"Screen" for the blind.

Pin headers, which display text in Braille translation, speech programs include the standard tools, blind the world to tap into the computer. A publicly funded project wants more than that: With a "monitor" are also graphs and charts are palpable.

 

Frankfurt am Main - A novel computer display makes graphical elements such as tables or charts better experience for the visually impaired. On the surface of a special plate made of metal pins (pin plate "), the multidimensional content displayed so that they can be felt blind.

Hyper Braille: The Federal Ministry of Research funded co-production of several institutions

Behind the product is the publicly funded
Hyper Braille Research, where, inter alia, the Universities of Stuttgart and Potsdam and Dresden University of Technology are involved. The only existing prototype of a device that is approximately the size of a laptop has to be commonly used computer programs and Internet content for the visually impaired better access.

To date, graphical representations, according to the project only as a Braille display in Braille display, or as spoken information. To get a spatial impression to them was a high degree of concentration required. On the newly developed touch-screen would such spatial forms about 7200 of movable metal pins displayed electronically controlled. The project hopes to self-reported by the end of 2010 all popular Office programs with special software for use harness.

Digitization has drawbacks

The digital revolution from the mid-eighties was blind for many unexpected side effects. The replacement of analog electronics, with its knobs, sliders and switches by mouse and monitor has a large number of visually impaired job cost: Equipment can be touch and mastery, not cursor movements.

Already from the mid-nineties brought many companies voice solutions on the market, this should provide for connection. Your options are still limited in the daily work with multiple offices, they are not really practical. Braille displays are in turn reduced to writing content, otherwise they can not represent.

Even the triumph of graphical user interfaces did his way, this negative trend for the blind to reinforce: From infotainment on official documents until the inside work everyday is becoming rather like visualized described. Optical information are considered to be transported more easily accessible. Braille monitors could help to offset.

Research projects of this nature are usually dependent on public funding: Commercial enterprises are engaged in short supply. While the production of equipment and software for blind and partially sighted people can be expected, the development costs are hardly refinanzierbar. According to World Health Organization in Germany there are approximately 165,000 blind people, to come around one million people with serious visual impairments, which relies heavily on tools such as extreme large print monitors to Braille displays depend.