Low Cost E-Book Reading Device for Blind People

Document describes e-book reading device for visually impaired people using two electronic refreshable Braille display units. A blind person has access to literature using Braille script, which consists of a alphabet being represented by combination of six pierced dots. Referred device uses a novel method of two tactile refreshable Braille cells consisting of six solenoid pins actuators, for conversion of alphanumeric character into Braille character. Secure Disk (SD) Card is used as a storage media. Text is printed with each word alternatively printed on either display unit. Characters are printed on a specific unit with a speed of 2 characters per second. The user reads words by placing both hands, one on each of the two tactile units. This device demonstrates functionality of AVR ATMEGA16 to design a robust embedded system. The advantages of the design are low complexity, portability and potential low cost of manufacture.