OCR fails
Hi, Anne,
My setup is similar to yours: I am a confirmed Optacon user; but I also
have a PC with OpenBook, and I have the KNFB Reader on my iPhone.
Considering the subject of your message, I am sure that when the Optacon
works where OCR doesn't, the two "components" that "make that happen" are
(a) the superior "decoder" and (b) the superior "motor-control system." We
know, of course, that both of those "components" reside in the human mind.
As long as the print is of sufficient size and good contrast, an experienced
Optacon user can interpret some symbols which no current OCR is programmed
to interpret (one could be programmed to do it, but much more information
would have to be stored on the program). As far as a "motor controller" is
concerned, a very experienced Optacon user can take that camera anywhere on
the page and go in any direction - any angle. All of that tracking is
controlled by feedback to the mind.
While I am a strong believer in the OCR technology and computer speech, I
believe with equal fervor that kids in school these days are really missing
something when they don't get any exposure to an Optacon and its usage.
Just think of all the control and coordination functions which could be
developed, practiced, and refined through the use of an Optacon!
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] ;
On Behalf Of Anne Robertson
Sent: Saturday, 24 September, 2016 2:06 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Optacon works where OCR fails
Hello,
I’m glad to say I read the tracking number correctly and now know that the
package is ready for delivery. Having left France on Tuesday, it is now in
California. My Mac is also a very important part of my arsenal of technical
tools.
Cheers,
Anne
On 24 Sep 2016, at 19:44, Marianne Näränen <marianne@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
hello,
Yes, and because OptaCon is so good, it was the greatest mistake to
stop manufacturing it. Besides all the OcR there is I feel that
optaCon was best we've had. Naturally, I'm talking about the old models.
Marianne
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