Braille II

Votes: 8
Views: 3483

BRAILLE II implements a cheap, simple and portable multi-line Braille display compatible with any touch screen device, allowing low-income blind users to get access to education, public services and work opportunities easier than ever.

The device implements a mechanism that can generate Braille symbols and automatically slide them across user's finger, imitating the tactile feedback they would get reading ordinary Braille text. User's other hand is used to navigate across the surface of the screen of, let's say, a tablet. Said tablet reads touch coordinates and transmits a corresponding letter to BRAILLE II which is subsequently displayed to the user. Any graphical or console interface can be made available in Braille just by sending corresponding symbol commands to BRAILLE II on touch, the interface itself doesn't need to be changed.

No other device on the market separates navigation on the screen and actual physical Braille symbols presented to the user. Existing multi-line solutions essentially extend existing single-line concepts, thus being bound by their fundamental limits.

BRAILLE II chooses to take a step back and look at delivering a feeling of reading Braille by implementing only two elements:
- A single symbol generator with high refresh rate
- A mechanism that slides the symbol across user's finger imitating ordinary Braille reading

Provided solution not only makes BRAILLE II displays extremely cheap and simple in manufacturing, but also much more flexible as BRAILLE II doesn't need its own screen and can connect to any touchscreen device, be it a personal one or some public screen like an electronic transport timetable, metro map, an information stand or a museum guide. This makes it perfect for usage in education, work or personal activities.

Compared to existing single-line Braille displays that can cost several thousands of euros/dollars due to lots of precise piezoelectric mechanical elements used, BRAILLE II, due to its simplicity, is estimated to cost a couple hundreds at most, depending on the scale of manufacturing.

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  • Awards

  • 2019 Consumer Products Honorable Mention
  • 2019 Top 100 Entries

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  • ABOUT THE ENTRANT

  • Name:
    Aliaksei Khomchanka
  • Type of entry:
    individual
  • Profession:
    Engineer/Designer
  • Number of times previously entering contest:
    1
  • Aliaksei's favorite design and analysis tools:
    3DS Max, plus any useful software I happen to stumble upon.
  • Aliaksei's hobbies and activities:
    Inventing stuff, drawing
  • Aliaksei is inspired by:
    1. I am inspired by stories of engineers and scientists finding simple solutions where most would use sophisticated technology.

    2. People like Nikola Tesla that fully engulfed themselves in their field of interests. I show great respect to the idea of following one's passions, especially if it leads to socially beneficial results.
  • Patent status:
    none