# The Opticon And Other Imaging Software

Category: Geeks r Us

## Post 1 by Eleni21 (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Tuesday, 04-Dec-2007 14:01:24

Ever since I heard about it a few years ago, I've wanted an Opticon. For those who don't know, an Opticon is/was a device sort of like a scanner that creates tactile images through pins, similar to a braille display. I've never seen one, and they're no longer made, but the idea of being able to read print with my hands and feel pictures fascinates me, especially cause I've never seen. But Opticons are practically the uncut diamonds of the blind tech field, in that they're almost impossible to find! However, a new company has come out with a 21st version of this device. But I can't remember the name! Can anyone please help me? Also, has anyone ever seen or used either this new one or the original Opticon? For those lucky enough to have used both, what are the differences and similarities? If you've only used one, then what was it like?
For a bit of a different approach, try The Voice. It's free software that enables you to hear images. You use it with a camera (could be on a mobile phone) and a laptop/pda. I hear it's like seeing with dirty glasses. It can be found here.
http://www.seeingwithsound.com
I've only played around with it a tiny bit, using my flatbed scanner and desktop and then my laptop, but I didn't have a camera phone at the time so couldn't fully appreciate it. Is there anyone here who's really good at using it? What's it like? This is one of the things I really wanna use once I get that new small laptop.

## Post 2 by blbobby (Ooo you're gona like this!) on Tuesday, 04-Dec-2007 16:07:31

I used an optacon years ago--in fact, I was trained as a trainer on the optacon.
I, like you, thought it would be a fantastic way to read, until I got the training. God that was hard! I had to learn to interpret the print alphabet with its various nuances on some tiny vibrating reeds beneath my index finger. I never was great at it and turned down every opportunity I had to train people on it because of my lacluster luck with it. But, some people used it very successfully, and some still do, scavaging parts from who knows where. I always thought it was the best idea telesensory ever had, and the worst decision to quit making it.
Bob

## Post 3 by Eleni21 (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Tuesday, 04-Dec-2007 16:15:29

Well, considering that I'm learning Greek purely by audio and on the keyboard with no braille output (taught myself where the letters were) I don't think this should be all that difficult for me. Finding one is the question. Wonder if blindbargains could help and how much it would cost.

## Post 4 by Eleni21 (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Tuesday, 04-Dec-2007 16:17:42

Actually, i just thought of that! I could actually read books with Greek and English on the same page, like dictionaries and grammar books! I don't know of any regular scanner software that could handle two languages on the same page.., so I've really been at a disadvantage. Wow, now I really want one of these or that new version!

## Post 5 by wildebrew (We promised the world we'd tame it, what were we hoping for?) on Wednesday, 05-Dec-2007 4:41:39

I dunno, I spent about a year trying to learn it when I was 7 or 8, it's nothing like reading braille and such, firstly you have to know the regular alphabet, then you have to deal with different fonts and print styles, if you don't know the regular alphabet now it'll take you a lon time to come up to speed, not unless there's a better version out there. It feels more like tingling on your finger than a raised surface and it'll take loads of time to get used to it. But may be a 21st century version of it offers improvements, that's quite possible.

## Post 6 by blbobby (Ooo you're gona like this!) on Wednesday, 05-Dec-2007 7:59:56

Yeah, one of the problems I had was tracking in a straight line.
It sounds great, but it ain't so easy.
I once saw a device made by an IBM engineer that converted letters seen by the camera in to braille. That was easier on the blind person but less accurate. Besides, he made this device in his garage and ibm never did produce it.
One thing that was fun with the optacon was to read a computer screen. The letters were consistent, and the only thing then was the tracking.
Hang in there, a better device will come along, but I don't think it's there yet.
Bob

## Post 7 by Eleni21 (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Thursday, 06-Dec-2007 13:28:25

First, look what I found on ebay thanks to Blind Bargains. It's sold but wow...
http://cgi.ebay.com/TSI-Optacon-R1D-Braille-Blind-Reader-Complete_W0QQitemZ120172299645QQihZ002QQcategoryZ3193QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
A real Opticon! I couldn't believe it and was totally blown away by the price! Only $499.95, not a few thousand? I really don't wanna jinks myself, but it looks like I might be getting one, since a friend of mine is going to see his mother, who doesn't want hers anymore...
Second, look at this! It's not the one that I was thinking of, but it looks like one hell of a scanner if it's still made. Unfortunately, the last update to the site was 2004, but wow! I, of course, and interested in it's tactile representations.
http://www.catechnology.net/dssbhotretiakoss2.html

## Post 8 by motifated (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Friday, 07-Dec-2007 22:09:33

Well first off, I loved the Optacon. I wasn't particularly fast with it, but I could read anything I wanted. There was a lady in Philadelphia back in the early 80's that put together lesson plans to teach blind people how to read print music, and my optacon teacher at the old Associated Services for the blind in Philadelphia taught me to read guitar tabliture with it. I finally understood the differences between a resistor and a coil in electrical schematics thanks to the Optacon. I could read practical stuff for single guys like cooking dirrections on TV dinners too.
ob, that sounds fascinating about scanning directly into braille letters. Bacy in the 70's, they were working on that in France, but I don't think it ever took off.
I don't use my Optacon now, but I have a special place in my heart for it. Unlike computer OCR, it was only limmitted by the knowledge of the user, and the ability of the user to pick up different characters by touch.
Lou

## Post 9 by Eleni21 (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Friday, 07-Dec-2007 23:30:43

Wow! You still have one? And I didn't know it could handle music... Now I could really really learn the dromoi for the bouzouki and read sheet music for rebetika and... Um, I think I'd better calm down. Where's that friend of mine!