Richard, I have never held my finger too firmly to interfere with the optacon's vibration, and I would never advise anyone to do so. The optacon is an extremely delicate piece of equipment, meant to assist blind people in reading print; it is meant for gentle use, with a gentle touch on the very delicate array, which is the plate with the 144 vibrating reeds. Please be extremely careful when using this device; it isn't meant for the sort of treatment you are giving it. If the array is abused as you have indicated, it will die, and it most likely cannot be replaced. Mary 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.