BrailleMe

Innovision seeks to revolutionize assistive technology globally particularly in developing countries like India where price sensitivity is high. Products targeted at persons with disability have traditionally been highly priced and been unaffordable for 90% of world disabled population.

Our low cost ($400) digital Braille tablet - BRAILLEME enables accessibility in their own script at 1/10th price of traditional products. It has been ideal for students for easy access to books, note-taking and for working professionals pairs with computers - and screen readers enabling both Braille and audio. Digital, affordable and multilingual - users can surf the internet, read books, and connect to their mobile and computer. Its portable design and long-lasting battery is perfect for daily use thus empowering the visually impaired globally.

BrailleMe is currently being deployed across 20+ countries and has demonstrated significant impact in education, employment and overall inclusion for the community

40 million blind persons globally struggle to access both printed and digital resources leading to literacy decrease to 10% and employment to 30%. For centuries Braille has been their only script supporting over 100 languages globally for education. Braille is critical for skills such as spelling, grammar, analytics and contextual learning. 

Assistive technology to support computers and smart phones have been audio based and limited by lack of script, language support (English predominantly) and privacy. The existing aids cater to <10% blind population due to unaffordable prices $3000-$8000.

The global blind population is 40 million and is expected to increase to 76 million by 2020 according to WHO with 90% living in low income settings. Our focus has been 20 million individuals with early age blindness who learn Braille and use it in daily life across education (0-18 years) and professional use (18-60 years). 

Education - BrailleMe has direct implementation substituting for Braille kit in schools reducing dependence of visually impaired candidates on high cost, limited availability printed Braille and scribes for exams. 

Economic Opportunity - BrailleMe as assistive technology aid for computer based employment opportunities with digital Braille support giving benefits of speed, multi-language, random access, contextual reading and accurate spelling in their professions. 

In today's scenario most resources and growth opportunities require ability to access the digital world. The ability to access modern digital devices without the limitations of visual screens and touch pads in their own tactile form will open vast opportunities in terms of employment for the community specially those based on computer skills such as data entry, banking, coding, etc and also traditional content dependent professions like teacher, lawyer, 

BrailleMe is Innovsion’s flagship product – a digital tactile tablet for a visually impaired person. It has an electronic - fast, smooth 20-cell 6-dot Braille display designed to give paper-like crispness. It has a Brailler style keypad and cursor buttons for dynamic typing. It is ideal for students for easy access to books and note-taking as well as for working professionals with compatibility with computers and screen readers and enabling a seamless experience of Braille and audio. Digital, affordable, and multi-lingual it has demonstrated impact. Powered by our patented Braille cell technology, it is 1/10th the cost of traditional braille devices.

Key features of BrailleMe:

• On-the-go access: to braille books and standard sighted text content too
• Note taking: create, edit and store documents. This replaces the strenuous method of stylus and slate for work and note-taking
• Exams: BrailleMe makes students independent. Rather than having scribes, now students can themselves give exams themselves
• Multi-language: BrailleMe supports all major Indian languages and common global languages, making it user-friendly for the thousands of students in different geographies
• Controlling smartphone: One of the biggest challenges with touchscreen smartphones is typing and navigation. BrailleMe can connect to smartphones via Bluetooth and through BrailleMe the user can navigate the entire smartphone. It has full support for Android & iOS devices 
• Using it with computers:  connect Braille Me to computers via USB. Once connected, they can do word, excel, internet surfing, coding etc in Braille. This will dramatically enhance the employability of visually impaired. It has full support for Windows & Mac devices 
• Portable: carry this device in a small bag wherever they go. With a long-lasting battery, it is a perfect solution for rural and urban.

