Picture of the first proof-of-concept display with prototype driver electronics:
The picture shows:
- A small EM tactile display array, assembled from strip frames containing custom actuators (white, below on the left). Don’t worry, resolution will get better than that!
- Driver electronics, for now built using discrete through-hole parts on proto boards (around the display array). The green raised PCB contains a small 2×2 multiplexing coil driver including flyback energy recovery, with LEDs to monitor its operation.
- Off-the-shelf USB interface module (red PCB below on the right).
- Laptop (with piece of the screen at the back showing a bit of driver code for controlling the array).
TACTACT 
Excellent, now we have something tangible to explore and discuss. Thank you for sharing. As I understand it, by publishing in this manner it gives some protection against a predator attempting to “grab and patent”.
– Keith
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Keith, many thanks for your reply. Had a look at your website, do I understand correctly that refreshable braille displays are still bimorph-based and expensive like Optacons? If so, that’s quite astonishing (to me, I never looked into it).
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Yes indeed, all commercially available refreshable braille displays as of this date are based upon braille cells utilizing piezo ceramic bimorphs. This cell design was described by Tetzlaff, at TSI, in US patent 4,283,178 (1981).
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So glad to see something tangible for Optacon users, who are a resourceful, talented and passionate group for the Optacon and its possible third generation (though not under the same). I started as one of the sighted Optacon teachers at TSI (Telesensory) from 1976, and trained and organized training contracts for all TSI products. I held positions as Training Manager, and took on the Repeater Cable (a newsletter for Optacon and other products), and Product Manager for the Optacon II, and introduced it jointly with Canon in Japan. I worked with another U.S. teacher to design the computer lessons for the Optacon II as well as a simple Japanese “font” for the display. As you know, the 100 pin vs 144 pin display was an issue, but the decision was made by Engineering. I was Manager of Technical Support and Technical Services Department (doing active support and acting as a liaison with Engineering and Service/Repair) until a layoff of my department in 2001. I then joined Jim Bliss at his company, JBliss Imaging Systems. When he became ill, we all worked from home (myself, Jim and 2 tech guys). I managed the day-to-day operations and in 2005, when Jim was no longer active with the company, I re-incorporated the company as JBliss Low Vision Systems as President. Jim was my mentor and friend. I helped set up technical training resources in the new Telesensory office in Marburg Germany, around the time, unfortunately, when Jim was replaced as President of Telesensory by the board. My webmaster is doing updates on our website at the moment. Our new e-mail (since the end of March, 2015) is jbliss.lowvision@gmail.com. Judy Adams
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Judy, thank you for sharing this here. To me it seems like every day another piece of the TSI/Optacon puzzle presents itself. Little did I know. It’s quite unbelievable this technology appears to be heading for obscurity, it’s about time to change this trend.
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Hi Reinoud,
Are you still working on this? I am a biomedical engineering student in Vancouver, Canada. My classmate and I very interested in resurrecting the Optacon. We are looking for more information on the design of the original Optacon as well as getting in contact with people like you who are working on something similar. My email is monikah@hotmail.ca.
Monika
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Hi Monika, apologies for the delay. This project is basically waiting for funding of prototypes / development systems!
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