[Reading aids for blind persons. Technical possibilities, practice up to now, and future development (author's transl)].

This report deals with electronic reading aids enabling patients with a visual acuity of less than 1/50 to read black-and-white-printed matter. A survey on experience with the Optacon from 1971 on is furnished and the chances of vocational training and the use of supplementary aids. The very handy Optacon (weight: 2 kg) consists of a miniature opto-electronic camera, and a tactile stimulator area consisting of 144 tiny metal rods. The development of another very useful instrument in the hands of the blind looks toward completion: The Braille-Converter. Its functions in short: A TV camera with an intermediate computer which transfers optical information into braille or spoken language.