Sunday, January 15, 2017

Blitab: World’s First Tactile Tablet For The Blind

via Assistive Technology Blog http://ift.tt/2izAjaf

Ever wondered whether there’s a tablet that displays in Braille? The tablet as we know it is great for using sound/ voice as an input and output tool for blind users, but what if they really want to read their content in Braille? What if they are in an environment where using sound is not an option?

Blitab is the world’s first Android powered tactile tablet meant for people with visual impairment that displays content in Braille. The tablet consists of two screens – the bottom screen is a traditional touch screen that lists several apps and displays content (text, images, maps etc.) and the screen above consists of several air channels and smart fluid that look at the original content on the screen below, send that content to Blitab’s cloud, convert it to Braille, and display the content in the form of dots that can be easily read by blind users by running their fingers across the screen. Blitab converts text files, documents, images, maps, and even web pages in Braille in real time from the web, usb drives and even NFC tags. There is an option of text to speech as well if the user prefers to listen to the output.

23 agreements have already been made worldwide for global distribution, including an educational agency in Kenya that has already pre-ordered 10,000 Blitabs. Individuals can pre-order Blitab from its website at blitab.com for $500.

Image Gallery:

A person is holding a blitab in his hands. There is text displayed in the bottom screen, and the braille equivalent of it is displayed on the top screen.
Image showing a close up of the top screen of Blitab. It shows the smart fluid filling the right air channels on the top screen to display the right letters in braille.

Source: TechCrunch [Thank you for sharing, Susan!]

Website: Blitab.com




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