[lv-ottawa] Braille phone goes on sale in 'world first'
- From: Gaston Bedard <gasbedard@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lv-ottawa@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 19 May 2014 07:09:50 -0400
BBC News
Braille phone goes on sale in 'world first'
Braille phone goes on sale in 'world first'
The Braille phones come in a variety of different colours
May 16, 2014.
London-based firm OwnFone has released what it says is the world's first
Braille phone.
The front and back of the phone is constructed using 3D printing techniques
and can be customised.
Other companies have designed Braille phones in the past, but OwnFone says
its device is the first of its kind to go on sale.
For those who can't read Braille, the company can print raised text on the
keypad.
The phone, currently only available in the UK, retails for £60 and according
to its inventor Tom Sunderland, 3D printing the front and back of the device
helped
to keep the costs down.
"3D printing... provides a fast and cost-effective way to create
personalised
Braille buttons," he says.
The device is designed to provide an instant connection between blind users
and their friends and family.
Haptic touchscreen
In 2012, OwnFone launched what was one of the world's first partially 3D
printed phones.
A year later, the company developed a special child-friendly version called
1stFone, a credit-card sized device with programmable buttons for crucial
contacts.
OwnFone's new Braille phone is based on these previous two devices, keeping
its small form factor and colourful design.
"The phone can be personalised with two or four Braille buttons which are
pre-programmed to call friends, family, carers or the emergency services,"
Mr
Sunderland told the BBC.
"This is the first phone to have a 3D printed keypad and for people that
can't read Braille, we can print texture and raised text on the phone. Our
3D phone
printing process is patent pending."
Those who wish to buy the phone can create a custom design on the company's
website.
However, at £60 it's the most expensive of the three available options, with
their previous models selling for £40 and £50.
While this may be the first Braille phone available to consumers, the idea
is not an original one.
India-based start-up Kriyate built a prototype Braille-enabled smartphone in
2013, featuring a repressible Braille display and feedback controls (known
as
haptic touch) that beep or vibrate after receiving certain commands.
Some visually impaired users of mobile phones may not see the need for this
device however, with features such as Apple's VoiceOver becoming more
sophisticated.
VoiceOver is a "screenreader" that allows users to navigate their phone
using gesture-based controls.
There are also a number of apps on both the Apple Store and Google Play that
allow for an easier reading experience for the visually impaired.
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27437770
end of article.
Other related posts:
