Portable Braille Printer

An inexpensive braille and tactile graphics printer the size of a computer mouse. 

To instantly create touch based content on any sheet

Braille and tactile graphics is a novelty, something which can be accessed in rare libraries or at homes of the wealthy through that huge and noisy printer. In a situation where content is decided at a random print house and access is only through significant effort it is obvious why people try to avoid braille. Avoiding braille and bartering away their literacy, independence and standard of living which are all rights. The noise generated by these printers, the stringent standards on the size and quality of the braille paper to be used, the real life limited usage of braille that is available only on these highly specific sheets are additional causes of pain preventing braille from becoming commonplace. Majority of blind people cannot afford braille and at best get access to rare books thus eventually never knowing braille at all. Efforts to use braille are tremendous and usually result in teaching and learning braille with a slate and a pin to poke braille dots. People who can afford braille tech face a crisis of utility and effort. While braille is compulsory in blind education because of its importance, its utility dies off because of unavailability of braille outside standard braille sheets or books. The size, weight, cumbersome process is an additional headache. We sighted people are used to the luxury of being able to see our content everywhere , be it the newspaper, medicine bottle, banner, game cards etc. Without braille blind people are reduced to only one way of communication, sound. It is not fair to expect equality using the excuse of availability of audio. The ability to use written language, understand grammar, maintain privacy, read signage and labels and most importantly, access tactile graphics for all purposes including STEM, games etc is their fundamental right . More than 50 million blind people and yet access to braille is almost 0, a fundamental means of communication and independence. Braille, tactile graphics is considered the core pillar towards achieving literacy and subsequently any opportunity to prosper. Numerous calls for braille accessibility have been made with even the EU setting out funds to improve braille tech to no avail. Focus must be brought towards making braille exponentially cheaper, easier to use and with far greater utility thus allowing it to be part of a blind person's daily life.

Our product is a portable miniature braille printer sized and shaped like a mouse

Content can be sent to the device through a number of means including voice, text, image and even through a keyboard integrated with the device. The printer can be used on sheets of any dimension and a range of materials to instantaneously print desired braille content wherever , whenever and for whatever purpose. With this device, we bring braille to an ease of usage and utility closer to how our printed content is for us.

Price of the device will be around 200 dollars and will be sold as the device(braille printer) with extra physical accessories like a standalone frame, keyboard etc. also available. While the current device is a mini braille printer, the underlying mechanism can be adapted to miniature braille readers, braille pattern simulators and even high speed commercial braille printers. Devices will also act as a hardware platform for all braille related content developed by other creators eg-education bundles, printable card game templates. Interactive features can be added as well

Our device is a braille creator, irrespective of whether it is to write or print content. We will replace tech used to execute all current braille printing tasks. We also will create utilities never known before, becoming a part of the blind person's daily life and all braille related tasks.

Target customers

Our target customers include blind people(and dear ones) of all age groups  and professions for utilization towards any printing purpose like

-Reading and creating braille content eg. Storybooks, documents, note taking, braille board games, UNO cards, label for medicines, education.

Diagrams, Graphs, Matrices, Geometry, Maps, Crossword etc

Governments and public bodies of various levels are also a major target with funds for braille tech already being present but being spent on ineffective and expensive tech. 

-Public offices like courtrooms, police stations

-Funds for blind students

Blind organizations

-Internal network

Printing Services 

-Content creation at various scales and levels of customization( our core printing technology can be scaled to standalone versions with necessary print rate)

 Private Bodies

- Accessibility compliance with respect to braille printers as well as braille signage

To truly make braille commonplace it is necessary to bring about drastic change in the technology to accommodate the complex problem statement. The problem statement is well known with continuous attempts made to improve braille tech, but the braille printer has not evolved beyond a heavy , expensive standalone device capable of limited utility printing. Other means of braille creation like typing, label making are also far too slow and cumbersome to achieve acceptance in daily life.

With provision of instant braille and tactile graphics, we aim to expand the independence of a blind person . Open up avenues previously thought impossible in education, work and daily life.

I am in my final year of college and am rejecting my job placements to pursue this venture full time after I graduate. I have been inventing for quite some time winning national accolades for some of my theories. I believe I have a strong grasp over abstract theorization and am able to combine it with the requirements of an entrepreneur. I was an international skater prior to college and believe I have the dedication required to see through my vision. All my inventions have always had a social filter. My permanent team currently involves one other member, Lalika Laya. She is a product enthusiast equally committed to solving this major global issue. Our incubator has a mentor network which we aim to utilize for support as well.

We have surveyed blind institutes throughout India like the NAB, BPA ans received ecosystem support from TATA DISQ and are engaging with global blind organizations like the NFB. We are taking feedback in the development of software and hardware features

We are the first to realise a device with such capabilities. Getting instant access and widespread utility for touch based content can transform a blind person's life.

We can act as a hardware base for all kinds of services and content creation using our device

Current devices are far more expensive and with minimal utility

We aim to individually equip every student in classrooms with the device , allowing them to freely learn, use and create touch based content as part of our pilot. 

Integrate the device into households with blind children as well as working blind professionals in India .

We use a novel mechanical system capable of the printing functionalities we have mentioned

We are still in the prototyping stage.

We aim to have around 300 devices being used as part of our pilot program starting in around 8-9 months

Before we start production, we wish to understand the mind and hassles of a blind person more deeply thus developing the best possible product for them.

We also wish to do more testing outside India to understand the difference in the problem statement.

We have just started out public outreach and are receiving assistance from Digital Impact Square, TATA to access the blind ecosystem and its stakeholders.

Our research and feedback is taking place physically out of blind schools in Guwahati , Bangalore .

We are also engaging online with NBF, USA and decision makers in the Indian ecosystem

We will generate revenue through the hardware product ie the printing mouse. 

These can be accessed either through institutions or individually to be part of daily life as well as for usage in group environments like a classroom.

We are availing support by grants from multiple sources including AMTZ, IIT MANDI CATALYST and IIT GUWAHATI. These grants support development costs and to an extent the HR costs. We will be supported till completion of prototype and to setup manufacturing as well.

Post this, we will sell our product and associated accessories to different stakeholders including blind people and people related to them, blind institutions, governments and private firms