[NFBMI-Talk] Weekly Newsletter From The Braillists Foundation - Published Friday, April 21

Sat Apr 22 17:40:05 UTC 2023

Hello and a continued happy spring to everyone within reach of this message.

This should not be considered an official endorsement from the NFB or
from any of its subsidiaries.  But this has captured my attention, so
I am sharing out of a desire to provide a service to the blind public
and to those who serve blind children and adults.

I have been receiving some interesting messages lately from the
Braillists Foundation, a charitable, incorporated organization
registered in England and Wales.  The Braillists is a grass-roots
community group offering high quality training and support to emerging
and established braille users.  They also work with family members,
friends, colleagues and teachers of braille users, and connect braille
users with braille technology developers and funders.  They have a
bi-weekly Zoom chat known as The Braille Bar, where Braille
enthusiasts from around the English-speaking world are encouraged to
congregate.  The next one of these is on Tuesday, April 25 beginning
at 2:30 PM Eastern Time U.S.  Register at
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtdOyopjMiHdyORwRuXacnY9IrA4lVN2Bh#/registration

Leading consumer and advocacy organizations of the blind always have
stood for Braille, and even more so with the growing availability of
ways we can interact with the digital world using electronic,
refreshable Braille.  But we have always sailed into formidable
headwinds while trying to bring Braille into our everyday digital
experience.  Traditionally, we have become used to the fact that
electronic Braille, though a great thing to have, is often too
expensive to own or too exclusive to put to  practical use.  Since the
sighted world does not use, nor does it understand, notetakers
designed with the blind in mind, this state of affairs all too often
imposes barriers to notetaker-trained blind people.  This is because
if you learned technology using a blindness notetaker in your
elementary and secondary school, you find quickly after entering the
"real world" that, as a rule, you are not equipped or trained to study
and work using the same software packages or online platforms that
your sighted peers, professors, and supervisors are expecting you to
use.

Orbit Research and several collaborators are preparing to launch two
products that could change all that.  The Notey Notetaker is one that
is especially appealing to those on a limited budget but who are most
comfortable entering data into a computer using a Perkins-style
Braille input method instead of a qwerty keyboard.  It does not have a
display for Braille output.  But the Notey is a Windows 11 machine
that fits into the palm of your hand, sporting an Orbit Writer
keyboard and speech output, for approximately $450.  I say
approximately because there is a build-your-own aspect to Notey, and
the price depends on whether you already have a JAWS license and
various accessories that enable you to run and charge the device.  It
is available today.  Details on how to customize and purchase the
Notey Notetaker are found in the online user manual:
https://notey-project.com/2023/03/07/notey-user-manual-v1-0-2/.

The second solution, not available for purchase just yet, is the
Optima, which was just introduced to the world at CSUN in California
and which is being called a Braille laptop.

"AccessMind and Orbit Research announced the launch of the Optima™
Braille Laptop Computer today at the 38th Annual CSUN Assistive
Technology Conference. Providing all the capabilities of a
state-of-the-art laptop computer and adding complete modularity and
flexibility in hardware and software, the Optima Braille Laptop
pioneers an entirely new class of products ... offering all the power,
features, functionality, configurability and upgradability that people
have come to expect from common desktop computers. It is an optimal
combination of a full-featured mainstream computer with braille and
speech output and a QWERTY keyboard in a sleek and compact handheld
form-factor; a high-performance Windows-based machine that can
accomplish any task from word-processing and internet-surfing to
highly demanding professional workloads such as video editing and
software development. It is the only product that puts users in
complete control by offering them complete configurability before they
purchase it and full upgradability after.

"The modular platform allows users to configure every aspect of the
hardware and software. Built upon state-of-the-art hardware, the
Optima offers the latest generation of Intel Core i5 and i7 laptop
processors, memory options from 8GB to 64GB, onboard storage from
256GB to a massive 2 terabytes and beyond. A choice of braille
technology options is also available – Orbit’s signage-quality and
affordable TrueBraille™ or traditional piezo cells.  With the latest
WiFi 6E standard and Bluetooth 5.2 technology, Optima allows fast and
reliable wireless network speeds. The product is also the first
Thunderbolt 4 certified Braille device, offering industry-leading data
transfer capabilities with speeds of up to 40 GBPS. It also includes
the peripherals expected in a high-performance mainstream laptop, such
as high-quality stereo speakers, beam-forming microphones, and a
fingerprint sensor and adds accessibility enhancements such as haptic
(vibration) feedback."
https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/622005751/accessmind-and-orbit-research-announce-the-optima-braille-laptop-computer

This higher-end Optima solution is not yet available, but is expected
to be on the market sometime in Q1 2024.

I have included, in case anyone wants more, the latest edition of the
Braillists Foundation newsletter.  Enjoy.

Cordially,

Kane Brolin

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: The Braillists Foundation <newsletter at braillists.org>
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2023 17:17:47 +0000
Subject: Braille Bar on Tuesday, Please Note New Link! + More News and Events
To: kbrolin65 at gmail.com

Welcome to your weekly update from the Braillists Foundation.

Braille Bar on Tuesday, Please Note New Link!
Welcome to the summer term! We are kicking things off on Tuesday at
7:30 PM with our popular Braille Bar. No question is too small, from
kit to code – just ask and our experts will assist you!

However, we have made one important change: we are now asking people
to register for the Braille Bar. This is to bring it into line with
all of the other meetings we run, and will help streamline some work
we are doing behind the scenes on our email reminders.

You will only need to register once to gain access to all of our
Braille Bars. Registration is free, and upon successful registration
you will receive a link to add the Braille Bar to your calendar. You
will also receive a reminder of your unique joining link a few hours
before each Braille Bar.

We hope this will not impose any barriers to people attending. If you
do encounter any difficulties, please email us on help at braillists.org
(mailto:help at braillists.org) and we will be glad to assist you.

if you usually join the Braille Bar by phone, the details are still the same.

Register for the Braille Bar here:
https://braillists.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f8b3c5f851151c8180717ff70&id=157ec8522b&e=d7c3737036
(https://braillists.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f8b3c5f851151c8180717ff70&id=5d7c189adb&e=d7c3737036)

Or, to join by phone, use these details:
* Phone number: 0131 460 1196
* Meeting ID: 880 3508 8878
* Passcode: 123456

Orbit Research and AccessMind Announce Integration of the Framework
Ecosystem into the Optima Braille Laptop Computer
We’re excited to announce that the Optima Braille Laptop Computer will
integrate the Framework Ecosystem! The highly customizable, upgradable
and repairable platform will offer unprecedented flexibility and
performance to assistive technology products.

The Framework ecosystem is known for its modular design, which allows
users to easily replace and upgrade individual components such as the
processor, memory, and storage. This makes it easy to keep the device
up to date and running smoothly, and also reduces electronic waste by
minimizing the need for full device replacements. In addition, the
Framework Laptop is built with sustainability in mind, using recycled
materials and providing detailed information about the origin and
environmental impact of each component.

The Optima transforms the assistive technology landscape which has
traditionally seen custom-designed proprietary computing products, by
offering all the power, features, functionality, configurability and
upgradability that people have come to expect from common desktop
computers. It is an optimal combination of a full-featured mainstream
computer with braille and speech output and a QWERTY keyboard in a
sleek and compact handheld form-factor; a high-performance
Windows-based machine that can accomplish any task from
word-processing and internet-surfing to highly demanding professional
workloads such as video editing and software development. The Optima
is the only product that puts users in complete control by offering
them configurability before they purchase it and full upgradability
after.

** A plain text version of the press release is included below:
------------------------------------------------------------

The ecosystem brings mainstream performance and flexibility to the
assistive technology space, marking the end of the era of proprietary
notetaker devices

Wilmington, Delaware – April 6, 2023 –

Orbit Research, a leader in the field of assistive technology,
announced today that the company will integrate the Framework
ecosystem into its products starting with the Optima Braille Laptop
Computer from AccessMind, a new enterprise founded by Orbit Research
and a team of veteran software developers. The highly customizable,
upgradable and repairable platform will offer unprecedented
flexibility and performance to assistive technology products.

The Optima transforms the assistive technology landscape which has
traditionally seen custom-designed proprietary computing products, by
offering all the power, features, functionality, configurability and
upgradability that people have come to expect from common desktop
computers. It is an optimal combination of a full-featured mainstream
computer with braille and speech output and a QWERTY keyboard in a
sleek and compact handheld form-factor; a high-performance
Windows-based machine that can accomplish any task from
word-processing and internet-surfing to highly demanding professional
workloads such as video editing and software development. The Optima
is the only product that puts users in complete control by offering
them configurability before they purchase it and full upgradability
after.

“We’re amazed to see how Orbit Research has leveraged modules from the
Framework ecosystem to enable a high-performance braille laptop” said
Nirav Patel, CEO of Framework. “We designed our modules from the start
to be reusable outside of the Framework Laptop, but this goes beyond
anything we envisioned.”

The Framework ecosystem is known for its modular design, which allows
users to easily replace and upgrade individual components such as the
processor, memory, and storage. This makes it easy to keep the device
up to date and running smoothly, and also reduces electronic waste by
minimizing the need for full device replacements. In addition, the
Framework Laptop is built with sustainability in mind, using recycled
materials and providing detailed information about the origin and
environmental impact of each component.

“By integrating the Framework ecosystem into the Optima braille laptop
computer, we are able to offer a level of configurability,
upgradability and repairability that has never been possible in the
assistive technology market. Orbit’s quarter-century of experience in
designing and manufacturing highly complex and advanced systems such
as the Graphiti have enabled us to engineer the Optima in a manner
that offers the flexibility of the Framework ecosystem with the
robustness of the Orbit TrueBraille platform while accommodating it in
the unique ergonomic and compact form-factor of the Optima.” said
Venkatesh Chari, CEO of Orbit Research and co-founder and CEO of
AccessMind. “This allows us to provide users with truly innovative and
sustainable products that will meet their needs for years to come. For
far too long, users have only had the choice of traditional braille
notetakers which are extremely expensive, have very limited hardware
capabilities, and lock users into a closed system that
is obsolete the day it is released. These notetakers require both
students and teachers to learn specialized proprietary user-interfaces
and then re-learn the use of mainstream computing platforms such as
Windows or Mac computers as they enter the workforce. The Optima
changes this forever. Orbit’s disruptive educational and braille
products have set the bar for breakthrough functionality, performance,
quality and affordability by developing solutions based on mainstream
manufacturing practices. Integration of this flexible platform is yet
another milestone in our journey towards leveling the playing field by
introducing to the assistive technology industry the benefits of
cutting-edge mainstream computing technology, and the ease of
configurability and upgradability that the Framework ecosystem
pioneers.”

“We believe that technology should be accessible to everyone,
regardless of their abilities or needs,” said Adi Kushnir, co-founder
and CTO of AccessMind and a veteran developer of assistive technology
software. “By integrating the Framework ecosystem, we are taking an
important step towards making that goal a reality. The Optima offers a
no-compromise solution that bridges the gap between mainstream and
assistive technology products by providing options in configurability,
not only in hardware but also in software. Having been built to run
standard Windows, the Framework ecosystem is future-proof with respect
to operating system updates and the Optima also offers AccessMind’s
specially developed BrailleUI software. BrailleUI provides a simple
notetaker-like custom-designed braille-first user experience for a set
of common applications such as a book reader, braille editor,
calculator and file manager to seamlessly bridge the gap between a
simple dedicated user interface and the mainstream
Windows experience.”

The Optima will be available in Q1 2024 and customers will be able to
choose from a variety of configurations and customization options,
including different state-of-the-art processors, memory, storage,
braille technologies and keyboard layouts.

Visit www.orbitresearch.com/product/Optima for more information.

** About Framework:
------------------------------------------------------------

Framework is a San Francisco-based company that creates technology
products with sustainability, customization, and repairability in
mind. Its flagship product, the Framework Laptop 13, is a highly
customizable and upgradable laptop computer that features a modular
design, easy repairability, and detailed information about the origin
and environmental impact of each component. For more information,
visit https://braillists.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f8b3c5f851151c8180717ff70&id=4c6c1f1d51&e=d7c3737036.

** About Orbit Research:
------------------------------------------------------------

Orbit Research is a global leader in the development of innovative and
affordable products for people who are blind and visually impaired.
Founded with the mission to fulfill the urgent need for affordable
assistive technology products, the company has introduced breakthrough
products like the Orion family of accessible scientific and graphing
calculators, the Orbit Reader family of refreshable braille displays,
the Orbit Slate family of multi-line refreshable braille displays, and
the Graphiti family of tactile graphic displays that define the
state-of-the-art in features, functionality, and affordability.

** About AccessMind:
------------------------------------------------------------

AccessMind is a new enterprise founded by Orbit Research and a team
comprising Adi Kushnir and Avi Mann, with a mission to transform the
Assistive Technology industry by bringing the benefits of mainstream
technologies to products for people who are blind or visually
impaired. With decades of experience in the Assistive Technology
industry and a proven track record in developing world-leading
breakthrough products and technologies at affordable prices, the
AccessMind team brings a unique combination of a modern, innovative
mindset and tremendous depth of skills and experience to usher in a
new era in Assistive Technology.

** Contact details:
------------------------------------------------------------

Carla Morris
Orbit Research LLC
Tel: +1-888-606-7248
Email: morris.carla at orbitresearch.com (mailto:morris.carla at orbitresearch.com)
https://braillists.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f8b3c5f851151c8180717ff70&id=9221702b18&e=d7c3737036

AccessMind and Orbit Research announced the launch of the Optima™
Braille Laptop Computer
Anaheim, California – March 14, 2023 –

AccessMind and Orbit Research announced the launch of the Optima™
Braille Laptop Computer today at the 38th Annual CSUN Assistive
Technology Conference. Providing all the capabilities of a
state-of-the-art laptop computer and adding complete modularity and
flexibility in hardware and software, the Optima Braille Laptop
pioneers an entirely new class of products.

Traditional braille notetakers are extremely expensive, have very
limited hardware capabilities, lock users into a closed system that is
obsolete the day it is released and offer software upgrades that are
few and far between. These notetakers require both students and
teachers to learn specialized proprietary user-interfaces and then
have to re-learn the use of mainstream computing platforms such as
Windows or Mac computers as they enter the workplace.

The Optima changes this forever by offering all the power, features,
functionality, configurability and upgradability that people have come
to expect from common desktop computers. It is an optimal combination
of a full-featured mainstream computer with braille and speech output
and a QWERTY keyboard in a sleek and compact handheld form-factor; a
high-performance Windows-based machine that can accomplish any task
from word-processing and internet-surfing to highly demanding
professional workloads such as video editing and software development.
It is the only product that puts users in complete control by offering
them complete configurability before they purchase it and full
upgradability after.

The modular platform allows users to configure every aspect of the
hardware and software. Built upon state-of-the-art hardware, the
Optima offers the latest generation of Intel Core i5 and i7 laptop
processors, memory options from 8GB to 64GB, onboard storage from
256GB to a massive 2 terabytes and beyond. A choice of braille
technology options is also available – Orbit’s signage-quality and
affordable TrueBraille™ or traditional piezo cells.

With the latest WiFi 6E standard and Bluetooth 5.2 technology, Optima
allows fast and reliable wireless network speeds. The product is also
the first Thunderbolt 4 certified Braille device, offering
industry-leading data transfer capabilities with speeds of up to 40
GBPS. It also includes the peripherals expected in a high-performance
mainstream laptop, such as high-quality stereo speakers, beam-forming
microphones, and a fingerprint sensor and adds accessibility
enhancements such as haptic (vibration) feedback.

Optima’s hardware flexibility extends to its ports, allowing users to
pick any four from a wide range of popular ports including, USB Type
C, USB A, HDMI, SD cards and storage expansion modules. The modular
ports offer plug-and-play interchangeability and can even be swapped
on the fly. Optima also provides a Braille Terminal mode and can be
connected to any smartphone or computer and used as a braille display
and keyboard.

The software on the Optima Braille Laptop is equally flexible. The
unit comes pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 11 operating
system, the best mainstream computing platform for accessibility and
productivity. With Optima, users no longer have to use out-of-date
versions of operating systems or wait for the device vendor to push
updates to them. They can always stay secure and up-to-date through
Microsoft’s upgrade facilities. Since it is a standard Windows
computer, the user also has a choice of screen readers, with support
for NVDA, JAWS, Narrator, and Supernova screen readers. The Optima
comes with the NVDA Screen Reader pre-installed, configured with
speech and braille output and ready to use out of the box.

For users who prefer a dedicated braille-optimized user interface, the
Optima includes AccessMind’s specially developed BrailleUI software.
BrailleUI provides a simple notetaker-like custom-designed
braille-first user experience for a set of common applications such as
a book reader, braille editor, calculator and file manager to
seamlessly bridge the gap between a dedicated user interface and the
mainstream Windows experience. BrailleUI also includes high-quality
speech synthesis from Cerence (Vocalizer), in addition to the voices
built into the Windows operating system.

Weighing just over 3 lb. and measuring 11.7 x 7.5 x 1.3 inches, the
Optima is compact and lightweight but rugged and durable. The Optima
Braille Laptop will begin shipping in the first quarter of 2024.

After the transformative changes that have been brought about in the
educational and professional assistive technology field by Orbit’s
breakthrough products such as the Orbit Reader and the Graphiti, the
Optima now further levels the playing field by offering a
no-compromise solution that bridges the gap between mainstream and
assistive technology products.

Visit www.orbitresearch.com/product/Optima for more information.

** About Orbit Research:
------------------------------------------------------------

Orbit Research develops and manufactures innovative and affordable
products that enable an independent lifestyle for people who are blind
or visually impaired. Founded with the mission to fulfill the urgent
need for affordable assistive technology products, the company has
introduced breakthrough products like the Orion family of accessible
scientific and graphing calculators, the iBill Talking Banknote
Identifier Orbit Reader family of refreshable braille displays, the
Orbit Slate family of multi-line refreshable braille displays, the O
and the Graphiti family of interactive tactile graphic displays that
define the state-of-the-art in features, functionality, convenience,
and affordability. For more information, visit www.orbitresearch.com.

** About AccessMind:
------------------------------------------------------------

AccessMind is a new enterprise founded by Orbit Research and a team
comprising Adi Kushnir and Avi Mann, with a mission to transform the
Assistive Technology industry by bringing the benefits of mainstream
technologies to products for people who are blind or visually
impaired. With decades of experience in the Assistive Technology
industry and a proven track record in developing world-leading
breakthrough products and technologies at affordable prices, the
AccessMind team brings a unique combination of a modern, innovative
mindset and tremendous depth of skills and experience to usher in a
new era in Assistive Technology. For more information, visit
www.accessmind.net.

** Contact details:
------------------------------------------------------------

Carla Morris
Orbit Research LLC
Tel: 1-888-606-7248
Email: morris.carla at orbitresearch.com (mailto:morris.carla at orbitresearch.com)
www.orbitresearch.com

** The brochure text follows –
------------------------------------------------------------
* All-in-one Braille laptop computer
+ 40 braille cells
+ QWERTY Keyboard
* Mainstream Hardware and Software
+ Latest-generation Intel Core i5 and i7 laptop processors
+ Microsoft Windows 11 and beyond
* Modular design is fully configurable before you buy it and
upgradable after you do
+ Braille technology options – Orbit TrueBraille™ or Piezo
+ Processors – Intel Core i5 or i7
+ Memory – 8GB to 64GB
+ Storage – 256GB to 2TB
* Powerful Connectivity
+ Latest WiFi 6E standard
+ Bluetooth 5.2
+ The first Thunderbolt 4 certified Braille device
* Choice of popular ports – pick any 4 you want
+ Wide range of hot-swappable ports, Plug-and-Play interchangeability
+ Thunderbolt/USB C, USB A
+ HDMI
+ SD Card
* BrailleUI – Braille-optimized user interface
+ Simple notetaker-like interface
+ Built-in apps: braille editor, calculator, book reader, file manager
+ High-quality Cerence (Vocalizer) TTS voices
+ Easily switch between BrailleUI and standard Windows
* Choice of screen-readers
+ Pre-installed with NVDA
+ Narrator, JAWS, Supernova
* Mainstream peripherals you expect
+ High-quality stereo speakers
+ Microphone
+ Fingerprint sensor
+ Haptic (vibration) feedback
* Braille Terminal Mode
+ Connect as a braille display and keyboard
+ Operate your smartphone or PC
* Compact, lightweight and rugged
+ 3.4 lb., 11.7 x 7.5 x 1.3 inches
+ 1.5 kg, 29.6 x 19.0 x 3.3 cm

NewHaptics Awarded NSF SBIR Phase II Grant to Develop Microfluidic
Technology for a Multiline Braille and Graphical Tactile Display
Award supports advancement of microfluidic technology in pursuit of
developing an affordable refreshable braille and tactile graphics
display for blind people

ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ —

NewHaptics, an innovative tactile display technology company,
announced today it has been awarded a Phase II Small Business
Innovation Research (SBIR) grant by the U.S. National Science
Foundation (NSF). This $1M grant is the fourth SBIR award received by
NewHaptics to date and supports the company’s continued progress
towards delivering a multiline refreshable braille display for the
blind at an accessible price point.

This assistive technology will enable increased access to braille in
digital form and enable blind people to read and interact with
digitized spatial content including mathematical equations, graphs,
and maps. It supports NewHaptics’ mission to improve information
access for people who are blind and enable them to reach information
parity with their sighted counterparts, particularly in Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. The device,
along with its supporting software, will help remove barriers to
collaboration in classrooms and workplaces and in document preparation
in the workplace. Achieving this will increase braille literacy,
create opportunities to enter careers in STEM, and ultimately help
support the employment success and independence of people who are
blind.

** About NewHaptics
------------------------------------------------------------

NewHaptics was founded with the goal of improving the lives of people
who are blind by enabling true digital interaction using the sense of
touch. The company has its roots in the affectionately named “Holy
Braille Project” funded in part by the National Science Foundation
that focused on developing novel technology to enable the creation of
a large-area tactile display for the blind. Since spinning off from
the University of Michigan in 2018, NewHaptics has raised funding from
federal and state grants to support research and development.

Please visit the Company’s website at newhaptics.com and connect on
Twitter and LinkedIn for more information.

Braille Pen Pals on Facebook
One of our members has drawn attention to this Facebook group, which
we thought might be of interest.

If you have a Facebook account and would like a braille pen pal,
please click here to join the Braille Pen Pals Facebook group
(https://braillists.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f8b3c5f851151c8180717ff70&id=9cb263e45f&e=d7c3737036)
.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Our mailing address is:

Braillists
G11, BV Studios
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Bristol,  BS3 4EA
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