DEVICE FOR MECHANICALLY RENDERING BRAILLE USING MOTION HAPTIC STIMULATION TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

A device comprising rotating cylindrical shafts to create a virtual sensation of Braille text by integrating a microprocessor with microdrive actuators. The microdrive's shafts are flush or level with the device's display surface thereby emulating the standard diameter and feel of a Braille dot or Braille space. This sensation of a rotating dot is the result of the top face of the shafts positioned flush with the device's display surface. Actuators that alternate between rotating shafts and shafts at rest produce Braille cell dots and spaces, respectively.

Claims

1. A device for generating braille characters comprising a display surface having a plurality of braille characters, wherein each of the plurality of braille characters includes a two-column by three-row configuration of braille dots, wherein each dot of the two-column by three-row configuration is provided by one or more microdrive actuators connected to a shaft, wherein the one or more microdrive actuators are capable of spinning the shaft, and wherein an end of the spinning shaft provides a tactile dot on the display surface of the device.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising one or more touch sensors capable of activating all or a portion of one or more rows of braille characters.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of braille characters are activated by a computer processing unit to generate one or more tactile patterns on the display surface.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the tactile pattern represents an image, object, and/or shape.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising an adjustment mechanism for increasing or decreasing a speed of the one or more spinning microdrive actuators.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the end of the spinning shaft is crowned with a cylindrical cap.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the end of the spinning shaft is crowned with a 1.44 mm cylindrical cap.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of braille characters are in a 25 column by 40 row array.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the display surface is capable of providing braille for one or more pages of conventionally displayed print or pixel text.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The accompanying drawings illustrate certain aspects of some of the embodiments of the present invention, and should not be used to limit or define the invention. Together with the written description the drawings serve to explain certain principles of the invention.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective rendering of the reading surface of the tablet display cells as 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional displays of various tactile circles, squares, and other shapes, objects, and images.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a rendering of microdrive actuator speed control which can allow users to find the optimal tactile sensation of the cell dots or spinning actuator discs by reducing or increasing the rotation speed of the microdrive shafts to find the most comfortable setting.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a perspective rendering of one or more touch sensors being activated by physical contact with an individual braille reader's finger(s) and will respond to the fingers swiping or otherwise interacting with the braille dots by turning on a programmable number of preceding and/or proceeding rows of braille.

[0020] FIG. 4 is a perspective rendering of the device showing microdrive actuators, each microdrive actuator causing the cap to spin, or rotate.

[0021] FIG. 5 is a rendering showing microdrive actuator speed control than can allow users to find the optimal tactile sensation of the cell dots or spinning actuator discs by reducing or increasing the rotation speed of the microdrive shafts to find the most comfortable setting.

[0022] FIG. 6 is a rendering showing one or more touch sensor which can be activated by physical contact with an individual braille reader's finger(s) and will respond to the fingers swiping or otherwise interacting with the braille dots by turning on a programmable number of preceding and/or proceeding rows of braille.

[0023] FIG. 7 is a rendering showing when the device is turned on and translating written text to Braille, each microdrive actuator causes the cap to spin, or rotate. It is a user's cumulative experience of touching the spinning caps flush or level with the interface, which correspond to the Braille dots.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] In the following description some elements may not be indicated on some figures if they were already identified in preceding figures. It should also be understood herein that the elements of the drawings are not necessarily depicted to scale, since emphasis is placed upon clearly illustrating the elements and structures of the present embodiments.

[0025] The present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments having various features. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the practice of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. One skilled in the art will recognize that these features may be used singularly or in any combination based on the requirements and specifications of a given application or design.

[0026] Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0027] The input/output interfaces may be used in conjunction with the computer-executable code and electronic databases. The user interface may allow a user to perform these tasks through the use of Braille equivalents of text fields, check boxes, pull-downs, command buttons, and the like. A skilled artisan will appreciate how such features may be implemented for performing the tasks of this disclosure. The user interface may optionally be accessible through a computer connected to the internet. In one embodiment, the user interface is accessible by typing in an internet address through an industry standard web browser and logging into a web page. The user interface may then be operated through a remote computer (client computer) accessing the web page and transmitting queries or receiving output from a server through a network connection.

