Building a Braille Smartphone

3D Printing & Imaging Arduino Computers & Mobile
Building a Braille Smartphone

The first prototype !
The first prototype !

One fine day, after watching a popular TV show about people with disabilities, I got an idea of building a smartphone for the blind that is completely Braille based. With absolutely no hint of how to make it, I started working on it. I teamed up with one of the most amazing guy I know, Vidit and after overcoming a lot of issues, we built it!

The phone does not use any voice support for its operation and is completely Braille-based. Using the applications on the phone the user can send and read email, read and post tweets from Twitter, use phone-book to retrieve and store contacts, read books from memory card etc. And this isn’t all, more apps as a part of the software can be added to the phone further increasing the possibilities.

At the core of the phone is Arduino Mega board with a GSM module, fitted in a 3D printed case. On the top is an embossed touchscreen for input and below the phone is a actuator controlled Braille cell. Currently we are working more on the phone to make it more awesome.

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I gave a talk on the phone atTEDxSushantLok.

YouTube player

10 thoughts on “Building a Braille Smartphone

  1. Building a Braille Smartphone | MAKE | IT NEWS says:

    […] More: Building a Braille Smartphone | MAKE […]

  2. Rich says:

    I would love to see this video after the audio is fixed. He is wearing a lapel mic so why didn’t they dub in an understandable copy of the audio? It sounds like they recorded it using the on-camera mic from the back of the room.

  3. twnova3d says:

    3D printing is here to stay! Printers have become so accessible and affordable that soon, more than just makers and maker labs will love using them-everyone will have one. So your printer is like?

  4. DIYer ingeniously creates the Braille Smartphone with 3D printed case | DamnGeeky | DamnGeeky says:

    […] For more details, check out MakeZine. […]

  5. Building a Braille Smartphone - Arduino collector blog says:

    […] Read more on MAKE […]

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I am an innovator at heart and engineer by nature. My passion for technology drives me to design and build things. My projects in technology draws inspiration from music, photography, biology and a lot of things!

View more articles by Anandghan Waghmare

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