HandyTech shows Support for Braille display Petition

Plug and Braille with Handy Tech Easy Braille!

On December 11, 2008, Serotek announced via the Serotek blog their

endorsement of the Accessibility Anywhere Based Braille Display

petition to Braille display manufacturers created and written by George

McDermith. This petition urges Braille display manufacturers to do-away

with proprietary drivers and instead use standard, mainstream

technologies that will drive these devices regardless of the screen

reader being used.

As an avid Braille reader myself, I am proud to be a signer of this

petition. We at Handy Tech North America support Mr. McDermith’s

efforts with respect to this matter and in order to demonstrate our

commitment to the cause, we are pleased to announce the Handy Tech Plug

and Braille initiative with the introduction of Easy Braille with HID support.

HID stands for Human Interface Device and is the open standard for plug

and play devices such as keyboards and mice. The HID protocol requires

no separate software installations in order for these devices to work.

Now Braille readers can simply plug-in their Handy Tech Easy Braille

with HID support and gain immediate Braille access regardless of their

chosen screen reader.

Although Easy Braille with HID support has been several months in the

making prior to Mr. McDermith’s petition, his timing is perfect as it

affords Handy Tech the opportunity to demonstrate that we are once

again on the leading edge when it comes to giving customers the tools

they need when they need them.

For over a year now, Handy Tech customers have enjoyed the ability to

walk up to one of millions of Apple computers and gain immediate grade

two Braille access simply by plugging in their Handy Tech Braille

display. Handy Tech is pleased to now offer the same freedom of access

on the Microsoft Windows side or on any other platform that supports

the HID protocol.

Combine this new Plug and Braille development with the high quality and

ergonomic design for which Handy Tech products are known worldwide, and

enjoy a flexible and reliable Braille solution for many years to come

in the Handy Tech Easy Braille.

“I don’t believe that people should be penalized because of the screen


reader they use,” says Sigi Kipke, Managing Director of Handy Tech GmbH

in Horb, Germany, the manufacturers of Handy Tech Braille products.

Kipke further stresses the importance of access to portable electronic

Braille by stating that Braille products should not be viewed as some

obscure technology used by just a few blind people, rather it should be

viewed as a progressive and innovative technology that gives Braille

readers the same advantages and opportunities as print readers.

Although Easy Braille with HID support is slated for release in May of

2009, Handy Tech representatives from both European and North American

offices will be demonstrating this exciting new development at this

year’s California State University Northridge Center on Disabilities

24th Annual Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference,

otherwise known as CSUN.

Please join us in the exhibit hall at booth 302 of the Marriott LAX

hotel where we will be enthusiastically demonstrating the following products:

Easy Braille with new HID support.

The new Handy Tech Braille driver for Nuance Talks which allows for the

input of grade two Braille among other things.

The powerful netbook computer and Braille display options available

from Handy Tech North America which does away with the out-dated notion

that technology for blind people must be based on a closed and

proprietary platform.

Last but not least, the latest developments around the exciting Active

Tactile Control (ATC) technologies that actually senses the user’s

fingers on the Braille display and responds accordingly based on

reading behaviors. This ground breaking technology is useful for

Braille readers of all skill levels.

This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.