Canute: Press Release
There's been a lot of talk about multiline braille displays, but one
group has created a set of working units that are in the hands of
testers. Dubbed
the Canute, the display was demonstrated by Bristol Braille Technology,
<http://bristolbraille.co.uk/>
a UK-Based nonprofit and hackspace which recently created the
prototype. The display includes 4 lines of text containing 28 cells per
line and costs 440
pounds, or roughly $686 U.S. dollars as of the time of this post. Their
website hints at a possible 8-line version as well. It uses
off-the-shelf components
and is powered by a Raspberry Pie, an inexpensive ultraportable computer
often used by tinkerers. The software powering the display is also
open-source.
Check out the press release below to learn more. Thanks to Dave Williams
for the tip.
19th of May, 2015
World's first multiline Braille ebook reader demonstrated in Bristol and
London
Bristol Braille Technology CIC, a not-for-profit company operating out
of the Bristol Hackspace, has completed the first feature complete
prototype of
Canute. Canute will be
the world's first multiline refreshable Braille ebook reader
, which will cost less than a Braille typewriter and a fraction of the
price of existing single line displays.
It is intended that Canute will help reverse the decline in Braille
literacy by bringing digital Braille within financial reach of the
average user for
the first time.
Canute, a stand-alone refreshable Braille ebook reader for 440, being
rolled out to testers over June
On Monday the 18th of May Canute Mk6 was demonstrated to the Bristol
Braillists blind advocacy group in the Pervasive Media Studio, who were
able to choose
between and read a dozen novels that had been preloaded onto the machine.
On Tuesday the 19th Canute Mk6 was demonstrated again to the Information
Technologists company in Stationers' Hall. During the meeting BBT also
demonstrated
Canute's ability to double up as an embosser, which means one can emboss
notes, shopping lists, recipes or letters directly off Canute's surface.
On both occasions the feedback was very positive and the device was
deemed ready to be tested by users in their own homes. Over June BBT
will therefore
be working with the Bristol and Reading Braillists groups to ensure
Canute units are tested by dozens of blind users.
Emulator and software Open Sourced on GitHub - Braillists ready to
expand functionality
The Canute uses radically different internal mechanisms from the
prohibitively expensive existing Braille displays, which allows it to
have the unique
format of 28 characters per line over 4 lines.
It uses off the shelf motors and plastic components from laser cutters.
It runs off Open Sourced ebook software that can be freely changed so
users can
add their own functionality, adapt the user interface to their tastes.
There are already blind users and sighted engineers from around the
world who have expressed an interest in adapting it to various different
use cases
and languages.
See
http://github.com/Bristol-Braille/Canute-UI
<http://github.com/Bristol-Braille/Canute-UI>
Quotes
It's something phenomenal. I'm already in love with this, and I'm not
really a Braille person. I gave up Braille many years ago... but this
would definitely
intrigue me... I'm completely blown away by this. Andre Louis, a
blind musician and broadcaster, at Stationers' Hall, see Periscope
broadcast:
http://bristolbraille.co.uk/articles/andre_louis_periscope.mp4
<http://bristolbraille.co.uk/articles/andre_louis_periscope.mp4>
There are many wonderful ways digital technology can open the world up
to those with visual impairments and this can be balanced by
opportunities to master
written culture, whether as readers or writers. We are proud to be
supporting Canute, which is at the forefront of efforts to bring
Braille, and therefore
literacy for blind people, into the 21st century. Vicki Hearn,
Director of Nominet Trust
I am delighted that the Innovation 4 Growth programme has enabled
Bristol Braille to realise its research and development goals, and to
evolve an innovative
concept into a product that is ready for user testing. Tracey
John, University of the West of England Head of Business, Research and
Professional
Development
To the editors:
For many blind people Braille
is
literacy. Braille teaching and usage has been falling for decades and
are now in danger of entering terminal decline. Technical stagnation has
left a majority
of blind people without the means to become literate or exercise their
literacy. Canute is intended to help reverse this decline by being
multiline and
radically affordable.
Bristol Braille Technology was founded in 2011 by Ed Rogers to continue
a project he had been working on since 2008. The Canute project began in
October
2012. Its team is composed of volunteers and those working at voluntary
half-rates.
Bristol Braille Technology has committed to creating devices that can be
manufactured and repaired anywhere in the world, to Open Sourcing as
much of its
work as possible, and to allowing individuals to build their own devices
according to their own needs from those sources. We are protecting
Canute's IP
with licences which will allow us to ensure that all improvements to the
design must be fed back to the community.
Canute is controlled from an internal Raspberry Pi computer running
Raspbian Linux. Computer Aided Design is done in the Open Source
OpenSCAD programme,
which is entirely textual and will eventually be editable by blind
designers using the Canute itself.
The Braillists group was co-founded by Scott Wood, Senior Technology
Co-ordinator at Action for Blind People, Paul Sullivan, Access Officer
at M-Shed and
Steph Tyszka, a social entrepreneur associated with BBT. It has over
sixty members from around the UK.
The Canute has been developed with funding from
iNet Microelectronics, iNet Biomedical, The School for Social
Entrepreneurs, Blatchington Court Trust, The Product Development Centre,
The Information
Technologists' Company and The Engineers' Innovation Network.
The Canute Mk6 specifically was funded by;
Innovation 4 Growth
:
http://innovation4growth.co.uk/
<http://innovation4growth.co.uk/>
The University is committed to supporting enterprise and economic
development in the Bristol city-region and right across the South West,
with health solutions
and assisted living being a particular area of focus. This is an
excellent example of that commitment translating into real support for
promising regional
businesses. We wish Bristol Braille every success with the trials and
look forward to supporting other SMEs when the next round of Innovation
4 Growth
funding launches later this year. Tracey John
Nominet Trust
:
http://nominettrust.org.uk
<http://nominettrust.org.uk/>
Nominet Trust is the UK s leading Tech for Good funder. The Trust
believes in harnessing the power of digital technology to improve lives
and communities.
A UK registered charity, Nominet Trust brings together, invests in and
supports people committed to using digital technology to create social
and economic
value.
Nominet Trust has invested in hundreds of projects since its inception,
providing business support as well as financial investment, seeking to
connect
projects to prospective partners who can help increase their reach and
impact.
Nominet Trust is the charitable foundation of Nominet, the company
responsible for running the .UK internet infrastructure. Nominet
believes in the positive
power of the internet, and with the money generated from the
registration of web addresses ending in .uk, .org.uk, and .co.uk,
Nominet is proud to be able
to fund Nominet Trust s work.
We have also been aided by, amongst others,
Pervasive Media Studio,
Bristol Hackspace and
Business Disability Forum.
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