[0028] In embodiments, the invention described herein provides for refreshable Braille displays possible of being programmed and manufactured more efficiently and less expensively than currently available Braille e-readers, allowing for such technology to be more vastly disseminated to the visually-impaired community.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a rendering of the device comprising a tablet or tablet computer with a tactile interface display and microprocessor that is enclosed in a light-weight casing approximately 11 inches wide and 11 inches tall, although the device may be smaller or larger. In FIG. 1, the device also comprises a means of inputting data A, such as by wired or wireless communication or an information port (e.g., a USB port or Bluetooth). It is approximately 1.5 inches thick but in some cases may be thinner or thicker. In FIG. 2, the tablet display may conform to the standard Braille cell configuration and cell array per page. In FIG. 2, each line may be 25 cells in length, with 40 lines per page, a total of 1000 cells. All lines may be counted from the top of the page, regardless of whether or not they contain Braille. The device may allow for more or less cells or characters. In addition to the 1000 cells of Braille, the device may comprise a speaker and a microphone for a built-in intelligent assistant that enables users to speak voice commands to operate the Braille device and its computer software applications (e.g., voice recognition software). In other aspects, the device may comprise internal or external batteries or power sources, sensors, cameras, memory, processors, and means of communication, such as an antenna and wireless communication capabilities (e.g., Bluetooth and Wi-Fi). In FIG. 2, the device can have a microdrive actuator speed control adjustment mechanism 3 which can allow users to find the optimal tactile sensation of the cell dots or spinning actuator discs by reducing or increasing the rotation speed of the microdrive actuator shafts to find the most comfortable setting.

[0030] In embodiments, the reading surface of the tablet can display cells or characters of braille as well as 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional displays of various tactile circles, squares, and other shapes, objects, and images. Braille cells or characters are formed using 2 column by 3 row matrices. Tactile images can be formed using a pointillism technique to create shapes and fields. This inventive technique can employ some, all, or each braille dot, through its off or on status, to create patterns of lines and fields to form an image, by way of example. In embodiments, this can be accomplished by programming (e.g., independently programming) some, all, or each of the tablet's braille microdrive actuators (in cases, 6000 braille microdrive actuators) to on or off status. A file format can deliver the image to a microprocessor which will control the status of each microdrive actuators to be part of a field or line that compiles the image. The result is a tactile sensation created by the braille dots that allows blind braille readers to explore images of, by way of example only, graphs, objects, symbols, and anything else that can be rendered in 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional form. As shown in FIG. 3, the reading surface of the tablet can display cells as 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional displays of various tactile circles, squares, and other shapes, objects, and images.

[0031] In embodiments, the refreshable braille tablet will employ 6000 microdrive actuators to create 1000 cells of braille. In embodiments, each cell employs 6 microdrive actuators in a 23 array driven by, for example, MEMS actuators. In aspects, each of these six microdrive actuator cell arrays can be bundled in a casing that allows a 23 configuration of microdrive shafts to be contained in a single container. In embodiments, six pack casing can constructed with material to shield magnetic radio frequency interference that might be generated by the microdrive actuators. In other embodiments, less or more than 6000 microdrive actuators can be used depending on how many cells of braille are used on the tablet device. In embodiments, as shown in FIG. 4, each of these six microdrive actuator cell arrays can be bundled in a casing that allows a 23 configuration of microdrive actuator shafts to be contained in a single container.

[0032] In embodiments, the microdrive actuator's surface disc rotational speed can be controlled by incorporating a rheostat working as a variable resistor, by way of example. This function of the braille reading surface allows readers to customize the tactile sensation of the microdrive actuators to improve resolution of each actuator's spinning disc surface. Microdrive actuator speed control will allow users to find the optimal tactile sensation of the cell dots or spinning actuator discs by reducing or increasing the rotation speed of the microdrive shafts to find the most comfortable setting. Optimal can be defined as dot sensation that has the highest resolution and produces the least amount of braille fatigue for the user. The adjustment mechanism can be one or more of a dial, knob, switch, lever, slide, key, button, or other physical mechanism understood by one of skill in the art that could be used to indicate a desire to increase or decrease speed. In embodiments, the adjustment mechanism can be via voice control whereby a user will command the spinning speed to increase or decrease using a voice command and the processor will instruct the spinning speed according to the command. As shown in FIG. 5, microdrive actuator speed control will allow users to find the optimal tactile sensation of the cell dots or spinning actuator discs by reducing or increasing the rotation speed of the microdrive shafts to find the most comfortable setting.