BrailleMe has also been recognized globally by - 
> Louis Braille Touch of Genius Prize- NBP USA awarded at CSUN San Diego 

> Siemens Empowering People Award - Finalist - awarded for impact

> ASME Hardware ISHOW - Best Hardware Innovation - Global (NY)

The innovation is the principle of Braille cells of our in-house developed actuator technology based on magnetism instead of piezoelectricity for existing electronic Braille products ($2500-$8000) in market today. This technological innovation reduces product cost by a factor of 10 ($400) making it affordable for the untapped (90%) target market--blind individuals living in low income settings. 

Additionally BrailleMe also supports on-device real time translation support from sighted text to Braille and vice versa - a critical user requirement to reduce dependence on custom braille content which is bulky, expensive and limited in availability. BrailleMe brings about true inclusion with this functionality.

Our multi-language software capability has enabled us to cater to demand in diverse geographies and customize BrailleMe for local use in each region. BrailleMe currently supports language support both user interface and translation capability for 15 languages such as English, French, Spanish, German, Hindi, Arabic, turkish along with regional Indian languages like Marathi, tamil etc. 

BrailleMe's USP and its competitive edge is in both hardware and software innovation. We have filed both Indian and US patents for our novel magnetic actuators which enable the steep price advantage over competitor piezoelectric actuators. BrailleMe has been developed to open up the digital world to the visually impaired community and make it accessible. In order to maximize its impact it has been built to work seamlessly across devices and operating systems.

It pairs with a computer or laptop - Windows - via USB connection and provides user both Braille and audio functionality pairing with open source and most popular screen reader NVDA along with Windows own screen reader software - Narrator.

It enables user to operate any iOS device comfortably through bluetooth pairing and compatibility with Voiceover - their built in screenreader to give Braille and audio access to user including Apps like Kindle etc

It provided full functionality both Braille and audio with Android devices such as smart phones and tablets by means of Bluetooth pairing and Google's accessibility software TalkBack and BrailleBack opening up numerous Apps and a wide range of functionality today such as internet, messaging, and e-books.

Our ability to bring about a technological revolution in the lives of the visually impaired is further supported by global policy push towards inclusion and inclusive design with this movement being spearheaded by tech giants like Apple, Google, Microsoft and Amazon by making their digital services accessible to the Blind.

Our product BrailleMe has been commercially launched through partnership with local distributors for international geographies. The distributor caters to the demand in their territory and this model has been proven in both India and the global market with 10 distributors already engaged in sale of BrailleMe. 

The decision making for the blind is governed by trusted influencers – blind schools, Braille teachers, resource centers, vocational training centers. who are mission aligned with us. The B2B target is large Govt. and Non-Govt. Organizations driving policy at national (Ministries, institutes NAB, NFB, RNIB) and international level (ICEVI, World Blind Union, ICRC,) who have been promoting low cost electronic Braille, as customers who would then distribute to individuals through their grassroots level reach. 

The target user behaviour is similar across developing countries driven by income limitations and is hence showing potential for scalability across regional languages too. Our existing distributors are already engaged in sale of assistive technology products for 10+ years and enjoy a strong relationship with the customers.

This price has been validated with target customers both B2B and B2C during sales from an affordability point of view in both India and global market. The business will generate revenue from the sale of the product having ~ 60% profit margin. The sale in FY 2018-19 is 600 units with revenues of INR 1 crore. The company targets sales of 10,000 + units by the third year catering to both Indian and global demand. 

BrailleMe is currently selling in India and multiple territories globally through our international distributor collaborations - in US, UK, France, Germany, South Africa, East Africa, Turkey and Middle East (20 Arabic speaking countries through master distributor based in Saudi Arabia). Domestic sales spread pan-India through distributors and channel partners assisting with language localization and training support for different regions in India. Since launch in July 2018 - 600+ units sold

