For which applications is VideoTIM suitable?

VideoTIM – the reading device for the blind

VideoTIM devices have been in use at a wide variety of workplaces and in private use for over fifteen years. It is important to understand that VideoTIM works in an area that can hardly or not be replaced by other tools. With VideoTIM, tactile vision is possible, i.e. visual perception via the sense of touch. Compared to a healthy eye, VideoTIM can only provide a very coarse resolution of the visual world. However, the resolution of the VideoTIM with 256 pixels is sufficient quality for a whole range of applications. At this point, numerous examples will show the high application benefits of a VideoTIM device.

OPTACON users and the switch to VideoTIM

Many VideoTIM users were previously OPTACON users. The OPTACON is an older blind reading device for the same area of ​​application that has not been manufactured for around two decades. The most important differences: In contrast to OPTACON, VideoTIM does not generate any annoying noise or vibrations. With VideoTIM there is no “burn-in effect” as described by OPTACON users. While the OPTACON vibrates permanently, VideoTIM can also display still images when the camera is stationary. The image display is much clearer with the VideoTIM. In addition, VideoTIM displays significantly more pixels. The adjustment time is between four hours and two days. This varies slightly for all users.

Required training time for VideoTIM

One day of training is enough for most new users without any prior knowledge of OPTACON to be able to work with VideoTIM. Many first-time users first have to learn or brush up on the alphabet of printed letters. The training then teaches basic skills for reading documents, exploring objects and simple graphics.
Examples of how to use the VideoTIM follow on this page. Photos of the current VideoTIM5 are shown.

VideoTIM application examples

Application example 1: Product packaging

The image example shows a round vitamin C can. In addition to reading the product name, the extremely small print of the product description is shown here. This example is also representative of reading small print leaflets for medications.

Application example 2: Newspapers, magazines and books

It is obvious that one of the main areas of application for the VideoTIM5 lies in this area, because despite all the digitalization, essential parts of all human information are still bound in these media. Here’s one of the most frequently asked questions: Yes, with VideoTIM5 you can usually read books down to the middle fold without any problems. There are enthusiastic users of VideoTIM who, for example, prefer to read an 800-page Steven King novel with VideoTIM because they prefer to hear their own inner voice over a voice reading it.
Some of the most popular books read with VideoTIM are cookbooks. Being able to clearly perceive recipes and ingredient lists is crucial to the success of many dishes.

Application example 3: Music notes

VideoTIM5 was specially optimized for displaying musical notes. For decades there have been attempts to transform musical notation into Braille or into verbalized audio representations. These transformed modes of representation have generally had to give up intuitive access to music. VideoTIM5 enables original, genuine and intuitive access to sheet music. VideoTIM users find it important that they see the exact placement of lyrics to the notes. The complex system of notes in its form, which has been cultivated for centuries, can be read with VideoTIM5.

Application example 4: Fonts and characters

The two photos above show how a Chinese character, here the character for book, which is displayed on a smartphone, is recorded by the handheld video camera and transferred to the VideoTIM5. Other character systems can also be represented in the same way, e.g. Cyrillic or Greek alphabets.

For example, it will be interesting for computer scientists to be able to use the VideoTIM5 to view special characters in the 2-byte or 4-byte UNICODE encoding.

The VideoTIM5 can show more than just letters and numbers. The four pictures below schematically document different areas of application. Two symbolic representations are shown: scissors and an arrow as well as a bar graphic and the three letters A, B and C.
Simple graphics can be displayed with the VideoTIM5. For example, simple business graphics, curves, icons and page layouts can be controlled. Tables, tables of contents, numbers, dictionaries and map labels can also be read.

Application example 5: Electronic displays

The VideoTIM5 works on modern, backlit electronic displays just as it does on a printed page of paper. The four photos show the application on a smartphone. In the two images above, the update installation is monitored and the percentage, here “69”, of the update progress is displayed. The two photos below show a dialog window for the smartphone settings, the VideoTIM5 shows the “OK” info button for the update installation.


A number of users work with the VideoTIM to support their work on the computer. This can, for example, affect the area of ​​software programming, the use of standard programs and music programming. It is recommended to use a flat screen without touch screen features for this. The application software should always be maximized when the program starts. The application software is enlarged to the entire screen. This enables safe orientation on the screen to find functions and information.

