[Reader-users] Joined today

[mhingson]

Hi Ken,

I too recall the Optacon and even the StereoToner promoted by the VA in
Chicago back in the late 70s and early 80s.  I even recall moving around
the original prototype of the Kurzweil Reading Machine.

Technology is wonderful.  However, let us not forget that all the
technological progress in the world won't help if all of us do not
accept that our biggest "handicap" is our own attitude.

Enough preaching.  The KNFB reader is a great thing.  Ray Kurzweil does
talk about how the imaging algorithms it uses will form the basis of
much greater pattern recognition in the future.  It indeed is a
wonderful time to be blind and to live in this country. 

-----Original Message-----
From: reader-users-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:reader-users-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Kenlawrence124 at aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 5:55 PM
To: reader-users at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Reader-users] Joined today

Hi users of the new Kurzweil NFB reader, Ken Lawrence Central  Chapter.
Just 
joined the list today looking forward to the dialog and the  latest news

concerning the reader.  I'm a bit of an old timer so I go back  to the
Optacon's 
glory days.  just wondering how many users of the new  reader used to
use the 
Optacon?  if you did, hope you saw the item in the  October monitor
about the 
Optacon survey.  they're looking for users, and  people who don't use
there 
Optacon any more.  they are thinking of putting  nonuse Optacons back in
to 
circulation.  if they get enough response to it,  they may relaunch the
Optacon 
with updated circuitry to make it possible for it  to read modern print
formats 
and font sizes used today.  forget the email  address off hand, but does
anyone 
on list remember what happened to the voice  output that was developed
at 
around the same time as the First Kurzweil readers  that was mente for
the 
Optacon?  also on a related question, oops, 2  questions, will future
portable 
readers have a Braille display incorporated in  to it?  and also if a
Car is 
developed for the blind, it seems a form of  the Kurzweil reader could
be 
incorporated in to it so that a Street sign could  be read or even the
menu at a drive 
through.  Yeah, it's a great time to be  blind Huh?  Ken.
 
I pledge to  participate actively in the efforts of the national
federation 
of the blind to  achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the
blind; to 
support the  policies and programs of the federation; and abide by it's

constitution.