- Empowering VI schools in Telangana, AP with Saksham--Hyderabad, Guntur
- Working with 3 blind schools in Mumbai for use of BrailleMe in the classroom
- Deployed across model school in Chennai with 40 units funded by CSR
- Training professionals in computer based jobs for workplace efficiency
- Providing support for multiple-languages including regional Indian languages
- Aiding bank employees, HR Managers, Professors in their office work
-Training visually impaired in computer training centres across India
-Enabling visually impaired college students- IIT Bombay in their PhDs
-Deployed with computer centres- St Xavier's, Ruia College, Anna University
-Educating visually impaired school children- CM Fellowship Haryana
-Equipped deaf blind with digital braille for ease of communication with sighted
-Assisting sighted teachers/ parents schools to teach visually impaired children
-Accessing millions of books, documents etc

The company targets sales of 10,000 + units by the third year catering to both Indian and global demand. We would also be looking at cross subsidizing the cost for users and organizations in low income settings through CSR and Govt. Schemes for welfare of the persons.

The progress of the project will be measured using the following indicators:

- Braille accuracy - ability of the users to read and type Braille on our device with accurate conversion and electronic representation on the tactile screen
- Multi-language - implementation of text to Braille conversion and reverse translation in regional languages
- School adoption - utility of BrailleMe as a replacement for traditional printed material - Braille kit and volunteer writers in education for exams
- Employment opportunities - testing of BrailleMe software for compatibility and usage in jobs like BPO, data entry, banking, and teaching. 

Pricing - Impact on spending on assistive technology for a visually impaired user - to assess affordability in the long term 

Reach - geographies or countries reached by BrailleMe through distributor tie-ups Goals over next year - 50 countries, 20 languages, 1000 devices

The prize money and SOLVE network  would be utilized as follows - 

- Product - Scaling language support - auto translation of content - sighted to braille and reverse - Manpower - Software team + VI employees 

Marketing - global conference showcases - since users prefer touch and feel 

Awareness - partnerships with large global policy bodies or influencers - 

Consultancy - FCC certification and EU patents 

In addition to the prize money we would seek to utilize the recognition to network and engage with organizations like USAID, UNESCO, International Red Cross Society etc to help scale

Market - limited penetration of digital Braille competitor products in developing countries due to their high cost. Hence customer adoption will depend upon targeted promotion by trusted influencers - teachers, vocational trainers and policy drivers. 

Regulatory - requirements for deployment of BrailleMe would involve undertaking the following safety certifications-

FCC : Since the modules used in our product are pre-certificed by their respective manufacturers, the effort and time required would be around 2 months
CE: a self-certification system required for EMI/EMC compliance - we have passed CE certification for BrailleMe
UL mark is provided if a product complies with all safety requirements for electronic products
Battery safety certification - has already been completed for the Lithium Ion battery being used in BrailleMe

Operational - user behaviour for the visually impaired is divided into developing and developed countries. Since user is geographically distributed- tapping into existing logistics channels such as Fedex, DHL for our sales and after sales service with respect to warranty and repair.

Market - Our target is to tap into their support through mission aligned partnerships. We are also focusing on ease of use with design specific to their special needs and language localization. We will also be creating easy training modules and user support material (audio & braille). The market risk is being balanced by partnerships to create awareness and hands on demos with organizations. 

Regulatory - requirements for deployment of BrailleMe would involve undertaking the following safety certifications- 

FCC : Since the modules used in our product are pre-certificed by their respective manufacturers, the effort and time required would be around 2 months 

Operational - user behaviour for the visually impaired is divided into developing and developed countries. Since user is geographically distributed- tapping into existing logistics channels such as Fedex, DHL for our sales and after sales service with respect to warranty and repair.

 Surabhi Srivastava (Co-founder & Business Lead) - IIT Bombay alumni (2015) integrated BTech & MTech, Metallurgical Engineering & Material Sciences; Background of strategy consulting and social entrepreneurship.

Shyam Shah (Co-founder & Product Lead) - IIT Bombay alumni (2015) integrated BTech and MTech in Energy Science & Engineering; Background of product development and technical R&D. Spearheading technological R&D and innovation for past 3.5 years. 

