Description

The Optacon is a tactile reading machine designed to help the visually impaired to read printed text. It is a prime example of pre-OCR assistive technology for the blind, it uses a combination of a camera and pin system. It has a history of research at TRACE. Optacon was developed by the Telesensory company, the oldest company in the area of assistive technology for the blind. Telesensory closed its doors and stopped making Optacon but it is still used by people due to the versatility of the device. dDeveloped in the 1960s and 1970s, it used a camera to capture an image of the text and convert it into a tactile version using a vibrating piezoelectric actuator. It was the first commercially available device to allow for reading of printed text for those who could not see it. The Optacon was a milestone for the visually impaired and helped to increase their access to printed materials.

Website(s)

Optacon Wiki Page

History of Telesensory

For More Information

Optacon Owners Manual

Bibliography

From Optacon to Oblivion: The Telesensory Story. (n.d.). The American Foundation for the Blind. Retrieved January 29, 2023, from https://www.afb.org/aw/6/4/14611

Optacon. (2021, July 21). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optacon