An Innovation Award Honoree at CES, this sleek tablet allows people with visual loss to utilize technology in a way never before possible.
The device is a keyboard and display for braille that interfaces through Bluetooth with smart devices. It helps visually impaired people access information like nothing else would.
It’s created by PCT, a company that has been researching and developing braille technology for years. Back in 2008, the company created its first low-resolution prototype of the device. After taking a decade to research, write code, develop algorithms, and ultimately create an entirely new tool, the Tactile Pro tablet is here.
The technology behind the Tactile Pro
The tablet for the blind utilizes a multilevel tactile output with a response rate of just .3 seconds. This essentially means that webpage load time is equivalent to one-third of a second.
The system works off of an Android operating system that can output page information into voice, braille, and even braille imagery. If you’re browsing a device on the tablet and come across the image, the tablet will recreate the image in low-resolution braille.
Take a look at their promotional video below to get a greater grasp of just how it works.
PCT has created both the Tactile Pro and the Tactile Edu. The Edu version is particularly made for learning braille. It’s a tablet that makes learning braille easier than ever.
The tablet also works with various languages, all translated into braille. The visually impaired user also has the option to type in braille and have the content automatically translated to a corresponding language.
Through the use of the Tactile Pro tablet, users can browse the internet, edit documents, play games, or instant message. The device also has built-in storage capable of holding upwards of over 100,000 braille books, so the tablet can essentially be used as an e-reader too.
Source: PCT
