Orbit Research and the Transforming Braille >Group Announce Agreement to Produce Low-cost Refreshable Braille Display > >WILMINGTON, DE â August 6, 2015 â Orbit Research >LLC and the Transforming Braille Group LLC are >pleased to announce an agreement to produce a >low cost, refreshable braille display. > >Orbit, an international engineering company >based in Wilmington, Delaware, specialising in >high quality, low cost products for blind and >partially sighted people, will be undertaking >the research, development and manufacture of this unique product. > >The Transforming Braille Group LLC is a global >consortium of organisations of and for the blind >which is investing $1m in the project. > >The objective of the project is to produce a >stand-alone 20-cell refreshable braille display >for $300 (or ã200) which will bring refreshable >braille within the reach of children in >developing countries and will provide libraries >in developed countries with a viable alternative >to hard copy braille. The product will be launched at CSUN in 2016. > >The display is designed to work through USB and >Bluetooth connectivity with 'smart' phones and >tablets. It is not intended to compete with high >specification refreshable braille display >already on the market, primarily used in >education and employment but is intended to >bring braille displayed e-books to a wide audience at an economical price. > >"The agreement with TBG is a landmark in our >journey to develop and manufacture essential >products at an affordable cost through the >application of mainstream technology in unique >and innovative waysââ¬Â said Dr. Gina Spagnoli, >Orbit Researchââ¬â¢s Founder. ââ¬ÅWhile each of >our previous products has brought a multi-fold >improvement in the state of the art in terms of >performance, cost, size and features, we are >thrilled that through this partnership with TBG, >we will be able to offer a game-changing product >that will impact the daily lives of millions of >blind people across the worldââ¬Â > >TBG President, Kevin Carey said: "At last we >have a technology which will guarantee the >survival of braille. It has been my >long-standing, publicly stated objective to find >a disruptive technology which will radically >force down the cost of refreshable braille so >that the world's digital content becomes >available in a tactile format. This new device >will bring braille within the price range of >educators in developing countries and will >enable most blind people to access e-books and >other internet material without resorting to specialist libraries." > >TBG estimates that its new product will retail >at a unit cost less than 20% of the current market price. > >Contact details: >Kevin Carey, President, >Transforming Braille Group LLC >Tel: +44(0)1273 834321 >Email: <mailto:humanity@xxxxxxxxxxx>humanity@xxxxxxxxxxx >www.Transformingbraille.org (under construction) > >Carla Morris >Orbit Research LLC >Tel: 1-888-606-7248 >Email: <mailto:morris.carla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>morris.carla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >www.orbitresearch.com > David Andrews and long white cane Harry. E-Mail: dandrews@xxxxxxxx or david.andrews@xxxxxxxxxx _______________________________________________ napub mailing list napub@xxxxxxxxxx to view the list archives, go to: www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to: optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the quotes) in the message subject. Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a message to: optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the quotes) in the message subject.