[0033] In embodiments, one or more touch sensor can be embedded or otherwise included in the tablet device or on the tablet reading surface. The one or more touch sensor can be integrated with the microdrive actuators. In aspects, the one or more touch sensor is activated by physical contact with an individual braille reader's finger(s) and will respond to the fingers swiping or otherwise interacting with the braille dots by, for example, turning on a programmable number of preceding and/or proceeding rows of braille. In aspects, readers' fingertips will be detected by the one or more touch sensor and will activate a reduced number of rows of braille cells behind and in front of fingertip contact thus saving battery power. In an example, the one or more touch sensor can take haptic input from the user and determine which rows should be activated to anticipate ready forward or returning to braille text that has been read for further examination and reflection. In aspects, each physical stroke that the one or more touch sensor records or senses can be sent to a microprocessor that controls the braille displayed according to the reader's finger position on the reading surface. In embodiments, a braille row can turn on when the one or more touch sensor senses a user's fingertip on that row. This can also work on a row by row basis, a multiple row by multiple row basis, and/or on a braille dot by braille dot basis. As shown in FIG. 6, one or more touch sensor can be activated by physical contact with an individual braille reader's finger(s) and will respond to the fingers swiping or otherwise interacting with the braille dots by turning on a programmable number of preceding and/or proceeding rows of braille.

[0034] The Braille characters are created, in aspects, by shafts topped by 1.44 mm plastic caps that are attached to microdrive actuator shafts. These caps may be made of other material in addition to plastic, and may be longer or shorter but will preferably adhere to the standard diameter of Braille dots. In embodiments, microdrive actuator assemblies can comprise mounts and 3 individual actuators. In embodiments, two assemblies can produce a conventional six dot Braille cell/character for the device.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 7, when the device is turned on and translating written text to Braille, each microdrive actuator can cause the cap to spin, or rotate. It is a user's cumulative experience of touching the spinning caps flush or level with the interface, which correspond to the Braille dots. When the caps are at rest, the user senses a space in the Braille cell. Dots and spaces combine to create the perception of a Braille alphanumeric character. By alternating spinning caps and caps at rest, the user will read the virtual dots (and spaces) as a Braille character. As shown in FIG. 7, when the device is turned on and translating written text to Braille, each microdrive actuator causes the cap to spin, or rotate. Spin and rotate are used interchangeably herein. It is a user's cumulative experience of touching the spinning caps flush or level with the interface, which correspond to the Braille dots.

[0036] In aspects, the display surface will use sensors to detect when the device is in use. In use is defined as when the device is powered up and/or the user is reading Braille text (or anything else) on the tablet display (e.g., the user's hand or fingers are in contact with the display). When the device is in use mode the microdrive actuators can be powered up. In embodiments, when the user removes his/her hands from the display surface (or the device), the device will sense this and power down to save battery life.

[0037] In another embodiment of a method of using the tablet device, the refreshable braille tablet can deliver, for example, on-demand, self-directed learning modules for teaching braille reading. The learning modules can employ a voice activation or voice control microprocessor or mechanism that delivers braille instruction and allows the user to activate or control or interact with the learning modules' content by using their voice, as opposed to pressing buttons to use a touchscreen interface device. In aspects, a microprocessor can use artificial intelligence to recognize and process language commands and queries using a software layer. Chatbots with artificial intelligence systems can guide users with personalized, just-in-time, or real-time feedback or assistance. These chatbots can answer questions about course content or structure. This immediate feedback system can help users keep track of their own learning while keeping them motivated and engaged. The voice activation and interaction can employ chatbot technology and bypass any requirement for physical controls on the tablet (e.g. on/off switch). It can also allow the braille learner to interact with directions/commentary of a braille instructor during lessons. The chatbot can suggest questions about the content and areas for future inquiry that are customized for each user. It can change the reading level of the braille text and also include supplemental tactile images and tactile animations to help users understand the braille instruction.

[0038] Testing of a Prototype to Test Two Dimensional Braille Concept

[0039] A model of the device was created to prototype and test the concept of a two-dimensional rotating disc serving as a Braille dot instead of the conventional three dimensional raising/lowering pin. A five Braille cell device was fabricated. The intent was to have a blind subject use the prototype to determine if he or she could identify alphanumeric characters using the prototype's rotating microdrive shafts aligned in the standard two-dot column by three-dot row creating a conventional six dot cell. The subject was not told in advance what alphanumeric characters were to be displayed. The subject was a blind 28 year old employed by a state agency for the blind and visually impaired who taught Braille. The subject was able to identify each character correctly in all attempts.

