Click here to return home

Fiber Optic Reading Magnifiers for the Visually Impaired

Get More Information From Tapervision Inc.

Now Available at Grand-Illusions.com

An advertisement for the tapers sold in Japan in the 1990's Advertisement PDF 1.06 MB Inc.

A comparison between the TaperMag and a lenseThis device fuses thousands of glass fibers together and stretches them so that they form a taper that provides distortion free magnification and increased illumination across a printed page. These features coupled with the frictionless page contact surface facilitates reading for people with visual impairment. Our tapers have a pattented design that improves ergonomics and increases contrast





Walter P. Siegmund
Brief Bio
1925-2012
Walter was Eli's partner in founding and creating TaperVision.

Partner for this project:

· TaperVision Inc.

TaperMags Are Superior to Lenses!

· TaperMags provide low distortion images!
· The magnified image has uniform brightness that is even brighter than the surrounding page!
· The real image is formed on the top surface and can be viewed simultaneously with both eyes!
· The print is much larger because the image is closer to the eye than when using a lens magnifier!
· Viewing is more comfortable because a larger area of the page can be scanned without changing head position, as is necessary with a lens magnifier!
· TaperMags can be easily moved around the page with no focusing!
· Annoying reflections are easier to avoid!
· TaperMags can be used with reading glasses!

Patents:

US patent #5,511,141, Peli E, Fiber Optic Reading Magnifiers, 4/23/96
 
US patent #5,600,751, Peli E, Fiber Optic Reading Magnifiers, 2/4/97. A fiberoptic magnifier based on these patents was manufactured and distributed by Taper Vision Inc., Pomfret, CT

Grant Support

NIH/R43-EY1500(SBIR I)
Fiber Optic Reading Magnifiers for Visually Impaired
Awarded to TaperVision Inc. (E. Peli, President)
NIH/R43- EY11569 (SBIR I)
Large, Light-Weight Fiber Optic Reading Magnifier
Awarded to TaperVision Inc. (E. Peli, President)
NIH/R42-EY1500(SBIR II)
Fiber Optic Reading Magnifiers for Visually Impaired.
Awarded to TaperVision Inc. (E. Peli, President)

Publications

Peli E, Fine EM, Kirschen MP. (1996) Reading with a stand magnifier effect of number of letters on reading rate. Technical Digest on Vision Science and its Applications, Technical Digest Series. [PDF 24 KB]
Peli E, Siegmund WP. (1996) A novel fiber optic reading magnifier for low vision reading. Vision '96 V International Conference on Low Vision. Proceedings. [PDF 308 KB]
Peli E, Siegmund WP. (1995) Fiber-optic reading magnifiers for the visually impaired. J Opt Soc Am A 12(10): 2274-2285 [PDF 796 KB]
Fine EM, Kirschen MP, Peli E. (1996) The necessary field of view to read with an optimal stand magnifier. J Am Optom Assoc. 67:382-388 [PDF 648 KB]

Back

Vision Rehabilitation Laboratory Main Page