New High Density Magnetic Braille Actuators: The Path to a Consumer Full-Page Digital Braille Display

This Phase II project builds upon a previously developed low-cost Braille/tactile display based on magnetic Braille cell actuator technology. The patent-pending magnetic Braille cell actuator (taxel) technology, developed in Phase I, utilizes a novel actuation and latching mechanism, which enables the fabrication of a very compact, low power consumption, high performance taxel Braille cell at significantly reduced cost to existing Braille cell technologies. During Phase II, researchers conduct a systematic study to further develop and complete the actuation mechanism (the taxel unit). The taxel unit is the foundational element driving the cost and performance of all digital Braille displays. During Phase II this project completes and tests prototypes of the taxel units arrayed into the Universal Tactile Building Blocks, which can be combined to build displays of all shapes and sizes. Each component undergoes testing for reliability and life cycle, as well as readability. Highly efficient electronic control circuitry is employed to drive the Digital Tactile Display – Braille/Uniform Tactile Graphics/Hybrid. The outcome of this project is the development of low-cost, full-page Braille/tactile displays of various shapes and sizes to increase Braille literacy and reduce the digital disparity gap experienced by the blind and visually impaired.