[0040] Embodiments of the invention also include a computer readable medium comprising one or more computer files comprising a set of computer-executable instructions for performing one or more of the calculations, steps, processes and operations described and/or depicted herein. In exemplary embodiments, the files may be stored contiguously or non-contiguously on the computer-readable medium. Embodiments may include a computer program product comprising the computer files, either in the form of the computer-readable medium comprising the computer files and, optionally, made available to a consumer through packaging, or alternatively made available to a consumer through electronic distribution. As used in the context of this specification, a computer-readable medium is a non-transitory computer-readable medium and includes any kind of computer memory such as floppy disks, conventional hard disks, CD-ROM, Flash ROM, non-volatile ROM, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and RAM. In exemplary embodiments, the computer readable medium has a set of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform tasks, based on data stored in the electronic database or memory described herein. The processor may implement this process through any of the procedures discussed in this disclosure or through any equivalent procedure.

[0041] In other embodiments of the invention, files comprising the set of computer-executable instructions may be stored in computer-readable memory on a single computer or distributed across multiple computers. A skilled artisan will further appreciate, in light of this disclosure, how the invention can be implemented, in addition to software, using hardware or firmware. As such, as used herein, the operations of the invention can be implemented in a system comprising a combination of software, hardware, or firmware.

[0042] Embodiments of this disclosure include one or more computers or devices loaded with a set of the computer-executable instructions described herein. The computers or devices may be a general purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a particular machine, such that the one or more computers or devices are instructed and configured to carry out the calculations, processes, steps, operations, algorithms, statistical methods, formulas, or computational routines of this disclosure. The computer or device performing the specified calculations, processes, steps, operations, algorithms, statistical methods, formulas, or computational routines of this disclosure may comprise at least one processing element such as a central processing unit (i.e. processor) and a form of computer-readable memory which may include random-access memory (RAM) or read-only memory (ROM). The computer-executable instructions can be embedded in computer hardware or stored in the computer-readable memory such that the computer or device may be directed to perform one or more of the calculations, steps, processes and operations depicted and/or described herein.

[0043] Additional embodiments of this disclosure comprise a computer system for carrying out the computer-implemented method of this disclosure. The computer system may comprise a processor for executing the computer-executable instructions, one or more electronic databases containing the data or information described herein, an input/output interface or user interface, and a set of instructions (e.g. software) for carrying out the method. The computer system can include a stand-alone computer, such as a desktop computer, a portable computer, such as a tablet, laptop, PDA, or smartphone, or a set of computers connected through a network including a client-server configuration and one or more database servers. The network may use any suitable network protocol, including IP, UDP, or ICMP, and may be any suitable wired or wireless network including any local area network, wide area network, Internet network, telecommunications network, Wi-Fi enabled network, or Bluetooth enabled network. In one embodiment, the computer system comprises a central computer connected to the internet that has the computer-executable instructions stored in memory that is operably connected to an internal electronic database. The central computer may perform the computer-implemented method based on input and commands received from remote computers through the internet. The central computer may effectively serve as a server and the remote computers may serve as client computers such that the server-client relationship is established, and the client computers issue queries or receive output from the server over a network.

[0044] One skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosed features may be used singularly, in any combination, or omitted based on the requirements and specifications of a given application or design.

[0045] When an embodiment refers to comprising certain features, it is to be understood the embodiments can alternatively consist of or consist essentially of any one or more of the features. Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention.

[0046] It is noted in particular that where a range of values is provided in this specification, each value between the upper and lower limits of that range is also specifically disclosed. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included or excluded in the range as well. The singular forms a, an, and the include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary in nature and that variations that do not depart from the essence of the invention fall within the scope of the invention. Further, all of the references cited in this disclosure are each individually incorporated by reference herein in their entireties and as such are intended to provide an efficient way of supplementing the enabling disclosure of this invention as well as provide background detailing the level of ordinary skill in the art.

[0047] As used herein, the term about refers to plus or minus 5 units (e.g., percentage) of the stated value.

[0048] Reference in the specification to some embodiments, an embodiment, one embodiment or other embodiments means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments is included in at least some embodiments, but not necessarily all embodiments, of the inventions.

[0049] As used herein, the term substantial and substantially refers to what is easily recognizable to one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0050] It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is not to be construed as limiting and are for descriptive purpose only.

[0051] It is to be understood that while certain of the illustrations and figure may be close to the right scale, most of the illustrations and figures are not intended to be of the correct scale.

[0052] It is to be understood that the details set forth herein do not construe a limitation to an application of the invention.

[0053] Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out or practiced in various ways and that the invention can be implemented in embodiments other than the ones outlined in the description above.