Innovision has a dedicated team working across verticals - 

Hardware R & D: Innovision's core R&D team comprises of an electronics and mechanical engineering vertical lead by the company founder Shyam Shah
includes electronics engineering, PCB design, mechanical design and engineering and design for manufacturing. 

Software development: Innovision's software team has also built the embedded system and UI-UX for the BrailleMe device and comes from experience of embedded devices.

Production: Innovision's production capability is a combination of high quality vendors and fabricators as well as the company's internal procurement, assembly and QC teams. 

Customer Support: the customer support involves training, user documentation and repair related services. The logistics coordinator and global logistics partners have experience of engagement of BrailleMe in the global market . 

The user training is carried out by the visually impaired Braillists on Innovision's team which has enabled the training material as well as process to be very intuitive for the trainers or end customers. The detailed accessible manuals, guides and audio and video lessons have been a great tool for remote training of the existing customers of BrailleMe. 

Operations: Innovision's business development team looks after project management including reporting, financials and monitoring and lead by company's co-founder Surabhi Srivastava who has undertaken project funded by the US Government Department of State under USISTEF grant project for which she was the India lead. Innovision has collaborated with Pennsylvania State University in the US on inclusive design of BrailleMe, US field trials and deployment

- Saksham & NAB (India), NBP (US), Blind SA (South Africa), Modern Solutions (East Africa), Bassam (Arabic speaking countries of North Africa and Middle East), Beyyid (Turkey and European countries), Comp Room Services (UK), CECIAA (France), NCBM (Malaysia) as distribution partners for BrailleMe

Louis Braille Touch of Genius Prize - National Braille Press USA for revolutionary Braille focused innovation - awarded at CSUN 2018 at San Diego - refreshable Braille quality validation - intl jury of expert Braillists 

- ASME Hardware ISHOW Best Hardware Innovation - validation for hardware of BrailleMe and guidance on production and QC. 

-UNESCO shortlisted among top 10 candidates globally -King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the Use of ICTs in Education

- Siemens Empowering People network and awards - validation of business model and impact - guidance for scaling BrailleMe 

-US India Science & Technology Endowment Fund ‚DST India and US Dept of State - funding for commercialization 

-India Innovation Growth Program - Lockheed Martin, Tata Trusts, FICCI - mentorsip for go-to-market

Our product BrailleMe has been commercially launched through partnership with local distributors for international geographies. The distributor caters to the demand in their territory - both B2B sales (organizations catering to the blind) and B2C (blind individuals) sales. The model has been proven in both India and the global market with 10+ distributors already engaged in sale of BrailleMe globally.  

The decision making for the blind is governed by trusted influencers – blind schools, Braille teachers, resource centers, vocational training centers. These institutions are mission aligned with us and will be benefitted from BrailleMe use at their institutes and would be strategic collaborators in awareness and outreach.

 The B2B target is large Govt. and Non-Govt. Organizations driving policy at national (Ministries, institutes NAB, NFB, RNIB) and international level (ICEVI, World Blind Union, ICRC,) who have been promoting low cost electronic Braille, as customers who would then distribute to individuals through their grassroots level reach. The target user behaviour is similar across developing countries driven by income limitations and would hence have scalability across regional languages too. 

The model has revenue generation from distributor sales of BrailleMe with margins for distributor contribution towards customer care, distribution and marketing. The price of the product at commercial scale will be INR 25000 in developing countries and differentiated pricing of USD sub USD 650 for developed countries. The distributors engaged are already engaged in sale of assistive technology products for 10+ years and enjoy a strong relationship with the customers.

The company has revenue generation built into its strategy and would have sales of BrailleMe devices as a steady revenue stream. The price of the product at commercial scale will be INR 30000 in developing countries and differentiated pricing of USD 650 for developed countries. This price has been validated with target customers both B2B and B2C during sales from an affordability point of view in both India and global market. The business will generate revenue from the sale of the product having ~ 60% profit margin. 

