[optacon-l] old technology shades: was Orbit Research Group & TBG announce project for low cost braille display.
- From: "C. Pond" <cpond@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 22:10:06 -0400
Hi Nick. Can you recall who made the Braille-Link display? If memory
serves me correctly, it came from England.
Thanks,
Charles
From: "Nick Dotson" <nickdotson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2014 8:17 PM
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Orbit Research Group & TBG announce project for low
cost braille display.
> People have been promising "cheap" refreshable braille since I first
> encountered mention of solenoid actuators in the literature for Blind and
> Visually Impaired, before the commercial advent of the Optacon,
> Digi-Cassette or VersaBraille and their European counterparts. Fine
> tolerances, the metrics (in the sense of physical characteristics) of the
> braille cell, drivers requisite for driving these parts used to be the
> justification of cost. People forgot the underlying realities, not the
> actual cost of the production models themselves--but the tooling necessary
> for manufacture of the devices and the cost versus sales requisite to
> recouping the initial cost of development, prototyping, tooling for
> manufacture, and costs of setting up distribution and the speed with such
> a
> small user-base of potential sales, then, the realities of actual sales.
> Sure, this drops the cost per unit--if it is possible--and nothing was
> said
> regarding the nature of the technologies to be used so that someone could
> back of the envelope compare with the costs of similar
> materials/technologies used, but the figure of 10% of blind and visually
> impaired persons between 18-55 who are braille users is in my experience
> an
> exaggeration. Teachers, counselors, rehabilitators, and young blind
> people
> fall into the "speech is here available; so, why should I read braille--I
> can't afford the physical footprint and cost of hard copy, and with
> reduced
> revenues--governmental agencies are less willing to purchase current
> displays--all of which except for the later wouldn't change with a severe
> drop in the cost of the display. After all, who could make enough to
> repay
> the costs of development, manufacture and distribution costs if the user
> base didn't dramatically increase???
>
> Let's face it: societies in developed countries are trending toward morbid
> obesity, in part a lack of the self-discipline requisite in knowing that
> some foods are less healthy than others, but they're fast to acquire,
> relatively inexpensive when placed against the time and effort requisite
> to
> preparing more healthy alternatives--in the perspectives of many folks
> overwhelmed with the job of surviving and getting a living. Similarly,
> Optacon usage or that of braille takes time, practice, and constant
> reinforcement to be done with any amount of efficacy... How will that
> change in the minds of blind persons, who are--products of their society's
> of origin, as are the educators/trainers of the congenitally and
> adventitiously blinded?
>
> As an "A.D.M.U.P." (Aging Downwardly Mobile Urban Professional), I'm not
> willing to expend my hopes or dreams, or beer money on such an undertaking
> until I know allot more about it than the constantly reiterated promises
> I've heard since the demise of the Optacon, or, the advent of refreshable
> braille displays since my first Classic Cassette-based VersaBraille, which
> still works except for the batteries... (grin)
>
> I still have the cassette books I bought for it, the display is still
> beautiful despite 7 years of hard use as a portable note taker in Rural
> Northwest FL, and around the US and Canada, even though working for a
> company who was the nemesis of TSI, and it is a comfort to use it for
> everything except the speller or was it a dictionary--when I'm feeling
> nostalgic for the glories of my youth as a pioneer in the field of
> computer-based adaptive technology...
>
> I hope; but not very hard or very much...
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> On Behalf Of David
> Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2014 2:31 PM
> To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Orbit Research Group & TBG announce project for
> low
> cost braille display.
>
> Well, I kind of wonder the same. Besides, except from the Braille Note
> takers, all other Braille displays I have been in touch with personally,
> mainly has done only this one function, translating the contents of the
> screen into Braille. In that sense, this is no news, and nothing
> revolutionizing. What caught my great interest, was the estimated pricing.
> If they are able to build a 20cell Braille display for something like 300
> dollars, that would actually revolutionized the market.
>
> Guess things are pretty in its starting grope at the moment. At least,
> that
> is what I took from the article. It will be interesting to see, when the
> unit is finally hitting the market, what it is like. Let's just hope, they
> are able to keep it that low-priced. I mean, likely enough, modern
> technology does not cost all that much, so to manufacture the unit for a
> low
> price, I guess should be possible. The big bottleneck often comes into
> existence, when you are to distribute and resell the product. Then, you
> see
> the resellers grabbing their piece of the cake, and then there is local
> taxes, customs fees, some freight costs, someone who wants to earn their
> chocolate bar, the dog needs its bone, and your baby wants its bottle.
> Smiles. Well, my point is, they did not tell that the 300 dollars would be
> the price you and I am going to pay, at the end of the day. If that would
> be
> the ccase, they must have shortened really down on the costs. Now, lately
> we
> have seen a Braille typewriter hit the market, all made up of plastics. I
> haven't touched it, so cannot speak for its quality. Yet, they could of
> course do something similar with the new Braille display - made up of
> cheap
> parts.
