Perkins Smart Brailler

Perkins Smart Brailler

The SMART Brailler is the long-awaited evolution of the Perkins Brailler® from a low-technology, beloved classic to a high-technology learning and teaching tool. Developed by Perkins Products and PDT (Product Development Technologies) with support from the American Printing House for the Blind, the SMART Brailler opens the door to a new, more intuitive way for individuals, both sighted and blind, to communicate, teach and learn braille together. Now teachers in a mainstream classroom can see what their students are brailling. Sighted parents can help their visually impaired children with homework. And students can take the lead in their own braille education. Sighted or blind, we can all share the learning experience!

Key Benefits:

1.      Its video screen and audio feedback shows and speaks letters and words in real-time as they are being brailled in SimBraille or large print, for an instantaneous, multi-sensory learning experience.

2.      The USB port enables a student who is blind to create a hard copy document in braille and save it as a text file, which allows a teacher with sight to upload the document onto a computer and read it in print.

3.      The "Building on Patterns Series," developed by the American Printing House for the Blind, can be downloaded to the SMART Brailler, offering easy lessons for anyone – sighted or blind – who wants to learn braille, inviting everyone to share the learning experience. (Included on APH version only, or will be available for download soon.)

Key Features:

1.      A video screen that displays SimBraille and large print, combined with audio feedback, for an instantaneous, multi-sensory learning experience

2.      The ability to edit, save and transfer electronic documents via USB

3.      Built-in software with lessons for braille beginners (American Printing House version only; available separately for a fee)

4.      Headphone jack and volume control

5.      Acapela Text to Speech from Acapela Group

6.      Mechanical brailler capability

7.      Multiple language platforms including English, Spanish, French, German, Russian and Portuguese

8.      Rechargeable and removable battery

Website: http://www.perkins.org/smartbrailler/