As someone who has found some good use for an Optacon, I would hope we can somehow narrow the focus of what
this guy is doing without discouraging him altogether. If a device such as this were inexpensive enough, it could be
useful in tandom with a reading system, for example, but my experience with an Optacon tells me that his hopes for this
device are unrealistic. Is a member of our R&D Committee going to contact him?
On Mon, 31 Jul 2000 17:23:03 -0700 (PDT), David Andrews wrote:
>
>>Posted-Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 09:55:11 -0500 (CDT)
>>From: Timothyrsimpson@aol.com
>>Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 10:53:11 EDT
>>X-To: nabentre@nfbnet.org
>>Subject: Re: nabentre Digest
>>To: nabentre@NFBnet.org (Multiple recipients of NFBnet nabentre Mailing List)
>>Reply-To: nabentre@NFBnet.org (Multiple recipients of NFBnet nabentre Mailing List)
>>Sender: sysop@NFBnet.org
>>X-Delivered-From: imo-r14.mx.aol.com
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>>
>>
>>
>>Re: Thimble eye
>>Text reader for the vision impaired
>>Dear Sir:
>> Over the past several years I have been developing a device that can be
>>worn on your finger and will allow you to feel printed information.
>> The device will be small and contain no moving parts or computer. When
>>placed on the material to be read it will turn the black on a page into small
>>electrical pulses that you can feel. These pulses are such that they cannot
>>cause the wearer any harm nor will the user suffer sensory fatigue.
>> With a short training period the user will be able to read one letter at
>>a time. In order to stay on a line of text there are indentations on the
>>sides that will provide guiding signals. The first and ring fingers rest on
>>the sides and help guide the reader. The middle finger fits inside the
>>ƒ?oThimble Eyeƒ??. An easily purchased rechargeable battery powers the ƒ?oThimble
>>Eyeƒ??.
>> I ask that you help make this idea a reality.
>> Once a person has a ƒ?oThimble Eyeƒ?? they will experience a new freedom.
>>The world of printed material will be wide open to the user. Non-embossed
>>Braille, even musical notation can be read. Vision impaired musicians now
>>have to read music in Braille which is very difficult.
>> I know that a lot of people will want one. I have a letter from a
>>designer stating that hundreds of people would love to test the prototype.
>> The building of the first-generation unit will allow me to also develop
>>the second-generation device. It will be smaller, use less power and have a
>>recharger base station. It will also cost less to make.
>> The unit will come with a display so that the user or their trainer can
>>see what the user feels on their fingertip. A trainer can be anyone who can
>>read the display.
>> The prototype will not cost more than two of the upscale readers I have
>>seen advertised. Once I can show a prototype to my group of investors I will
>>be on my way to getting Thimble Eye to market.
>> The initial costs include: Buying parts, producing the printed circuit
>>boards, design and fabrication of the housing, assembly and testing.
>> Thank you for your kind consideration and I hope you can help me find
>>funding for a much-needed device that will open the world of printed and
>>displayed information to everyone.
>>
>>
>> Sincerely yours,
>> Timothy R. Simpson
>> Simpson Musical
>> 503-230-7776
>>
>>
>>--
>>This mailing list is sponsored by the National Federation of the Blind, NFB.
>>To view or search an archive of messages for this list, go to: http://www.nfbnet.org
>>For more information about the NfB, please call (410) 659-9314, point your
>>internet browser to http://www.nfb.org or Telnet to nfbnet.org.
>
>
Steve Jacobson
E-mail: sojacobson@mmm.com
National Federation of the Blind
The Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the 3M Company
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Dec 02 2012 - 01:30:04 PST