Technology benefiting the visually impaired has been making great strides in recent years, with devices like the GPS and smartphone-equipped BlindSpot cane and clever Braille iPad case concept design. The Braille-It Labeler, presented by inventor Ted Moallem at the A Better World by Design conference, allows visually impaired users to easily create helpful labels.
The device uses a simple six-button design that allows blind or visually impaired users to print out adhesive labels in Braille. The labels are invaluable for identifying everyday items like medicine containers, food packaging, or audio devices, which is essential for both productivity and safety.
The Braille system was developed in 1825 by Frenchman Louis Braille, and was used by about 50% of legally blind school-aged children in 1960. Since that time, though, usage has declined in developed countries, with most visually impaired people preferring to use computers with screen reader software instead. Devices such as the Braille-It Labeler would presumably be invaluable in poorer countries where access to computers is limited.
It can also be built from scratch by visually impaired individuals, which is a huge boon to visually impaired workers everywhere. Moallem successfully tested the construction at a workshop in India last year, where blind trainees were able to teach other users how to create their own Braille-It.
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