Barriers are being broken down when it comes to making new technology accessible, but there is still work to be done. For blind users who can read Braille, devices like phones and tablets have a degree of accessibility. Braille keyboards and touch readers make things easier, but these devices can cost quite a bit. Researchers at the University of Michigan may have found a way around that problem with an innovative new Braille display.
The project promises a full-page tactile Braille display, in contrast to displays that read text line by line. The system uses pressurized air or fluid to raise and lower the dots of a Braille display: no wires or electronic systems or used. Furthermore, the full-page display can detect images and graph data, something that one-line Braille displays cannot do.
Right now, the project is still in its early phases, so it may be a while before we see a version of this technology available to purchase. Still, this is a welcome innovation. Given how Braille is being displaced by text-to-speech programs and devices, taking steps towards making Braille a more viable accessibility option for those who need it.
Watch a demonstration of this new Braille technology in the video below: