Developers in South Korea took on a challenge: create a
smartwatch for blind and visually impaired (B&VI) people that reduces the
size, weight and cost of a braille reader by a factor of 10. Link it via
Bluetooth to a smartphone so it can receive information in text form from any
app or service. Give it full smartwatch functionality: time, timer, alarm, stopwatch,
gyroscope, accelerometer, and a 7-day battery life. Have an open API so that
anyone can develop apps and services for it.
The result? DOT, an elegant smartwatch that will change the
way B&VI people can experience daily life.
Developed in close relationship to braille educators and
with prototypes tested by thousands of B&VI people worldwide, this product
fits the actual life experiences and needs of its audience. At a cost of just
$290, over 60,000 DOTs have been pre-ordered so far. But the developers haven’t
stopped there. In the works are a less expensive version for developing
countries; integration of the DOT Active Braille Technology into public facilities
like ATMs and transportation hubs; a DOT pad for release in 2017/18;
partnerships with Google and Uber.
From a simple question: “How can we make braille readers
less expensive?” comes a visionary and life-changing solution: DOT, the first braille
smartwatch.
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