Wonder Reader: Development of a Refreshable Braille Display Using a Carriage System and Self-Locking Braille Cells

Refreshable Braille Displays (RBDs) allow braille characters to be arranged dynamically on their surface. Braille devices on the market need one actuator per braille dot (pin). We present the development and analysis of a novel RBD called Wonder Reader where only four actuators are used in contrast to most existing devices which require one actuator per pin. By using a system of three stepper motors with arms that push or pull wedges in the cells, it is able to refresh each braille cell. The braille cells consist of six dots in a 3x2 matrix configuration. The motors are in a carriage that moves horizontally using another stepper motor to change other cells. Once the pins are set, they are locked and can withstand downward forces up to 20 N. The device is manufactured using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) printing and includes a keyboard and wireless capabilities to improve interactivity with the user and other devices. It can refresh five cells in 12 seconds consistently without errors. The device is tested by blind users to gauge satisfaction.