Published on 07/30/2006
Forget expensive gadgets that type out documents for the blind - a quartet of mechanical engineering undergraduates at John Hopkins have designed a cheap and portable Braille writing device that does not run on any electronic components. This easy-to-assemble device costs around $10 and operates in a pure, mechanical environment. It has 6 buttons that can be used to produce all the possible letters, numbers, or punctuation mark as found in the Braille language. This device speeds up the typing process, enabling a blind person to emboss up to 6 marks simultaneously as compared to the traditional 1 mark at a time.