Not all electronic displays are easy to read with VideoTIM. Large monitors do not cause problems. But tiny strip-shaped displays or small displays recessed into the housing can be difficult to read. Even older LCD displays that appear gray, are not backlit or only have a light that only lights up for a short time, are usually readable but only require unreasonable effort. Displays that are frameless directly on the surface and are permanently backlit are ideal. When reading with VideoTIM5 on these backlit displays, it is recommended to turn off the lighting in the camera using the switch on the handheld video camera to avoid reflections on the cover glass of the display.

Application example 6: Handwriting

With VideoTIM5 you can easily display handwriting. This enables, for example, those who become blind later on to be able to access their own handwritten notes. Or in certain professional fields, handwritten instructions or documents may be read. Japanese Kanji script can also be read this way and many other handwriting characters. Handwritten music notes are also legible. Learning to read handwriting can be difficult. However, it is important to know that VideoTIM5 has no problems with the display and the world of handwritten recordings is therefore freely accessible.
The two photos shown here document the ability of VideoTIM5 to display a handwritten record, here the number “24”, from a note on the TIM.

Application example 7: Exploring devices

VideoTIM5 makes it possible to read and recognize keyboard labels, labels, markings, direction indicators, light indicators, labels and the like on a wide variety of devices. This is what makes various devices usable.

As an example, the two photos here show the exploration of a common house telephone, which in this case has 22 buttons. The photo above shows how to read the light display, TIM shows a “2”, part of the time display. The photo below shows reading the keyboard label; here the key with the number “9”.

Application example 8: Technical representations

With VideoTIM5 you can understand the connections between technical functions. The images here show access to the schematic representation of an electronic circuit. Comparable to this are flow graphics, which can also be read with VideoTIM5.

Of course, there are also limits with representations that are too complex or too colorful for access with VideoTIM. However, it should be documented here that VideoTIM5 offers interested users significantly expanded access to many visually based areas of knowledge.

Application example 9: Mathematics

A VideoTIM5 user can easily understand complex formulas – at least in terms of handling. The advantage is that you can directly access the original numerical representations in specialist publications and do not require any recoding.

The top photo shows a complex mathematical formula from the field of statistics, the VideoTIM5 camera is held above it. The photo below shows how part of the formula appears on the VideoTIM5. An open bracket is shown, next to it is an “n”, next to it is a subscript “2” and below it is a fraction line.

Application example 10: Chemistry and biology

Using the example of the chemical structure representation of 2,2-dimethyl-propane, we can see how to work with VideoTIM5 in an advanced way. In the photo at the top right, the handheld video camera is looking at the structural representation in a textbook. The photo at the top left now shows no readable characters because the VideoTIM5 was zoomed back a bit. This means that the overall shape of the observed chemical structure is now shown in the form of pixel blobs. This overall shape shows a small blob in the middle and then four lines radiating from it in an X formation and at the outer ends of these lines there is another blob. The image below now shows one of these readable blobs after zooming in on it. It shows the letters “CH” and a subscript “3”. Upon further inspection, which is not illustrated here, we find a “C” in the middle of the X and a “CH3” hanging on each of the four lines. We have now captured the overall structure shown.

Based on the example shown, it is understandable that corresponding structural representations, e.g. of DNA or Mendel’s laws of inheritance, can also be understood in the field of biology with VideoTIM5.

Application example 11: Object and spatial experiences

The two photos above show an approximately 30 cm tall human-like wooden figure that holds its two arms half up. In front of it is VideoTIM5 and this time an experimental video camera is connected, the lens of which is focused at a distance of approx. 10 cm. This lens setting enables meaningful observations in space in the range from 3 cm to infinity.
In the picture on the left, the camera is held about 25 cm in front of the wooden figure. VideoTIM5 shows the figure’s head, upper body and raised arms. In the picture on the right, the camera is held about 10 cm in front of the figure’s head. VideoTIM5 shows the head greatly enlarged, the neck and part of the shoulder area.

This example is intended to show that VideoTIM5 also enables a tactile view of the real world. Rough structures and movements can be observed. Simple spatial elements that stand out in contrast to the background are particularly suitable for this type of tactile object and spatial experience.

Gunnar Matschulat

ABTIM Devices for the Blind / ABTIM Blindenhilfsmittel

Ferdinand-Schrey-Str. 84
42119 Wuppertal
Germany

Tel. +491781568866

(Phone within Germany: 01781568866)
info@abtim.com