Table of Contents
- The researchers of the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi have created India’s first Braille laptop for the visually- impaired. The laptop is named Dot Book, and it has a feature-packed, affordable Braille display.
- The laptop comprises 10-cell refreshable Braille Cell modules.
- Pulkit Sapra, 26, from Delhi and Suman Muralikrishnan, 27, from Chennai — both students of IIT-Delhi did not opt for a job and continued researching on the topic which after five years was launched as India’s first laptop for visually-impaired. The duo launched two versions of the laptop, one with 20 cell version and another 40 cell version — each referring to the number of characters displayed in one line.
How will the Dot Book help ?
- The Dot Book is expected to create a positive impact for the visually impaired community as independent digital access has become a vital part of day-to-day living.
- Dot Book is being launched in two variants: Dot Book 20P: 20-Cell Braille Variant with Perkins Keys
- Dot Book 40Q: 40-Cell Braille Variant with QWERTY Keyboard
COST
- Braille Device costs USD 2500 on an average.
- Dot Book is built on IIT Delhi’s patented Shape Memory Alloy Technology that helps bring this cost down by almost 60%, and thus helping make this device accessible to the millions who were previously un-catered-to.
- Dot Book comes packed with all the applications and features that a visually impaired user would need to independently carry out their tasks with ease. These features include Email, Calculator, Web Browser and comes with a QWERTY Keyboard.
- The device’s custom development is based on multiple user trials with many of the smallest needs and preferences being taken care of based on user feedback.
- A good example being that – the hand-rest has also been ergonomically designed to enable long hours of use through the day.
- The laptop comes with 4 GB internal storage and is expandable up to 64 GB.
- It is built in Linux.
- The 20-Cell Braille Variant has Perkins Keys while the 40-Cell Braille Variant with QWERTY keyboard.
- The 40 cell version costs Rs 60,000 and the 20 cell version comes at a price of Rs 40,000.
- The laptop can be connected with mobile phones and other laptops to provide a visual display for sighted persons.