Digitally controlled Braille and tactile graphic jet printing

ended

The number of visually impaired people is continuously increasing in Europe and at the same time these people do not have the possibility to have full access to available visual content. They are restricted by the availability of content in Braille or tactile format. BrailleJet offers a multifunctional device (printer, scanner & photocopier) at an affordable price to be used at home freely and simply. BrailleJet uses a novel powder depositing method (patented by one of the partners) that allows the accurate placement of powder on a normal sheet of paper that is fused onto the surface to produce a tactile print. The operational model of our technology (buy the device, use normal paper and change the cartridge) is very similar to the inkjet operational model and therefore the commercialisation of such product can be modelled similarly to inkjet printers. Assistive technologies at present are usually available only in specialised stores, whereas BrailleJet will also be available in large electrical stores at estimated price of 250€ per device. We have completed a phase 1 project and have reached valuable results in our feasibility study through the user tests of our validated prototype with blind and partially sighted people. We have also built important networks with leading European associations and blind stores who have validated the commercial need for our product and expressed their unanimous interest in the future exploitation of this technology. With the help of the associations we have managed to collect exact information on the market size and have segmented our potential customers. There are 26.3 million visually impaired people in Europe, and about 6 million of them have such serious disability that restricts them from integrating into society and the world of work. We have set up a competitive consortium consisting of commercial and technological partners who have the full capability to develop BrailleJet into a product and take it to commercial success.