Optacon

#1

Post by bangonkeyboard » Mon, Jan 27, 2020, 5:30 AM UTC

Optacon
en.wikipedia.org

Re: Optacon

#2

Post by lucasmullens » Tue, Jan 28, 2020, 2:14 AM UTC

> The Optacon offers capabilities that no other device offers

It was discontinued in 1996, how is it still doing something that no other device offers?

Re: Optacon

#3

Post by detaro » Tue, Jan 28, 2020, 2:22 AM UTC

lucasmullens wrote: post #2

> The Optacon offers capabilities that no other device offers It was discontinued in 1996, how is it still doing something that no other device offers?

Devices don't magically stop working when the company stops making them.

Re: Optacon

#4

Post by bangonkeyboard » Tue, Jan 28, 2020, 2:28 AM UTC

detaro wrote: post #3

lucasmullens wrote: post #2

> The Optacon offers capabilities that no other device offers It was discontinued in 1996, how is it still doing something that no other device offers?

Devices don't magically stop working when the company stops making them.

Devices back then didn't, at least.

Re: Optacon

#5

Post by Ididntdothis » Tue, Jan 28, 2020, 2:59 AM UTC

Kind of sad. It would be much easier and cheaper to build this with today’s equipment and computing power.

Re: Optacon

#6

Post by reificator » Tue, Jan 28, 2020, 3:40 AM UTC

detaro wrote: post #3

lucasmullens wrote: post #2

> The Optacon offers capabilities that no other device offers It was discontinued in 1996, how is it still doing something that no other device offers?

Devices don't magically stop working when the company stops making them.

Which is not the point of the question. They're asking why no one else has stepped up to fill that void.

Re: Optacon

#7

Post by ZenPsycho » Tue, Jan 28, 2020, 3:51 AM UTC

reificator wrote: post #6

detaro wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Devices don't magically stop working when the company stops making them.

Which is not the point of the question. They're asking why no one else has stepped up to fill that void.

because there's no money in it. that's the usual reason for things not steadily getting better over time.

Re: Optacon

#8

Post by cbanek » Tue, Jan 28, 2020, 4:15 AM UTC

Was this the device that Whistler used in the movie Sneakers? I guess that was more of a keyboard or monitor though...

Re: Optacon

#9

Post by sterlind » Tue, Jan 28, 2020, 4:55 AM UTC

ZenPsycho wrote: post #7

reificator wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which is not the point of the question. They're asking why no one else has stepped up to fill that void.

because there's no money in it. that's the usual reason for things not steadily getting better over time.

I think there's money to be had. Insurance covers assistive devices for the blind like screen readers, which can be quite expensive. I can't find data on how many completely blind people there are in the developed world (many, like my mom, use a blind cane but can still read with their peripheral vision and large print), but I imagine there'd be enough to support a small start-up.

Re: Optacon

#10

Post by bronson » Tue, Jan 28, 2020, 5:59 AM UTC

A video from 1967 showing it: https://youtu.be/z47Gv2cdFtA?t=1600