The sale in FY 2018-19 is 600 units with revenues of INR 1 crore. The company targets sales of 10,000 + units by the third year catering to both Indian and global demand. We would also be looking at cross subsidizing the cost for users and organizations in low income settings through CSR and Govt. Schemes for welfare of the persons.

If selected as a Solver, we would use the resources and prize funding as follows -
BrailleMe - Product - Scaling language support - auto translation of content - sighted to braille and reverse - Manpower - Software team + VI employees - support from SOLVE in terms of grant / prize money 

Marketing - global conference showcases - since users prefer touch and feel - platforms for showcase from SOLVE - access to network - large aid organizations, Govt programs  

Awareness - partnerships with large global policy bodies or influencers - access to UNESCO, UNICEF, etc 

Consultancy - FCC certification and EU patents - technical support - funding support 

In addition to the prize money we would seek to utilize the recognition to network and engage with organizations like USAID, UNESCO, International Red Cross Society etc to help scale

NA

Innovision would love to partner with the following organizations to scale impact of BrailleMe - 

Amazon - explore collaboration for making e-books accessible to the blind community in Braille and pilot digital libraries for them with e-pub accessible formats from Kindle 

Pearson - they are leading on the publisher front in innovation for making books accessible at time of publishing and we would love to explore BrailleMe as the hardware tool for digital braille access for the visually impaired 

USAID - pilots with their literacy programs in developing countries for special education and inclusion - evaluation for scaling through USAID global programs 

UNICEF - collaboration for education programs for children with disabilities - under their focus area of assisitive devices and braille material for the visually impaired 

WHO - list of priority assistive devices - engage for pilots and evaluation for this for BrailleMe 

Not Applicable 

GM Prize on Community-Driven Innovationhe invests in solutions that are fostering prosperity and social mobility for underrepresented community members. 

Digital access in today's world is a critical component of Prosperity and Social Mobility - and even more so for persons with Disability - a historically under represented and often neglected community globally. Innovision's affordable digital Braille tablet - BrailleMe is in alignment with the Community-Driven Innovation Challenge. 

Education and economic opportunity for any individual specially with information and services has shifted from print to digital over the last decade. From a classroom in any college or university to skill development and employment - computers / tabs / mobiles form a crucial component of inclusion and growth. Additionally access to internet - which has been globally recognized as a powerful tool of empowerment can also not be leveraged without digital accessibility.

BrailleMe is bringing the digital world at the fingertips of the global visually impaired community in their own script Braille at 1/10th the cost of existing competitor products. It enables a blind user anywhere in the world to read sighted content in txt format or through apps like Kindle, connects them to the internet, empowers them with Excel- Powerpoint-  coding and informs them through social media. 

Prize money of $ 25000 would be utilized towards adding translation capability for additional languages and reaching out to new geographies in addition to being leveraged to create awareness about BrailleMe and its impact in this digital revolution.

Not Applicable

Not Applicable 

Not Applicable

The Morgridge Family Foundation invests in solutions that are boldly sparking change through innovation, disruption, and transformation to some of today's biggest challenges. Innovision's affordable digital Braille tablet - BrailleMe is in alignment with the Community-Driven Innovation Challenge. 

Digital access in today's world is a critical component of both education and economic opportunity for any individual specially with information and services shifting from print to digital over the last decade. From a classroom in any college or university to skill development and employment - computers / tabs / mobiles form a crucial component of inclusion and growth. Additionally access to internet - which has been globally recognized as a powerful tool of empowerment can also not be leveraged without digital accessibility.

BrailleMe is bringing the digital world at the fingertips of the global visually impaired community in their own script Braille at 1/10th the cost of existing competitor products. It enables a blind user anywhere in the world to read sighted content in txt format or through apps like Kindle, connects them to the internet, empowers them with Excel- Powerpoint-  coding and informs them through social media. 

Prize money of $ 25000 would be utilized towards adding translation capability for additional languages and reaching out to new geographies in addition to being leveraged to create awareness about BrailleMe and its impact in this digital revolution.

Not Applicable