Connecting the dots: India’s first Braille Laptop “DotBook” launched by IIT-Delhi

New Delhi, Mar 1: The social inclusion and creation of equal opportunities of everyone, is a core of Indian constitution, But some time due to lack of resources, the Divyangjan has to compromise with their education and other opportunities. To address this issue, IIT-Delhi developed and Launched India’s first Braille Laptop “DotBook”.

Focusing on creating Independent Access to Digital Content for the Visually Impaired (VI), a feature-packed, user-friendly and affordable Braille Display called Dot Book has been developed. This Dot Book was collaboratively developed by IIT-Delhi, KirtiKal Solutions Pvt.Ltd, Pheonix Medical Systems, and Saksham Trust New Delhi supported by Wellcome Trust.

For equal opportunities and access in education and employment, DocBook is a certain helpful influence for the visually impaired community, where hassle-free, independent access to the digital world has emerged as a key factor in everyday living, education, and work.

DotBook is being launched in two variants: DotBook 20P: 20-Cell Braille Variant with Perkins Keys and DotBook 40Q: 40-Cell Braille Variant with QWERTY Keyboard.

The product will be manufactured, maintained and marketed by Kritikal Solutions, Noida while its key component, that is the 10-cell Refreshable Braille Cell modules, will be manufactured, maintained and marketed by Phoenix Medical Systems, Chennai.

DotBook is built on IIT Delhi’s patented Shape Memory Alloy Technology that helps bring this cost down by almost 60% so that helps make this solution accessible to the millions who were previously un-catered-to. This becomes very significant as low-income countries contribute to over 90% of the world’s visually impaired population.

According to Prof M. Balakrishnan, IIT Delhi, project-lead, “DotBook represents an excellent example of user-oriented applied research. On one hand, it is not only inter-disciplinary in nature as it brings together advanced techniques in mechanical, low power electronics, software, and UI design together but is also a result of sustained efforts over four years of a multi-organizational team comprising academics, two industry partners and a user organization.”

Dipendra Manocha, Managing Director, Saksham Trust and President of the DAISY Forum of India, shared that “DotBook opens up Digital life to Braille users. It creates an eco-system that allows people who read and write in Braille, to communicate seamlessly with the rest of the world using normal print. It is so heartening to see the cost reduction that DotBook offers to this wonderful solution”.

Here are 8 Features you need to know about Dot Book-

· DotBook is a device with a Braille display for accessing digital content

· You can use DotBook as an impartial device to read, write, listen, browse and edit the information from multiple sources

· DotBook can be connected to computers, laptop, mobile trough cable, WiFi, data card and Bluetooth

· DotBook has a rechargeable battery for 8 hours of back up.

· DotBook is developed by IIT-Delhi, took 5 years to finally become a product

· According to researchers, this device will help approximately 1.3 crore people\

· Globally 40 cell refreshable Braille devices cost around $ 2,500, but DotBook will cost almost 60% less than available devices.

· DotBook's features include Email, Calculator, Web Browser and comes with a QWERTY Keyboard.