Latest News
- HumanWare’s Drop-In Dates for This Week – Come in Person, you Might Win a Brailliant BI20X!
HumanWare is hosting a series of drop-in events across the UK in partnership with regional and national sight loss organisations.
These events offer a fantastic opportunity to get hands-on experience with HumanWare’s complete Braille product range. A HumanWare representative will be available at each location to demonstrate our latest solutions and answer any questions you may have.
Featured products include:
- Brailliant BI 20X – our compact and portable Braille display
- BrailleNote Evolve – a powerful note-taking and productivity solution
- Monarch – the world’s first dynamic multi-line Braille device, capable of displaying up to ten lines of Braille simultaneously and presenting both text and tactile graphics on the same display
Everyone who attends one of the events in person will be entered into a free prize draw to win a brand-new Brailliant BI 20X.
Here are the events coming up this week:
Thursday 12 November
- 12:00-2:00 pm: Hartlepool Vision Support, 177 York Road, Hartlepool, TS26 9EQ (Tel: 07379 859420)
- Join The DAISY Open Board Meeting, Thursday 12 November at 2:00 AM
As part of the DAISY Board Meeting taking place in Tokyo an open session will be hosted on November 12, streamed live from Tokyo. Observers are warmly invited to attend all or part of the Zoom stream.
The session begins at 11am Tokyo time and will include updates on the EU Inclusive Publishing Forum, eBraille, MathCAT, the Tactile Graphics Working Group, Sign-Sync, and Audiobook developments.Register for the DAISY Open Board Meeting
- International Conference on the Implementation of the Marrakesh Treaty, Friday 13 November at 00:30 AM
The Assistive Technology Development Organization (ATDO), in collaboration with the DAISY Consortium, is hosting a free “International Conference on the Implementation of the Marrakesh Treaty” to be held in Tokyo (Haneda) and online via Zoom.
Visit the conference event page for further details including how you can register.
- From the DAISY Consortium: Celebrating 10 Years of the Marrakesh Treaty
A decade ago, an international treaty came into force to help end the book famine for people with print disabilities.
To mark ten years of the Marrakesh Treaty in action, we have created a series of three articles that look back at the years of advocacy that led to its formation in 2013, examine what has changed during its first decade in force and look forward to what lies ahead in the next ten years.
Marrakesh: From Book Famine to Global Treaty
What did it take to change the international copyright law to improve access to books? Discover the years of determined advocacy, led by the World Blind Union that resulted in the adoption of the historic Marrakesh Treaty in 2013.
Follow the journey From Book Famine to Global Treaty
Marrakesh: Ten Years of Implementation
In the last ten years, more countries have joined the Marrakesh Treaty, and the international exchange of accessible titles has expanded. What has this progress meant for the libraries and their readers? Explore the achievements, success stories and the challenges of translating the provision of the treaty into practice.
Read about the Ten Years of Implementation
Marrakesh: The Next Ten Years
The Marrakesh treaty opened doors around the world for international exchange, but the promise of full access hasn’t reached every reader yet. Many readers are still waiting for the books they need in a format they can use and in their own language. So, what will it take to close this gap? What will the next ten years look like and what needs to happen so everyone can read what they want when they want to? Learn about The Next Ten Years
- Braille Bar on Tuesday
Our popular Braille Bar returns this Tuesday at 7:30 PM. No question is too small, from kit to code – just ask and our experts will assist you!
Or, to join by phone, use these details:
- Phone number: 0131 460 1196
- Meeting ID: 880 3508 8878
- Passcode: 123456
- From Blazie Technologies: Monthly Webinar, Wednesday 4 November at Midnight
Just a friendly reminder that our Blazie Technologies Monthly Webinar is happening Tuesday, November 3, at 7:00 PM Eastern Time!
Join host David Goldfield as we discuss the latest from Blazie Technologies, share helpful information, and answer your questions.
Join the Webinar on Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82499642645?pwd=js9M0hIzpbBl5QiqF421vZtaUcSNtj.1Whether you’re a longtime BT Speak or BT Braille user or simply interested in learning more about our technology, we’d love to have you join us! We look forward to seeing you!
- From Charlotte Bateman: Alfie and the Code Bakers is out!
My children’s book, Alfie and the Code Bakers, is officially out!
It’s been quite a journey, but it’s now available to buy in paperback on Amazon, and I’m really hoping people like it!
I’m donating all royalties earned from books sold during the first week to the Braillists Foundation and VICTA.
Here’s the link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alfie-Code-Bakers-Charlotte-Bateman/dp/1065474008 I’m also hoping to arrange Braille and large print copies for anyone who requests them, although these might take a little longer as I’ll be organising them individually. The eBook should be out in the next couple of weeks, and hopefully an audiobook will follow eventually too!
- From the Sao Mai Center for the Blind: SM BungSang for macOS: Fixes and New Options
The latest version of our Braille music translation app fixes issues that prevented it from running on older macOS versions, as well as translation failures and crashes affecting some MusicXML scores.
This release also adds two new options:
- Combine consecutive hidden rests.
- Check whether text is marked as system text when applying translation rules defined in the music words dictionary XML file.
