Review of Sony's Captioning Glasses - Part 2

In the previous blog post Review of Sony's Captioning Glasses, I tried using the Sony Captioning Glasses for the first time. Then flash forward to recently, when I watched Frozen with the glasses.

This time, I found I missed something from the first time I used them. I didn't make an effort to adjust the noserests. Thus, the way the noserests were at the time, no wonder they caused me so much pain. I managed to adjust them just far enough so I wouldn't have the same problem as before, and it worked. I went the entire movie without the glasses hurting me too much, adjusting them here and there.

Still some room for improvements as I mentioned before. One additional suggestion would be adjustable captions color and font size. I'm wondering if this sort of thing would work with Google Glass with the right adjustments and programming.

Review of Sony's Captioning Glasses

I just recently got back from watching The Dark Knight Rises with captions. In this case, it didn't use open captioning or rear window captioning (RWC). The theatre used the Sony subtitle/caption glasses. They do take a little getting used to at first. No captions will show until the beginning of the movie.

They've got their good points and their bad points. But basically, the glasses have room for improvement.

The good:
- Subtitles are easily readable with green letters
- Tapping Menu on the battery pack with + and - adjusts the captioning mode and brightness
- Subtitles show up no matter where you look

The bad:
- After wearing them, they'll feel a bit heavy and the bridge of your nose may hurt
   (in my case, it was painful due to the noserests pinching me, but didn't hurt til I took them off)
- Might cause some eye strain with some people due to the focal plane of the subtitles. Meaning, you're going to be reading subtitles close to you, then look at the movie screen.

The suggested improvements:
- the ear pieces could be made adjustable, like longer or shorter
- the eyepiece connector or middle of glasses could be made hinged to allow for those with one good eye to see more of the subtitles
- the subtitle placement could be made adjustable
- if not hinged, maybe use wraparound glasses?
- the nose rests could be made adjustable
- possible to make "clip-ons" to display subtitles on the person's own glasses?

Came across these pages/blogs mentioning it as well:

Regal Captions All Movies With Special Glasses - A Review
The future of captioned films
My Opinion on the Caption Glasses

And interestingly enough, a Quick Start Guide for the glasses. There's more like this with a little more looking around.

Update: I tried them a second time and posted about it. (Part 2)

Researching Your Knee Replacement - Part 3

As mentioned in the previous two posts, doing your research and pre-op activities can help the healing process along. For getting around, you may need some walking aids like cane and walker/rollator. Sometimes a wheelchair helps if you can borrow one. Many good drugstores have canes for up to $30. Membership warehouses such as Sams Club may have collapsible canes.

You may need to go through a home/inpatient program and then outpatient before you do things at home on your own. Will you go right on home after hospital discharge or will you go to a rehab facility? When I had an occupational therapist come to my house, I showed her what I could do as she listed them. The only things I could not do was put the trash out front and get down the last few steps (split level home - ground level to lower - no handrails) for the laundry.

Most important is how to get home and in the house. Driving yourself is out if you use the operated leg for driving. You may not be able to drive for about several weeks.

Researching Your Knee Replacement - Part 2

In Marie's Getting Prepared for a TKR post, I agree with her that preparing your living space is an important thing. Not doing so can really cause problems. At first, I thought steps were going to be a problem, but I didn't have to worry. Going up I can do, but I go down backwards. The rehab center's physical therapists agreed with me when I said that I'd be able to better use the steps after the other knee was done.

Don't forget the bathroom. A commode chair with handgrips and a shower seat can help BIG TIME! Bed Bath and Beyond may have a grab bar that uses suction cups. You can get a handheld shower head as well as a tub bar. Plastic lawn chairs are great. I used one when I had my arthroscopy on both knees in 1994 and 1995. Check ebay and Craigs List including other auction/seller sites, but be careful of what you're getting and ASK QUESTIONS of the seller.

All these things can be picked up over time before the surgery. Sure, it might drive some people nuts, but it's going to save them from having to deal with you when you need help most.