Readot is a device that transfers two-dimensional images and text into three-dimensions for the benefit of the visually impaired.
To create a tactile representation of an image or text, Readot has a bed of pins that are raised and lowered. These indicate shapes that can be felt. The height of the pins is in accordance with the colours they represent. The Munsell Colour System is used as a basis for the definition of eleven colours in an image. These are expressed on the tips of the pins. A sensor ball pushes the pins to the appropriate height for each colour.
Readot can be used to take a photo (with its inbuilt camera), and it can also be linked via a USB connection to a computer so that digital images and websites can be processed. A microphone and speakers allow the user to listen to the progress and save image files through voice recognition. Buttons control the power, scan and print functions, volume, and data output. |
