Existing market-available refreshable Braille displays (RBDs) offer limited functionality at a high cost, hindering accessibility for individuals with blindness and visual impairment for teaching and ...learning purposes. This motivates us to develop a multi-functional, compact, and affordable RBD tailored for educational institutes to enhance teaching and learning experiences. We propose the development of BLISS (Braille Letters and Interactive Shape Screen), a novel RBD, that BLISS presents a unique configuration arrangement of Braille cells that accommodates up to six letters at a time and shapes by reusing the Braille pins. To determine the optimal specifications, including size, Braille cell spacing, and pin configuration, we fabricated and evaluated 3D-printed sets, mimicking how BLISS would display letters and shapes. We tested 36 variants of 3D-printed sets with 8 individuals with blindness and visual impairment and found that conventional Braille spacing is insufficient for accurately representing shapes. Hence, BLISS will introduce a novel design that uses a pin configuration to raise the extra pins to present shapes and lower them for Braille letters, providing dual-mode operation. Our findings show the potential of BLISS to display both Braille letters and shapes on the same refreshable display, offering a novel, compact, and cost-effective solution.
Nowadays, there are huge numbers of old braille documents found in libraries which are getting obsolete and needs reproducing. Unfortunately, they don’t have their original alphabetical text so that ...can’t be re-printed by any braille printer unless we have to translate them manually one by one. This research develops braille duplicator system as Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) braille printer’s additional feature. It works by photographing braille on smartphone, translating it into text, and sending result wirelessly to add-on device installed on braille printer’s interface. Translation is done by image processing. Test result shows its accuracy reach 99%. Thus, braille document can be duplicated without needing its original text.
Braille is used as a mode of communication all over the world. Technological advancements are transforming the way Braille is read and written. This study developed an English Braille pattern ...identification system using robust machine learning techniques using the English Braille Grade-1 dataset. English Braille Grade-1 dataset was collected using a touchscreen device from visually impaired students of the National Special Education School Muzaffarabad. For better visualization, the dataset was divided into two classes as class 1 (1-13) (a-m) and class 2 (14-26) (n-z) using 26 Braille English characters. A position-free braille text entry method was used to generate synthetic data. N = 2512 cases were included in the final dataset. Support Vector Machine (SVM), Decision Trees (DT) and K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) with Reconstruction Independent Component Analysis (RICA) and PCA-based feature extraction methods were used for Braille to English character recognition. Compared to PCA, Random Forest (RF) algorithm and Sequential methods, better results were achieved using the RICA-based feature extraction method. The evaluation metrics used were the True Positive Rate (TPR), True Negative Rate (TNR), Positive Predictive Value (PPV), Negative Predictive Value (NPV), False Positive Rate (FPR), Total Accuracy, Area Under the Receiver Operating Curve (AUC) and F1-Score. A statistical test was also performed to justify the significance of the results.
Introduction: In 2016, the United States transitioned to two new braille codes for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Little is known about the experiences of teachers of ...students with visual impairments in learning and supporting their students in learning these new braille codes: Nemeth Code within Unified English Braille (UEB) Contexts and UEB Technical. Methods: Thirteen certified teachers of students with visual impairments participated in one of three focus groups during the spring of 2020. The audio files were transcribed and then analyzed. Results: Some participants reported that they were still in the process of transitioning to Nemeth Code within UEB Contexts or UEB Technical. The majority of participants learned a new code through self-study and were introducing the symbols incrementally to their students. The participants reported that their students had been successful in learning Nemeth Code within UEB Contexts or UEB Technical, but there were challenges, including inadequate lead time, in supporting their students in STEM classes. Discussion: Affordable training and professional development for learning a new code were needed. Additional resources, including grade-level charts and curricula for K-12 students, should be created for both codes. Implications for Practitioners: Teachers of students with visual impairments are an essential part of the STEM educational team for students who read braille. Supporting student learning requires specialized knowledge of the braille codes used in STEM courses and technologies for producing tactile materials. Sharing of instructional materials, existing resources, and teacher expertise throughout mentorship would benefit the field of visual impairment.
Introduction: This study explored the impact of synchronous professional development regarding Nemeth Code Within Unified English Braille (UEB) Contexts on the knowledge and skills of 17 teachers of ...students with visual impairments. Methods: Participants attended the professional development sessions in June 2022 and submitted a pretest, posttest, final assignment, and posttraining survey. Results: Sixteen out of 17 participants scored higher on their posttest with a mean difference of 5.53. None of the participants submitted an error-free assignment. Total numbers of errors ranged from 8 to 60, and the categories with the highest percentage of errors were formatting, use of opening and terminating switch indicators, and Nemeth Code symbols. Discussion: In order to successfully progress in the general education curriculum, students who read braille must have access to timely, accurately prepared materials in all content areas including mathematics. Direct examination of the final assignment submitted by the 17 participants revealed similar error patterns to previous research. In addition, some of the participants struggled to correctly use Nemeth Code switch indicators. Implications for Practitioners: Teachers of students with visual impairments should continue to build their skills for Nemeth Code within UEB Contexts. Additional resources and professional development are urgently needed.
