Woman invents a tablet for blind people

This device works by allowing users to upload text files, such as novels, using a USB stick. The text then appears in Braille via small physical ‘bubbles’ that rise and fall on demand.

It all started when the inventor was studying industrial engineering at the University of Sofia, and a blind colleague asked her to help to register for online classes because he couldn’t do it by himself.

“I was shocked. I went home and did some research. Then I realised that the technology boom over the past few years, with the advent of the Internet and smartphones, had not benefited everyone”, Kristina explained.

She made some research and realised that the existing devices that convert text into Braille cost thousands of euros and are hard to use.

“For example, they only display one line of text at a time. Their technology was invented 40 years ago and hasn’t changed since”, Kristina said.

Blitab is a device that converts any document into Braille. You can plug in a USB flash drive or connect to Wi-Fi. The tablet surface displays little dots, which we call “tixels” (from “tactile pixels”). Users can read a full page of text at a time. The tablet can also convert images by triggering dots that present the picture in 3D.

Kristina launched a crowfunding campaing, and then co-founded a startup in Vienna, in order to develop and bring the product to the market.

Blitab is still not available, but it can be pre ordered online, with prices ranging from $200 to $2,500.

Adapted from: http://www.technologist.eu/blitab-tablet-blind-people/

More info: https://blitab.com
https://youtu.be/JomT-TGtFOQ