It’s wonderful how technology is making way through to make things easier for everyone. Even the visually-impaired people are getting their very hands on every piece of tech gadget that has been developed as they are also being exonerated in such a way that even they can use it flawlessly. BlindPAD has been working on the same to make the visual information tactile for vision-impaired and now they have come up with a new prototype which is the same in the size of a mini iPad Mini.
They haven’t come up with a name for this product as of now but they have been doing of research improvising the product to make it cheap, and portable just as the tablets. This project is a part of Europe’s BlindPAD project.
The mechanism of the device is simple and made very cleverly. It raises bumps and lowers them to form images, patterns, and letters or Braille script. These little bumps are connected to a magnet which is attached to other steel layers. This mechanism doesn’t need any power to keep it working so, it is very efficient. The bumps can also feel the while being pressed or if we slide and gives a vibrative feedback.
This BlindPAD tablet has 12 rows and 16 columns and a total of 192 of such bumps or the projections as they call. It useful in many ways such as for the direction in the maps, reading Braille scripts, playing some games, and feel the images.
“Our results demonstrate that programmable maps are an effective way to display graphical contents in educative/rehabilitative contexts. They can be at least as effective as traditional paper tests yet providing superior flexibility and versatility.”
Even though it is in the development stages with just the prototype out, it doesn’t cost much to produce and this one is easy, wireless, and equally portable. It should be out very soon.
