[Reader-users] Joined today

[Barbara Loos]

Yes, they were.  But these days, with the K-NFB
Reader, allow for much better and faster reading.

Barbara Loos

 ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "mhingson" <mhingson at guidedogs.com>
To: "'Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader users list'" 
<reader-users at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 11:48 PM
Subject: Re: [Reader-users] Joined today


>I am sure there ar some around.  I had one for the longest time.
> Unfortunately, it got lost in one of my cross country moves, at least I
> haven't seen it for a while.
>
> Ah, those were the days.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: reader-users-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:reader-users-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Barbara Loos
> Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 9:34 PM
> To: Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader users list
> Subject: Re: [Reader-users] Joined today
>
> It's interesting that someone remembers the StereoToner.  I went to
> California to learn to use it in 1974.  I liked the fact that I could
> finally have access to reading print myself.  Unfortunately, it had a
> nickel-cadmium battery which, if overcharged, would literally blow up.  I
> was playing a game of Scrabble with some students when it happened, and
> thought one of them had deliberately done something startling, since some
> enjoyed getting a rise out of me in that way.  When the prime suspect 
> jumped
>
> up with as much alarm as I did, I went to the area to check for possible
> causes.  There, with wires askew, was the StereoToner, never to sing 
> letters
>
> and numbers again.  I wonder if any still exist.
>
> Barbara Loos
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "mhingson" <mhingson at guidedogs.com>
> To: "'Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader users list'"
> <reader-users at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 9:34 PM
>
> Subject: Re: [Reader-users] Joined today
>
>
>> 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.
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Reader-users mailing list
>> Reader-users at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/reader-users
>>
>>
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>>
>
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