Touch Graphics, Inc. SBIR Phase I Award,

This project develops and evaluates a prototype of the Kinetic Braille Keyboard Adapter, a non-electronic keyboard that mounts on any size iPad to improve input of braille directly into a smartphone or tablet. Currently, to enter braille directly into a smart tablet braille writers tap fingers against the small keyboard displayed on the smooth glass, resulting in fingers breaking contact with the screen as they type. This can be particularly troublesome for novice users as they may lose orientation and tap outside the small keyboard region of the corresponding keys causing errors and interruptions. The Kinetic Braille Keyboard Adapter allows users to maintain continuous contact with all of the keys, so orientation is never lost thus eliminating errors caused by shifting finger positions. As users press down on the nine spring-loaded keys, conductive finger-tip sized pegs protruding from the underside of the keys strike the touchscreen, creating electrical pathways between the user’s fingers and the touchscreen surface, to activate on-screen virtual buttons. When finger pressure is reduced, the spring-loaded keys move back to the “up” position, breaking contact with the screen, to produce the desired letter. This project conducts a field test with eight teachers of students with visual disabilities who write and read braille. Researchers measure students’ speed and accuracy in typing words and phrases in braille using the Kinetic Braille Keyboard Adapter mounted on an iPad Mini compared to equivalent tasks using an iPad with a virtual braille keyboard only. Expected outcomes include commercial development of the Kinetic Braille Keyboard Adapter prototype that may be mounted to any iPad to improve the typing speed and accuracy of novice braille writers and promote self-efficacy of individuals who are blind or have low vision.