Braille Keyboard

UAB ivestigators, has develop an braille keyboard. This new keyboard its connected to the computer throw a USB port, and combine for the first time the keys functions with a tradicional keyboard with 8 alphanumeric key in Braille. THis allows to write in any kind of language.

Got any links or images? Sounds like a cool concept but I'm wondering how they did it exactly. I've seen those usb braille boards that write out in braille what is on the screen, but this sounds more input then output.

UAB ivestigators, has develop an braille keyboard. This new keyboard its connected to the computer throw a USB port, and combine for the first time the keys functions with a tradicional keyboard with 8 alphanumeric key in Braille. THis allows to write in any kind of language.

 

 

I wonder.... is this you are talking about ?

If so, ( and I thik so) it's not new, i think the first concept waas build in 1995 ??

Edited March 9, 2006 by penkas (see edit history)

This is a great step towards making life easier for everyone, i just have one questions that may seem a little harsh but i ask it out of curiosity - I myself am proficient at typing and do not need to look at the keyboard as many of you do aswell so it makes tranfering of documents and such an ease, by the picture above the same type of system can be developed by someone typingn in braille as once they get used to the placement of keys they can type faster and faster and probably learn at a much faster rate aswell due to the hightened senses but even 4 to 6 times out of an A4 page i do make mistakes that i can see on the screen as i type and then use the backspace key and move on So how would someone using a braille keyboard be able to rectify the mistakes. Maybe a picture of the whole system including the computer used aswell as teh keyboard wil give us a better understanding.

That's actually quite a good question, How would they know if they've made a mistake?Well, if they haven't done so far, they could also have a speaker that pronounces the keys they pressed or software to say what they have just pressed although if they have to rely on the dots on the keys, then it might be more accurate than fast at typing.Who knows, but if someone can answer that question, it would be interesting to know.Cheers,MC

Well, I used to chat with a blind gal from Rejkjavik (I miss spelled that so bad it's not even funny) and she used voice chat, and typed pretty good. The image you see is simple a screen reader, it outputs what is typed onto the little plates which change and form braille writing. This allows a blind person to read what is on the screen. As MC mentioned some use actual screen readers and listen to what is typed, though I did try that technology to hear how it worked, but it's terrible. At least I found it to be, but then again; I am deaf in one ear, which could be part of the why it was a terrible experience for me. I know Ranveigh (the girl's name) typed on a normal keyboard, and checked her typing with her braille output screen reader.

To notice mistakes they could use the mentioned verbal readers (which I've seen some that are actually really good recently for English, other languages may cause issues) or they could just review everything at the end using the braille output device in the image above, same as reading anything else off a computer for them.You'd think there would be braille keyboards already, I mean it can't be that hard to put the raised dots for each letter on the corresponding key...

It might make life much easier for blind people to input data, but, how will they be able to read it? that would be more of a confusion.Unless someone might add a pad on the keyboard for outputting data?

Well like I said, they obviously already have a way to read the comps output, or else they wouldn't have a computer to begin with... so keep using that method but with a new input choice.

I think there's a simple way to fix the mistake issue. If when type in a braille keyboard,a "D" for example, Automaticly the key board is equiped with vocal, and He spell the Letter that you inputed . So whe i type a full word, the user ears : W-O-R-D

Marretas... I actually love that idea haha. I can't believe I never thought of it I mean it would limit the speed at which one could type significantly if they had to make sure each letter was properly said before moving on, however especially while learning to type on a qwerty layout it would be a huge help. Even after they had learned you could just have the option to wait until done typing, then re-read the typed data to error check. Or even more efficient, just read aloud the words that failed spell/grammar checks. Some problems could still slip through but this would give them a good way to type in 95% of situations where a single typo or two won't be the end of the world.

Marretas... I actually love that idea haha. I can't believe I never thought of it I mean it would limit the speed at which one could type significantly if they had to make sure each letter was properly said before moving on, however especially while learning to type on a qwerty layout it would be a huge help.
Even after they had learned you could just have the option to wait until done typing, then re-read the typed data to error check. Or even more efficient, just read aloud the words that failed spell/grammar checks. Some problems could still slip through but this would give them a good way to type in 95% of situations where a single typo or two won't be the end of the world.

I think not. I think spelling a single letter is quite fast, in fact if you type it more faster the Spelling Letters will form a Complete WORD. W-O-R-D ( this is what user ear ), and not "W" 5 secs later "O" more 5 seconds "R" and 5 secs after "D", the keyboard must have the ability to delete the "5 seconds" in order to spell a complete word. And this sequence allows user understand with he has been typing.

Are you seeing the picture here ?

OOOOH okok, that would work really well. I was thinking just saying each individual letter as it was typed, but since most people type fast enough that the spoken letters would overlap and become distorted, that could cause issues. But yea if it was set up to wait for a break (say, hitting the spacebar or enter or a period) before reading off a word then that would work well. You could quickly get used to makeiong sure it's reading off everything you type properly. Good thinking. (Unless I'm still not getting what you mean, in which case I still like this version of it haha)

Yep, maybe it distorce a little bit. Another idea is a auto-suggestion software. User types a Word an software runs a database to suggeste witch word start with those letters, witch user inputed. Sure there are many many words that start from same way. But if keyboard had a dedicated key just to ignore the sugested word and follow the sugestion sequence. User also can disable that function , choosing type one letter each time, and after write all word type the another dedicated to Run the voice to read the word spelled.