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Optacon: Portable Print Reader

The new Optacon uses a high-end mega pixel digital colour camera to scan print and convert it into synthetic speech or Braille. The thick hardbound page is not damaged at all since you do not need to turn the page and flatten it by muscle power on the scanner glass.

Design of the P2RD

To make Portable Print Reading accessible to the large number of users who cannot read by touch, Optical Character Recognition and Synthetic Speech Output will both be an integral part of the P2RD, beside tactile output. To free the users from the hassle of setting up a scanner and from the inherent slowness of scanner data acquisition, the P2RD uses a mega pixel digital colour camera, to capture in a single shot, an image of any document, book page or printed object.

The newly developed Portable Book Reading Accessory will allow rapid reading of books without fear of damaging them, as they are when placed repeatedly in a conventional flat bed scanner.

Essential features

The P2RD comprises two compact and lightweight units: a high resolution digital colour camera (about 5 x 3 x 2.5 inches, wighing 15 ounce) – a pocket size remote control unit (about 4 x 3 x 1 inches, weighing 10 ounce)

The P2RD provides all the functions required to capture the image of an object, recognize the text it contains, and convert this text into synthetic speech or Braille.

The P2RD also provides the functions needed to store a document and navigate inside stored documents: - move to specific page of chosen document - move to beginning of page, paragraph, line or word – search character sequence.

The P2RD provides audible clues to help the user frame precisely the image of a document.

The P2RD can read text carried by an object located close by or far away, as long as the image generated by the zoom lens of its camera provides an adequate resolution for this particular text.

The P2RD camera provides all the photographic capabilities found today in a typical high-end digital colour camera.

Several accessories, including a portable Copy Stand and a portable Book Reader will also be available.

When used with the Copy Stand, the P2RD provides audible clues to help the user place the tip of a pen precisely at a specific location on the document placed under the Copy Stand, allowing the user to add handwritten notes to the document, for example to fill a form.

When used with the Book Reader, the P2RD allows the user to read and store rapidly several pages of any book placed on its reading surface, without damaging the books in any way, even if they are thick and hard covered. The user can easily center the P2RD camera on the page of any book smaller than the 9 by 12 inches reading surface.

A flat tactile graphic array will become available later as a part of, or add-on to, the remote control unit. It will allow blind users to read by touch both text characters and graphic shapes, for example mathematical symbols. Its price is not known at this time.

Pricing and Delivery of the P2RD

The target price to the end user is, as of today, $1800. Available from: CA Technology, Inc, 9500 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, FL 34957, USA.

For questions, comments or suggestions, email: p2rd@catechnology.net

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