[optacon-l] Re: memories of TSI and the Good Old days!
- From: JBliss Judy <judy@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 09:52:57 -0800
Dear Nick,
I appreciate your comments - the Optacon wasn't for everyone because of the
training curve,and other factors. I believe that TSI did its best with the
re-design of the Optacon II with Canon, and tried to keep the product going as
long as it could, when costs were rising for major re-designs, repairs,
manufacture of the retinas, etc. Although part of Telesensory, I wasn't privy
to all the decisions and issues around the end of the Optacon's life as a
product.When sold to Blazie, I'm not sure why they weren't able to resurrect
it, as they had hoped, but they must have encountered similar issues...but
whatever the complexities behind the loss of the Optacon, I share your wish
that something similar, designed with full user input, would be a great thing,
given the numbers of Optacon users who are still using the device and keeping
their units repaired.
Judy Adams
----- Original Message ---------------
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: memories of TSI and the Good Old days!
From: "Nick Dotson" <nickdotson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 11:24:14 -0600
To: <optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Just like the Optacon, safe and efficient use is a function of motivation,
>training and practice, more training and practice, and constant use for
>reinforcement... Again, like the Optacon, once people encounter the
>resistance of reality to the wish for a panacea of an instant easy
>no-brainer fix, they give up and say "It's too hard, it ain't no good"...
>In fact, Nurion (spelling?) the vendors of the Laser Cane wouldn't sell it
>to someone who didn't have a training contract with a mobility instructor
>certified to train on the device. Probably a good idea because of liability
>in this overly litigious society, and because a product can be quickly sunk
>with the winjing of unhappy purchasers who bought on the basis of hope and
>too short an acquaintance with the device. It isn't just blind people
>guilty of this sort of thinking in our society, but that's what I've worked
>with since 1978--so call me a "Burnt out Case". (grin) But yes, I'd like
>to see that, and of course a resurrection of the manufacture of a straight
>image to touch device--no processing to slow or mess things up, we have that
>a plenty for the bulk hamburger making of reading the sea of print we all
>encounter and for which OCR is the only truly efficient means of boring
>through it--but one must have an arsenal to achieve any degree of parity
>with the photonically enabled. (smile)
>
>Nick
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Mary Emerson" <maryemerson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>To: <optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 11:03 AM
>Subject: [optacon-l] memories of TSI and the Good Old days!
>
>
>> Nick,
>>
>> Wow! That must have been an incredible experience, running and navigating
>> so
>> well. I am really surprised that more hasn't been done with mobility aids.
>> Wouldn't you think there's been enough advancement in electronics to make
>> something small and sensitive enough to allow us to travel more safely?
>> With
>> quiet cars coming on the scene, it surprises me that modern devices like
>> the
>> sonic guide and Mowat sensor aren't a priority.
>>
>> Mary
>>
>> to view the list archives, go to:
>>
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>>
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>>
>
>
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>to view the list archives, go to:
>
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>To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to:
>
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>
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>
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To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to:
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