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.
