Steve wrote: > I think they stopped teaching economics in schools. :-) I took both micro and macro economics, but I don't know what that has to do with the price of lasagna ... > For small production runs, per unit costs can be very high. That headset with two separate speakers is $280 ... If you look at the parts they look fairly "stock". > It's not the common parts. It's the costs of design, > manufacturing, marketing, etc. a product with a limited > market -- those costs have to be spread across fewer > units than mass-market products. It's the same reason > a Twiddler2 costs what it does. And, sadly, HMDs. But $15k for a terminal is still astonishing, and they are much more prevalent than twiddler or HMD, there are quite a few vendors and they are widely used. I have been looking at all of the assistive devices I can find for years. There is more than 'normal' economics going on ... IMO the prices are inflated ... just my own opinion ... mebbe I shud go back to school :) Think on that number for a while $15k buys you a brand new car ... or several huge projection TVs ... Here's a braille cell ... 5 VDC ... 3 wire serial multidrop interface ... how much design do you think is required to make it into a terminal? http://www.robotron.net.au/braillecell.htm I think people are taking advantage of this niche market for assistive devices, and I find that to be a very sad thing, because it keeps tech away from people who really need it ... name another component that costs $15k ... With the state of tech something is wrong when braille terminals cost more than cars ... -- Doug >>How does anyone afford assistive tech? > >Many ways: >It's more important than other things they could buy. > >It may be purchased by a company as part of a reaonable >accomodation of a disabled person per the ADA (in the >US). > >Covered by insurance as part of rehabilitation? > >Steve >-- >http://www.stevebarr.com >This message contains 100% my opinions. > > >-- >Subscription/unsubscription/info requests: send e-mail with subject of >"subscribe", "unsubscribe", or "info" to>Wear-Hard Mailing List Archive (searchable): http://wearables.blu.org >Please, *PLEASE* don't subscribe through a forward/expander/false domain -- Subscription/unsubscription/info requests: send e-mail with subject of "subscribe", "unsubscribe", or "info" to
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