One of the really positive news stories in the world of Blindness is the resurgence in Braille. This includes the teaching of Braille as well as many new developments regarding Braille technology.
Over the last few years we have seen a decline in the use of Braille on paper and a massive increase in the use of electronic refreshable Braille. Modern Braille displays such as the new generation of Focus Braille displays described below are offering people much cheaper and more flexible options in education, employment and for personal use.
In what is nothing short of revolutionary, Apple, Microsoft and Google are collaborating on a new universal standard for Braille displays, meaning they will have true ‘plug and play’ connectivity across operating systems and different types of hardware. The new standard creates a specification for how Braille displays will be Human Interface Driver (HID) compliant. This new HID standard is yet to come into play however Freedom Scientific, manufacturer of the Focus range and their parent company VFO, have been at the forefront of the push to have this standard adopted universally.
There are times when one product is a clear market leader, and that is certainly the case with the new Focus displays. Call us to arrange a demonstration.
We also bring you news about ElBraille a very exciting addition to the range of options students have. ElBraille incorporates the new Focus 14 5th Generation Braille display into a complete PC based package for students of all ages.
Please remember that our Consultants have many decades of experience working with students who use Braille. Please feel free to call on that experience.
Additional articles about what is happening in the world of blindness
– FOCUS 40 Blue REFRESHABLE BRAILLE DISPLAY – 5TH GENERATION!
– ElBraille: An Exciting New Approach to Computing Using Braille