I would tend to agree with you on this one Vikki.  This new or should I say
old technology may solve a few problems, but I do not think I will be
running a computer by reading the screen any time soon with this
technology.  When I lost my eye sight in 1984, this technology was moving
along.  It is eighteen years later, and it still does not produce 20/20 eye
sight.  Maybe another ten to fifteen years.
For me a return to almost perfect sight would have to be the result of
going through such procedures required to have this camera system work.  I
have learned to get along in life without my eye sight.  My children's
voices are enough to make me feel proud.  A hug tells me they are growing
tall and strong.  My wife is beautiful from within.  If anyone is going to
put a hole into my head, it will have to really be worth it.  Braille will
be around for a very long time despite these technological advances.  Some
people may not be able to have these operations and equipment setup for
various health reasons to long to go through here.

At 10:06 PM 6/28/02 , you wrote:
>This line bugs me right here.  What about people with cortical vision
>impairment, for one thing?  And what about the fact that Braille does not
>require batteries and works even if you are deaf and blind, especially if
>we find we can't get quite enough visual discrimination with the
>implant to read print?  I still hear people state that talking books and
>screenreading mean no-one really needs Braille anymore either.  This new
>technology may be great and do nothing but steadily get greater, but why
>state that it will replace all other technology instead of add to the
>range of possibilities?
>
>Vikki Stefans, M.D., pediatric physiatrist (rehab doc for kids) at UAMS
>and Arkansas Children's Hospital.  Working Mom of Sarah T. and Michael C.,
>and wife of Henry Stefans, travel agent extraordinaire.  Every mom is a
>working mom!- OK, dads too. Other address: [log in to unmask]
>
>On Fri, 28 Jun 2002, joe j lazzaro wrote:
>
>> Dr. William H. Dobelle is chief executive officer of The Dobelle
>> Institute of Commack, N.Y., which developed the electronic eye.
>> He says the technology is the future in eye care advancement for
>> the blind.
>>
>> "As our technology improves and becomes less costly, Braille,
>> the long cane and the guide dog will become obsolete as surely
>> as the airplane replaced the steamship," Dobelle says.
>
---
Ross Eadie
Voice:  (204) 339-5287