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Home Appliances for the Blind

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Appliances for the Blind

There are many exciting new developments in the world of home appliances for those who are blind or who suffer from low vision. Whether one is looking for a new range top, a microwave, the latest dishwasher, or even a new washer and dryer combo, most appliance manufacturers are becoming more innovative in their inclusion of blind-friendly tools and technology in their products. These include specially-designed displays, raised fonts and braille on appliances, and even voice-activated controls. The blind and those with low vision have never had as many exciting options to choose from as they do today.

Choosing the Right Appliance

All this being said, these features are of little or nor value unless the user first knows how to use them and is comfortable doing so. It is therefore important to spend some time in research before making such a significant and expensive investment. One of the first questions to ask is this: “What are the most important features I need in this appliance?” It is also helpful to determine one’s comfort level with technology. A refrigerator might have all of the bells and whistles (and the price tag to match), but unless you know how to take advantage of those features, they will be of little or no benefit to you.

Braille Still a Central Feature on Appliances

It is also important to determine how critical it is for braille to be included on your new appliance. Manufacturers are including braille characters with some devices, and of course they can also be added using a braille stamp machine or labeler. For those with low vision, several of the major brands are including such things as large LED-displays or raised-print fonts to allow you to easily use their products. In all cases, remember to do your research before you arrive in the showroom. It is easier to succumb to the pressure of a salesperson if you haven’t first decided what you actually need beforehand. Happy shopping!

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Filed Under: Advancements, Blindness, Support, Technology Tagged With: , , ,

Braille Technology Today

Braille Technology Today

Advances in Braille technology are making it possible for many in the blind community to more easily read and write using braille. Some of these devices are designed to produce Braille books, while others give people the ability to read books and information using a computer or the Internet. As you would expect, some of these are both easy to use and inexpensive, while others are more complex and come with a higher price tag. Listed below are a few of the many tools now available for braille users to employ in schooling, work or home.

Slate and Stylus

In the inexpensive column, perhaps the most basic and easy tools to use are the slate and stylus. In many ways similar to using pencil and paper, slates are created by placing two thin sheets of plastic or metal together with a hinge to attach them in place. The slate is then opened in order to hold a piece of paper. At the top there are several rows of openings that match the shapes and sizes of Braille cells. The user then takes a stylus, which is a pencil-like object with a handle, to emboss or indent dots onto the paper being held by the slate. The indentations on the slate are designed to keep the stylus from tearing the paper below. Both slates and styluses are available in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors.

Braille Displays

On the more advanced and expensive side, braille displays are machines built with a row of cells or characters made of metal or plastic pins. These pins are then controlled by use of computer, moving up and down while displaying, in braille, the various characters are they appear on the display. One of the exciting aspects of this technology is its flexibility, given that it changes according to the user’s movements on the computer monitor. Generally these displays sit beneath a computer keyboard.

Filed Under: Advancements, Braille, Technology Tagged With: , ,

Braille in the New World

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Traditional Braille in Decline

The numbers are striking. Based on recent surveys, there are close to 60,000 children in the United States that are legally blind. Of these, it is estimated that only ten percent or less of these children are using Braille as their main means of reading. In comparison, it is estimated that close to 50% of legally-blind children were using Braille in 1960. Although there are several reasons for this decline, including decreases in school budgets and changing philosophies regarding how blind children should be educated, the biggest impact has likely come from technological advancements.

Technology Opening New Doors to the Blind

Particularly among young people, the development of technological tools such as speech readers, audio books and Braille writers have led to a decrease in this age group’s use of traditional Braille. Although some in the blind community have concern over this, it is generally considered to be a positive development. If the goal is to increase the range and depth of learning for the sight-impaired, then the means employed to obtain this should be of secondary importance. Using advanced technology also has positive social ramifications for legally-blind children, since use of the Internet and more particularly social networks such as Facebook, give these children ample opportunity to develop new connections.

Braille Still a Doorway to the World

Without question, the learning of Braille should still be encouraged among all age groups and social classes. Just as learning the piano is considered an important gateway to learning how to play any other musical instrument, learning Braille prepares children that are blind to more easily learn and use all of the more cutting-edge tools available for learning now available in the 21st century. Although those without vision certainly still face hurdles as they make their way through a sightless world, technology is increasingly knocking those hurdles down, or at the least making them easier to clear. Everyone with an interest in seeing the blind successfully make their way toward a meaningful life should be engaged in promoting any and all tools that will lead to this objective.

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Filed Under: Advancements, Braille, General Tagged With: , , ,

Braille in the New World

The numbers are striking. Based on recent surveys, there are close to 60,000 children in the United States that are legally blind. Of these, it is estimated that only ten percent or less of these children are using Braille as their main means of reading. In comparison, it is estimated that close to 50% of legally-blind children were using Braille in 1960. Although there are several reasons for this decline, including decreases in school budgets and changing philosophies regarding how blind children should be educated, the biggest impact has likely come from technological advancements.

Technology Opening New Doors to the Blind

Particularly among young people, the development of technological tools such as speech readers, audio books and Braille writers have led to a decrease in this age group’s use of traditional Braille. Although some in the blind community have concern over this, it is generally considered to be a positive development. If the goal is to increase the range and depth of learning for the sight-impaired, then the means employed to obtain this should be of secondary importance. Using advanced technology also has positive social ramifications for legally-blind children, since use of the Internet and more particularly social networks such as Facebook, give these children ample opportunity to develop new connections.

Braille Still a Doorway to the World

Without question, the learning of Braille should still be encouraged among all age groups and social classes. Just as learning the piano is considered an important gateway to learning how to play any other musical instrument, learning Braille prepares children that are blind to more easily learn and use all of the more cutting-edge tools available for learning now available in the 21st century. Although those without vision certainly still face hurdles as they make their way through a sightless world, technology is increasingly knocking those hurdles down, or at the least making them easier to clear. Everyone with an interest in seeing the blind successfully make their way toward a meaningful life should be engaged in promoting any and all tools that will lead to this objective.

Filed Under: Advancements, Braille, General, Support, Technology Tagged With: , , ,

The Value of Braille Relates to Perceptions of the Blind

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Braille Essential for Both Employment and Enjoyment

Recent data suggests that 90% or more of the blind presently employed at least part-time in the United States are Braille readers. This important statistic hints at an even more important idea: Braille is an essential tool in the pursuit of independence and achievement for the blind and sight-impaired. Without it they are certainly faced with a more daunting climb toward equality. Knowing Braille gives the blind their best chance at reaching goals and objectives that might otherwise be unachievable. This is true both for their hopes of success in employment as well as in finding enjoyment in entertainment. Rather than being dependent on what someone else has determined is worthy of being recorded to audio, the blind have access to a much wider range of texts that have been printed in Braille versus those only recorded to CD.

The Value of Braille Relates to Perceptions of the Blind

Unfortunately, there are some who believe that the fact that it takes effort to learn Braille and that there is now technology available to replace it are sufficient reasons to discourage continued efforts to teach Braille to children. This angers many in the blind community, and for good reason. They argue that this viewpoint reveals a prejudice against the blind, specifically as it relates to their expectations of the blind’s potential for advancement and full equality. Every effort that can be made to revive the learning of Braille among children should be heartily pursued. This will insure that they control their own futures, rather than having those futures limited or controlled by others.

Changes Come Incrementally

Rather than applying a broad brush to this problem, it is best to approach it in as local a way as possible. This means that change will start at the individual level. As advocates for the blind, whether these are parents, educators, or government and business leaders, decide to emphasize the learning of Braille to blind children, the tide can be reversed. It’s not too late to start.

Filed Under: Braille, General, Support Tagged With: , , , ,

Braille Technology Today

Advances in Braille technology are making it possible for many in the blind community to more easily read and write using braille. Some of these devices are designed to produce Braille books, while others give people the ability to read books and information using a computer or the Internet. As you would expect, some of these are both easy to use and inexpensive, while others are more complex and come with a higher price tag. Listed below are a few of the many tools now available for braille users to employ in schooling, work or home.

Slate and Stylus

In the inexpensive column, perhaps the most basic and easy tools to use are the slate and stylus. In many ways similar to using pencil and paper, slates are created by placing two thin sheets of plastic or metal together with a hinge to attach them in place. The slate is then opened in order to hold a piece of paper. At the top there are several rows of openings that match the shapes and sizes of Braille cells. The user then takes a stylus, which is a pencil-like object with a handle, to emboss or indent dots onto the paper being held by the slate. The indentations on the slate are designed to keep the stylus from tearing the paper below. Both slates and styluses are available in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors.

Braille Displays

On the more advanced and expensive side, braille displays are machines built with a row of cells or characters made of metal or plastic pins. These pins are then controlled by use of computer, moving up and down while displaying, in braille, the various characters are they appear on the display. One of the exciting aspects of this technology is its flexibility, given that it changes according to the user’s movements on the computer monitor. Generally these displays sit beneath a computer keyboard.

Filed Under: Braille, General, Support, Technology Tagged With: , , , ,
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