A new touch in Braille display design

Abstract

A Braille display is an alternative interface that is used to make computers, tablets and phones accessible for the blind. This interface enables those that can read and write in Braille to navigate through and access digital information which is usually viewed on a screen. More advanced Braille displays are also equipped with input keys, so that the Braille display can be used as alternative keyboard as well. The company Optelec is world leader of technology products for blind and visually impaired people. In 2006 Optelec launched the Alva BC6 Braille displays. When launched, the Alva BC6 Braille display was a major innovation in the Braille display market. The compactness and the non-stigmatizing design have been the unique selling points of the Alva BC6 Braille display since its market introduction in 2006. But now the competition closed the gap and is able to produce cheaper, more compact displays. Thereby, eliminating the most important unique selling points of Optelec’s current Braille display. In order to stay ahead of the competition Optelec wants to develop a new innovative Braille display. The aim of this project was to design this next generation Braille display. The project was divided in three stages. In the product definition stage a design direction for the to be developed Braille display was defined on the basis of an an analysis of the state of the art of Braille displays and an exploration of the possibilities of a new generation Braille displays. In the design integration stage different concept directions were evaluated and the chosen concept direction was further detailed into the final design. In the last stage, the design evaluation, prototypes were built to evaluate the proposed design and recommendations for further development of the design were made. It was found that Braille display users can be roughly divided in a group of "simplicity" users and a group of "multifunctionality" users. Since the users of both groups often have conflicting needs and wishes it is difficult to make one product that is suitable for both groups of users. Currently Optelec is primarily reaching the “simplicity users”. It is however expected that the group of simplicity users will decrease in the future while the group of multifunctionality users increases. Due to the price driven, small size nature of the Braille market Optelec should avoid investing in the development of multiple different products for this market. At the same time their product should serve two types of users with conflicting needs and wishes. Therefore, the designed Braille display consist of two product configurations: a basic configuration that is aimed at the “simplicity users” and an advanced configuration that is aimed at the “multifunctionality users”. These configurations are designed in such a way that no additional investments have to be made to produce two product configurations instead of one. Other distinguishing features of the developed Braille display are the touchpad Braille keyboard and the foldable design which increased the portability of the device. This touchpad Braille keyboard replaces the Braille input keys that are currently used on Braille displays. Instead of these keys the touchpad uses virtual keys that are able to follow the fingers. Based on a research on Braille typing inconsistency, smart software was devised to realize this touchpad Braille keyboard. A working prototype of the touchpad Braille keyboard was developed to test the functioning of this software. In its current state the developed software works not good enough yet to be an equivalent replacement of the regular Braille keyboard. Users were however, enthusiastic about the touchpad keyboard as it is more robust and quiet than the regular Braille keyboard and every hand can be ergonomically positioned on this keyboard. Therefore, it is expected that when the recommendations for further development for this touchpad are realized, the touchpad Braille keyboard will become a worthy competitor of the regular Braille keyboard.