>
> The other way they could keep this low price, would be in the case when
> some
> company or cherity sponsors the whole project. But then it will be
> interesting to see, if they only sponsor the product, if it is sold to
> poor
> parts of the world, or if it is meant to be sponsored for everyone.
>
> Guess we just have to wait and see. For sure, if they are able to launch
> this product on the market for that price, it is going to put some
> pressure
> on the existing manufacturers. And if they do, will the rest of the market
> follow custom? Or, are they going to make some new jumps?
> Smile. Time will show.
>
> Still, I wish they had specified a bit more about the product. Like which
> features you would get. True, they say it is going to connect via USB and
> Bluetooth, but I already have one display that does so. Since it is only
> going to have 20cells, I hope they will make it fit in my pocket, making
> it
> really portable. But then they also need ensure a good, solid
> construction.
>
> Now, we just need have them manufacture a pocket-sized, 300 dollar,
> non-interpretting Optacon. Apparently, the willingness and technology is
> already there, they just have to see the importance. Smile.
>
>
> David
>
> On 8/12/2014 8:02 AM, Christine Szostak wrote:
>> Hi All,
>> Anyone know what makes this different from any other basic braille
>> display on the market and so makes it cheaper? That was never
>> specified and I am really curious since there are a number of
>> dedicated braille displays that do nothing but provide basic braille
> feedback in refreshable format.
>> Have a wonderful week all!
>> Chris
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "C. Pond" <cpond@xxxxxxxxx>
>> To: "optacon list" <optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Sent: Monday, August 11, 2014 3:30 PM
>> Subject: [optacon-l] Orbit Research Group & TBG announce project for
>> low cost braille display.
>>
>>
>>> Orbit Research and the Transforming Braille
>>>> Group Announce Agreement to Produce Low-cost Refreshable Braille
>>>> Display
>>>>
>>>> WILMINGTON, DE â?" August 6, 2015 â?" Orbit Research LLC and the
>>>> Transforming Braille Group LLC are pleased to announce an agreement
>>>> to produce a low cost, refreshable braille display.
>>>>
>>>> Orbit, an international engineering company based in Wilmington,
>>>> Delaware, specialising in high quality, low cost products for blind
>>>> and partially sighted people, will be undertaking the research,
>>>> development and manufacture of this unique product.
>>>>
>>>> The Transforming Braille Group LLC is a global consortium of
>>>> organisations of and for the blind which is investing $1m in the
>>>> project.
>>>>
>>>> The objective of the project is to produce a stand-alone 20-cell
>>>> refreshable braille display for $300 (or Ã,£200) which will bring
>>>> refreshable braille within the reach of children in developing
>>>> countries and will provide libraries in developed countries with a
>>>> viable alternative to hard copy braille. The product will be
>>>> launched at CSUN in 2016.
>>>>
>>>> The display is designed to work through USB and Bluetooth
>>>> connectivity with 'smart' phones and tablets. It is not intended to
>>>> compete with high specification refreshable braille display already
>>>> on the market, primarily used in education and employment but is
>>>> intended to bring braille displayed e-books to a wide audience at an
>>>> economical price.
>>>>
>>>> "The agreement with TBG is a landmark in our journey to develop and
>>>> manufacture essential products at an affordable cost through the
>>>> application of mainstream technology in unique and innovative
>>>> waysââ,¬Â said Dr. Gina Spagnoli, Orbit Researchââ,¬â"¢s Founder.
>>>> ââ,¬Å"While each of our previous products has brought a multi-fold
>>>> improvement in the state of the art in terms of performance, cost,
>>>> size and features, we are thrilled that through this partnership
>>>> with TBG, we will be able to offer a game-changing product that will
>>>> impact the daily lives of millions of blind people across the
>>>> worldââ,¬Â
>>>>
>>>> TBG President, Kevin Carey said: "At last we have a technology which
>>>> will guarantee the survival of braille. It has been my
>>>> long-standing, publicly stated objective to find a disruptive
>>>> technology which will radically force down the cost of refreshable
>>>> braille so that the world's digital content becomes available in a
>>>> tactile format. This new device will bring braille within the price
>>>> range of educators in developing countries and will enable most
>>>> blind people to access e-books and other internet material without
>>>> resorting to specialist libraries."
>>>>
>>>> TBG estimates that its new product will retail at a unit cost less
>>>> than 20% of the current market price.
>>>>
>>>> Contact details:
>>>> Kevin Carey, President,
>>>> Transforming Braille Group LLC
>>>> Tel: +44(0)1273 834321
>>>> Email: <mailto:humanity@xxxxxxxxxxx>humanity@xxxxxxxxxxx
>>>> www.Transformingbraille.org (under construction)
>>>>
>>>> Carla Morris
>>>> Orbit Research LLC
>>>> Tel: 1-888-606-7248
>>>> Email:
>>>> <mailto:morris.carla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>morris.carla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>> m
>>>> www.orbitresearch.com
>>>>
>>> David Andrews and long white cane Harry.
>>> E-Mail: dandrews@xxxxxxxx or david.andrews@xxxxxxxxxx
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> napub mailing list
>>> napub@xxxxxxxxxx
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