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[feline groovy]

brilliant

The 'Kindle for the blind': British startup reveals $700 Braille e-reader

• British Braille Technology has created the world's first multi-line Braille e-reader
• Canute displays nine lines of text at a time, or about a third of a page of print
• It's expected to enter production this year and cost about as much as a laptop

By REUTERS and ANNIE PALMER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

PUBLISHED: 06:06 EST, 14 January 2019 | UPDATED: 14:41 EST, 14 January 2019

A British startup plans to debut a Braille e-reader for blind people this year that should greatly enhance their reading experience and spare them from lugging around hefty print volumes.

Since it was developed by Louis Braille in the 19th Century, the alphabet of raised dots has brought the joy of reading to millions of blind and partially-sighted people.

But in its printed form it's not exactly convenient or portable: A Braille copy of the Bible can take up about 5 feet (1.5 metres) of shelf space.

HOW DOES IT WORK? 

Canute 360 is the world's first multi-line Braille e-reader.

It can display nine lines of text at a time, or about a third of a page of regular print.

It uses a tiny Raspberry Pi computer and specially designed mechanical switches. 

British firm Bristol Braille Technology hopes to change this with Canute 360, their new 'Kindle for the blind.'

The company says it's the world's first multi-line Braille e-reader, displaying nine lines of text at a time, or about a third of a page of regular print.

'This means you only have to press the forward button every 360 characters rather than every 20,' said Stephanie Sergeant, whose company Vision Through Sound provides training for blind people and has been working with Bristol Braille.

'It refreshes a line at a time, starting at the top. 

'So even though it takes a little while for all the lines to refresh, you can start reading almost as soon as you press the forward key.'

Any text that has been translated into Braille format can be downloaded into the Canute, potentially putting an endless supply of reading material at the user's fingertips.

The proportion of blind people who can read Braille lettering, formed of one to six dots in a range of combinations, has fallen, partly due to advances in audio description technology.

But Bristol Braille says learning to read it can significantly boost literacy and numeracy rates among the blind.

'Innovations in the field of Braille technology make this a very exciting time for Braille readers,' said Claire Maxwell, senior product developer for Braille at the Royal National Institute of Blind People.  

The final prototype of Canute will enter mass production this year, priced similar to a high-end laptop.

Previous reports have suggested that the Canute could cost an upwards of $700. 

Ed Rodgers, Bristol Braille Technology's managing director, said the Canute is almost ready to go to market now, after being in development for almost six years. 

ACCESSIBLE E-READERS FOR THE BLIND 

A prototype device developed by MIT Media Lab's Fluid Interfaces group enables the wearer to scan a text line with their finger and receive an audio feedback of the words.

It also provides motion feedback in the form of small vibrations to make sure that the user doesn't veer away from the text.

The device is still in its development stage, and the video reveals there are still a number of improvements that could be made.

For instance, the speed is far slower than it could be and there is no headphone jack in place.

Eventually, however, FingerReader might be able to replace braille which is already being taught less given the rise of audio-visual software. 

[Zernia Rose]

Thanks Feline Groovy for posting this informative article. Advances in assistive devices for those with disabilities can be life changing.

[gardenman]

It's interesting, but I suspect devices, like many tablets, that can read to the blind are a better option. Many tablets now have voice recognition built in so the blind can simply tell the tablet what to read to them.

On an aside, I spent a day in a major hospital's ER room over the summer and it occurred to me that braille wallpaper would be wise. It was a very large room (about twelve feet by twelve feet) with one tiny little sign in braille for the bathroom. By the time a blind person found that small sign in the biggish room, they would almost certainly no longer need the bathroom. A braille wallpaper that read "go left" or "go right" to guide blind braille readers laterally to the sign could be very helpful. Once in the correct location laterally, additional wall paper saying "go up" or " go down" could guide a blind person directly to the sign. I don't think making a textured wallpaper with braille impressions would be overly difficult. You'd want good installers to be sure the right paper went in the right place, but this could make finding the braille signage in any location with braille signage much easier for the blind. A truly blind person can't see the sign in braille, so they have to feel for it. Giving them guidance in the form of braille wallpaper seems like a smart idea. As it is now they pretty much have to search the whole room and there's no guarantee there's even a sign to find. Braille wallpaper could guide them directly to the braille signage and around any obstacles.

[phoenixbrd]

Inspiring to read about advances in assisting those with disabilities.  @gardenman  interesting idea.

[CelticCrafter]

@gardenman - I think eventually the raised letters on wallpaper would wear away.

[Justice4all]

I like the idea of being able to read original texts as well as listening.  I sometimes listen to audio texts, and many are too obnoxious.  

[gardenman]

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@CelticCrafter wrote:

@gardenman - I think eventually the raised letters on wallpaper would wear away.

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Yeah, maybe it would. I just found it hard to imagine a blind person finding that one little braille sign on that much wall surface. (The sign is maybe an inch high and two inches wide.) They obviously can't see the sign and may not even know a sign is there unless they stumble upon it. Braille wallpaper could lead them directly to the sign. Hospital emergency rooms are a tad cluttered also, so instead of having to blindly (literally) search everywhere for a sign, they could get steered around major obstacles and led right to the sign.

It could also work to find emergency exits in public places. Imagine being blind someplace strange and the fire alarms go off and you smell smoke. Where's the emergency exit? That red flashing "EXIT" sign is no help to you. Find a wall with braille wallpaper on it however and it could lead you right to the nearest exit by simply telling you to go left or go right. Hug the wall and follow the directions and you're out of danger in a relatively sort period of time.

[cherry]

I am sure he would ask for help, or bring a sighted person with him, if this was an issue for him

I have a blind friend ,and he is amazing ,at getting out and about. Nothing ever seems to  deter him ,in any way

[Drythe]

@gardenman

Glad you were able to amuse yourself while waiting!

[iceRedfire]

Interesting. Thanks for posting @feline groovy.