A wearable Braille‐to‐speech translation system is of great importance for providing auditory feedback in assisting blind people and people with speech impairment. However, previous reported ...Braille‐to‐speech translation systems still need to be improved in terms of comfortability or integration. Here, a Braille‐to‐speech translation system that uses dual‐functional electrostatic transducers which are made of fabric‐based materials and can be integrated into textiles is reported. Based on electrostatic induction, the electrostatic transducer can either serve as a tactile sensor or a loudspeaker with the same design. The proposed electrostatic transducers have excellent output performances, mechanical robustness, and working stability. By combining the devices with machine learning algorithms, it is possible to translate the Braille alphabet and 40 commonly used words (extensible) into speech with an accuracy of 99.09% and 97.08%, respectively. This work demonstrates a new approach for further developments of advanced assistive technology toward improving the lives of disabled people.
This study introduces a new type of Braille‐to‐speech translation system that employs dual‐functional electrostatic transducers constructed from fabric‐based materials. Assisted by a machine learning algorithm, it is possible to translate the Braille alphabet and 40 commonly used words (extensible) into speech with an accuracy of 99.09% and 97.08%, respectively.
The blind mainly relies on Braille books to obtain text information. However, Braille books with invariable content are ponderous and inconvenient to read. Hence, it is essential to find a safe, ...simple and effective method to develop new Braille devices. This advanced method promises to be the next generation Braille book that is refreshable, flexible, and portable. Therefore, a safe dielectric elastomer Braille device actuated by a triboelectric nanogenerator is designed. It is easy to fabricate, inexpensive, and safe without any potential hazard for blind people. For triboelectric nanogenerators, the friction between two thin films can generate a voltage over 3 kV with a current of just 2 µA to deliver a shape change of the dielectric elastomer membrane. In the meantime, with the support of the pressor air in the chamber, the membrane will be raised up to be a touchable Braille dot. In addition, a programmed switch matrix is designed to control the Braille device with multiple dielectric elastomer dots to realize complicated refreshable display, providing a possibility of a page‐size and portable braille e‐book for the blind in the near future.
A Braille display device made from dielectric elastomer actuated via a triboelectric nanogenerator has the feature of easy fabrication, low cost, and full range of safety without potential hazard for blind people. With the control module, each Braille device can display different Braille characters, which provides a possibility of a portable Braille e‐book for the blind in the near future.
Inspired by the epidermal–dermal and outer microstructures of the human fingerprint, a novel flexible sensor device is designed to improve haptic perception and surface texture recognition, which is ...consisted of single‐walled carbon nanotubes, polyethylene, and polydimethylsiloxane with interlocked and outer micropyramid arrays. The sensor shows high pressure sensitivity (−3.26 kPa−1 in the pressure range of 0−300 Pa), and it can detect the shear force changes induced by the dynamic interaction between the outer micropyramid structure on the sensor and the tested material surface, and the minimum dimension of the microstripe that can be discerned is as low as 15 µm × 15 µm (interval × width). To demonstrate the texture discrimination capability, the sensors are tested for accurately discerning various surface textures, such as the textures of different fabrics, Braille characters, the inverted pyramid patterns, which will have great potential in robot skins and haptic perception, etc.
Fingerprint‐inspired flexible tactile sensor shows high pressure sensitivity (−3.26 kPa−1), and the minimum dimension of the microstripe that can be discerned is as low as 15 µm × 15 µm. The tactile sensor can accurately discern various surface textures, such as different fabrics, Braille characters, and the inverted pyramid patterns, which will have great potential in robot skins and haptic perception.
Il presente contributo intende portare all'attenzione del dibattito pedagogico-didattico attuale alcune considerazioni che la situazione pandemica in atto ha sollecitato bruscamente con la spinta di ...un'emergenza globale, ma che possono - e oserei affermare - devono essere colte come l'occasione propizia per rivedere pratiche, metodologie, strumenti e modi di fare scuola in vista di una loro ottimizzazione. Si circoscriverà la riflessione intorno ad un'analisi critica del binomio didattica digitale/alunni con disabilità, riflettendo intorno a due elementi che la caratterizzano nell'odierno dibattito: da un lato la pervasività mediale e il suo impatto nei processi di formazione, dall'altro il contributo delle tecnologie e del digitale nell'inclusione degli alunni con bisogni educativi speciali.
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