Module 3: Braille Technologies
Braille Links to an external site. is a tactile reading/writing system that uses raised bumps that are read by touch. Technological developments have significantly improved upon the traditional punch-and-slate methods.
Refreshable braille displays use matrices of pins which can be raised or lowered electronically to reproduce the text on a computer screen. They can show up to 80 characters at a time.
Source: Mfaure on Wikimedia Commons Links to an external site.
Refreshable braille displays can also be used with mobile devices. In this video, a user demonstrates the use of a refreshable braille display with an iPad.
Braille printers are "hard copy" printers that emboss braille onto heavy paper.
Electronic braille notetakers are small, portable devices with braille keyboards that can be used to input text. They provide output via a speech synthesizer or braille display .
Source: American Federation for the Blind. Links to an external site.