Dot Watch – A braille and tactile smartwatch

Yeah, they are really common. While I was working in braille, my grandparents would send me a new "miracle invention" for blind people every week. Fucking disgusting. I don't even understand what these companies, and sometimes even seemingly non-profit organizations get out of this. But it also seems that it is a bug in the psyche of the tech industry that we share these stories and upvote them. We are obsessed with the idea that technology is changing the world and creating a utopia. The fact that we haven't managed to come up with a new micro-actuator for braille displays in 40 years doesn't bode very well for that theory [1].

To some extent, the current technology, which is called a piezoelectric display is like a lithium ion battery. Its not like we don't have other battery technologies, it is just that lithium is enough better than the others, that no other can take hold. The piezo displays are almost silent, last a LONG time (20 years), and take very little power. They are, however, slow and bulky and not practical for mobile applications. The mechanism is so large, you cannot create a multi-row display. (edit: they are also rediculously expensive!)

There have been multirow displays using solenoid actuators. These were hand made by grad students and weighed a ton. They used a huge amount of power and got jammed easilly. Other than that, there are pneumatic displays with huge potential, but are also bulky. There are static electric displays that have life expectancy issues, and a few other technologies, like using memory springs, that tend to have speed issues. Then there are a huge number of mechanical "conveyor belt displays" which are too noisy to use in a classroom or office.

But all of the displays you see being publisized are not the ones that I am talking about. Displays like the one you linked to are totally 100% FAKE!!!

https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm00/bm0001/bm000...

What kind of logic is "people need to do something more difficult because it's easier for people who aren't the same as me"?

Also, who's to say that people shouldn't be encouraged to use audiobooks rather then read text-based liturature? When listening to an audio book I can do many other things like study for an exam or program. I can't read a book via text and write software at the same time.

I don't think we should handicap people by making them feel like it's "better" to do something that's harder for them for some reason. Blind or not.

> Another good argument she made was it's about multiplexing. What if someone wanted to learn the time while listening to an engaging conversation, they wouldn't want to stop listening just to check the time.

Most people don't wear watches and it's usualy considered rude to pull out your phone mid-convorsation. I always wear a watch and so people just say "do you have the time"?

If you can't ask Siri you can just ask whoever you're talking to. Also, if you express you want to know the time and they say "I don't know" you can then just ask Siri and tell them. It works out nicely.

Any other examples?

The original link was to the UK's RNIB, and they're pretty careful about avoiding hyped products.

https://audioboom.com/posts/5655817-the-first-braille-smartw...

They include interviews with blind people who've tried it.

They say that it's smaller, lighter, and cheaper because they use a new type of actuator that isn't "on a ceramic substrate".

The company plans to ship its first 150,000 devices by the end of the year for £300; the dot mini is an educational braille reader planned for sale for £650.

Here's a mashable link saying the product is shipping: http://mashable.com/2017/02/22/dot-smartwatch-retails/#c8Hyx...

Related: https://qz.com/192874/is-the-oculus-rift-designed-to-be-sexi...

So it is not made in AMERICA? I think they underestimate the patriotism of blind people.