Dan,
As far as I know, there is no such list, and I can't imagine that one
exists. At best, one might contact the dozens of compact tactile
image display researchers, to try to get their own lists of
organizations they've contacted.
I'm sure that this would be fruitless, as too much time has elapsed,
and the funding options of so many agencies and companies have
changed significantly, especially with the economic impact of the
Covid-19 virus.
For example, Draper Labs had a small skunk works project to build a
proof-of-concept Optacon fingertip display prototype, using MEMS
(Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) fabrication techniques; however,
the project was barely started, and then it was canceled, before the
approach could be tested for basic viability.
There are several projects underway for developing new types of
braille and non-vibrating tactile image displays, but very few active
research projects working on vibrating tactile arrays that would be
appropriate for a new Optacon 3.
Optacon 3 tactile array development is not being held up because of
any lack of raw materials, rather it is not progressing because,
despite many serious attempts, researchers have not yet been able to
develop a viable technology for a better display.
As I've mentioned on this list before, I think 4D printing and MEMS
fabrication systems currently appear to be the most promising
approaches for making future Optacon tactile displays. However,
those are not designs; rather, they are just the most appropriate
fabrication techniques that might be used, when and if someone
discovers a workable design.
Currently, the most promising technology for the tactile actuator
design seems to be EAP (Electro Active Polymer) actuators. ?The
second-most promising technology for Optacon tactile image displays
is electromagnets with rare earth magnet materials (possibly
polarized as Halbach arrays, to prevent crosstalk interference). An
example of the electromagnet actuators is the voice coil designs,
similar to what is at the heart of the Dot Watch braille display design.
My apologies for all you on this list who find this answer is getting
way to technical. If anyone wants to discuss the technology in more
detail, perhaps we could do that off-list.
Cordially,
Noel
-
Noel H. Runyan
Email: Noel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
-
.
At 10:14 AM 8/14/2020, dan.tevelde@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Hi all,
This question is directed to Noel. If people other than Charles Pond were
approached about assistance in developing a new optacon, is there public
documentation of who was contacted, and what the results were? Sometimes
it's worth asking again. It's not so much is there technology, but more
with can technology be developed. Are their raw materials. I have seen
lots of academic papers about haptic touch and other technologies but
nothing about a fingertip display.
Dan
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