Stand Alone Braille Tutor (SABT)
Historically, visually impaired students have been restricted to learning braille through the outdated slate and stylus method. This method is slow and tedious, has a long feedback cycle, and requires resources that are not always readily available. An affordable technological solution is much needed in this sector.
Although commonplace to us, personal computers are a rare luxury item in developing countries. In addition, electrical power cannot be counted on due to often unstable power grids. The only reasonable option is a battery powered device.
Easy to use and providing immediate feedback, the Stand Alone Braille Tutor is a completely self sufficient package aimed to ease and accelerate the braille learning process. Running on simply four AA batteries and coming with three different skill level interfaces, this device will be able to help a wide variety of users across the globe.
The Stand Alone Braille Tutor (or SABT) was designed to help blind students learn to write using a slate and stylus. It consists of several different modes and games - modes such as Letter Practice teach the student how to write the braille figures, while games like Animal Game and Hangman allow them to practice their skills in a fun way. The SABT can be equipped with one of three different user interface boards. ThePrimary board - shown to the left - is the most simple. It teaches the students how to navigate one single brailles cell. The Intermediate and Advanced boards have electronic slates that simulate the system these students will use to write, without the need for a teacher's feedback or a lot of slate paper.