- Braille Display for the Visually Impaired & Blind - Cobalt123 (Creative Commons license)
Technology is shaping our lives like never before. It has shrunk the world, reached us to the moon, and created magic in our lives with its wizardry. It is now working its magic in the lives of the visually impaired, specifically the blind, and allowing them to engage in the virtual world that was hitherto available only to their sighted peers.
Traditionally the blind relied on the slate and stylus as their means of written communication. While this has served the purpose, it has generally precluded any foray into the world of rapidly changing technology. However, in the last decade or so, there has been a shift in culture with some Braille-friendly technologies emerging that bring the visually impaired and blind closer to the realms of their sighted peers. Technology includes speech synthesizers (text-to-speech devices), refreshable Braille displays (Braille terminals), electronic Braille note-takers and Braille printers (embossers).
Speech synthesizers (text-to-speech devices)
These devices, when plugged into a regular computer, recite text displayed on the computer screen by speaking out in a loud computerized voice. The benefit of such devices is that the user receives immediate feedback of what is being typed. The devices also benefit those unable to communicate orally but who can do so via typing.
Some speech synthesizers available are eSpeak, Kurzweil, Apple Plain Talk and FreeTTS.
Refreshable Braille display
The refreshable Braille display is a tactile device that is directly connected to the computer. It operates by means of raising or lowering pins electronically, to assist the user in reading what is displayed on a particular portion of the computer screen. Since the output changes as the user navigates around the computer screen, the user gains direct access to information. Spelling and grammar can also be double-checked since the output is in Braille. An added advantage is that it is quiet.
Typically this device allows Braille readers to only read a line at a time. However, this is likely to change with the research of N. Di Spigna and his colleagues who are working to create an inexpensive, full page refreshable Braille display.
Some refreshable Braille displays currently available are the ALVA series, Braille Star 40 & 80, the Brailliant series and PAC Mate 20 & 40. The American Foundation for the Blind estimates that the prices of Braille displays range from $3,500 to $15,000 depending on the number of characters displayed.
Braille printers (embossers)
Braille printers or embossers are the ink printer equivalent, which render text into Braille. They utilize embossing pins to type information onto the heavyweight paper employed for this explicit purpose. As they are impact printers, they tend to be noisy. They also tend to utilize more paper than the regular printer for the same amount of data.
Some Braille embossers available are Braille Express, Dot and Print, the Braillo series, Paragon Braille Printer and the View Plus series. The American Foundation for the Blind estimates that Braille printers cost anywhere from $1,800 to $ 80,000, depending on the volume of material they print.
Screen readers
Screen readers interpret the information on the screen and relay that information either in an audio format (text-to-speech) or to a Braille output device such as a refreshable Braille display or a Braille printer.
Some screen readers available are VoiceOver, Speakup, JAWS and Windows Eyes.
Electronic Braille note-takers
Electronic Braille note-takers are the Braille equivalent of personal digital assistants. They are portable devices that allow the user to store and access information either via built-in Braille-friendly technology or through external devices. These devices often have built-in address books, calculators and calendars.
Some electronic Braille note-takers available are Braille Lite, the BrailleNote series, EasyLink 12 and the PAC Mate Omni series. The American Foundation for the Blind estimates that an entry level Braille note-taker costs about $2,000.
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