Get the update from the App Store, or download the DMG package from the SM BungSang’s main page.
- From Orbit Research: Firmware Version B0.xx.00.69r32 / B0.xx.00.69r53 is now available for the Orbit Reader 20
We are pleased to announce the release of firmware version B0.xx.00.69r32 / B0.xx.00.69r53 for the Orbit Reader 20.
The following are the new features and improvements:
- Resolved an issue where the Load Language menu option displayed only the default English language instead of also displaying the available language files. (Only apply if the first 4 digit of version are B0.00 or B0.01. Other variants have no such issue.)
- Added support for using the panning keys to navigate with Windows Narrator in HID Braille mode.
Notes:
Please note that if the device’s current firmware version is B0.xx.00.69r24 / B0.xx.00.69r36 or an earlier version, following points must be considered:
- The device settings will be reset to their defaults after the upgrade.
- If localization has been applied, you will also need to re-apply it after the upgrade using the package available on our website at https://www.orbitresearch.com/support/orbit-reader-20-support/#LocalizationPackage
The firmware package can be downloaded from our website’s Support menu.
To identify the proper firmware package for your unit, you will need to check the version number of the firmware currently loaded on your unit. If your unit does not turn on or if you are not able to read the version number from your device, please contact our technical support team at [email protected].
To check the version number of your current firmware package please follow the following steps:
- Turn on your unit.
- Press the Select + Up key to open the menu.
- Scroll down to the item “Ver.” by pressing down the arrow key.
- It should display the firmware version number on your Braille display.
Check the first four digits of the version number and click on the respective link in the table on our website to download the appropriate firmware package. Once downloaded, you can install it using the SD card method or using the Windows utility program.
The firmware package is available here – https://www.orbitresearch.com/support/orbit-reader-20-support/orbit-reader-firmware-download/
The Localization package is available here – https://www.orbitresearch.com/support/orbit-reader-20-support/#LocalizationPackage For instructions on upgrading the Orbit Reader 20, please refer to Section 21 of the User Guide available on the website at https://www.orbitresearch.com/support/orbit-reader-20-support/orbit-reader-20-user-guide-downloads/
- From Orbit Research: Firmware Version A1.xx.00.09r66 is now available for the Orbit Reader 20 Plus
We are pleased to announce the release of firmware version A1.xx.00.09r66 for the Orbit Reader 20 Plus.
The following are the new features and improvements:
- Added support for using the panning keys to navigate with Windows Narrator in HID Braille mode.
Notes:
Please note that if the device’s current firmware version is A1.xx.00.09r49 or an earlier version, following points must be considered:
- The device settings will be reset to their defaults after the upgrade.
- If localization has been applied, you will also need to re-apply it after the upgrade using the package available on our website at https://www.orbitresearch.com/support/orbit-reader-20-plus-support/#LocalizationPackage
The firmware package can be downloaded from our website’s Support menu.
To identify the proper firmware package for your unit, you will need to check the version number of the firmware currently loaded on your unit. If your unit does not turn on or if you are not able to read the version number from your device, please contact our technical support team at [email protected].
To check the version number of your current firmware package please follow the following steps:
- Turn on your unit.
- Press the Select + Up key to open the menu.
- Scroll down to the item “Ver.” by pressing down the arrow key.
- It should display the firmware version number on your Braille display.
Check the first four digits of the version number and click on the respective link in the table on our website to download the appropriate firmware package. Once downloaded, you can install it using the SD card method or using the Windows utility program.
The firmware package is available here – https://www.orbitresearch.com/support/orbit-reader-20-plus-support/orbit-reader-20-plus-firmware-download/
The Localization package is available here – https://www.orbitresearch.com/support/orbit-reader-20-plus-support/#LocalizationPackage For instructions on upgrading the Orbit Reader 20 Plus, please refer to Section 23 of the User Guide available on the website at http://www.orbitresearch.com/support/orbit-reader-20-plus-support/orbit-reader-20-plus-user-guide-downloads/
The Braillists is a grass-roots community group offering high quality training and support to emerging and established braille users. We also work with family members, friends, colleagues and teachers of braille users, and connect braille users with braille technology developers and funders.
Everyone at the Braillists would sincerely like to thank our sponsors and partners.
What Is Braille?
Braille is a simple code for representing written language. We believe braille has the potential to transform the life of any blind person who has the opportunity to learn it.
Discover more about braille on this page.
Learn Braille
We support hundreds of adults to read braille by touch in a few short weeks through our innovative and approachable Braille for Beginners course. Free of charge, it comprises hard copy resources through the post and a series of short pre-recorded lessons, supplemented by email and Zoom support from highly qualified and experienced tutors.
Find out more about Braille for Beginners and register here.
There are plenty of other courses available too, for both children and adults, reading by touch or by sight. We have made a list of these on our Learn Braille page.
Perkins Repairs and Other Braille Equipment
The Perkins Brailler is the most established braille writer in use today, and even machines from the 1950s can still be serviced and repaired. We have compiled information about Perkins repairs, places to purchase Perkins Braillers, and other types of braille equipment on our Braille Equipment page.
If you are looking for braille paper, you can find it on our Braille Consumables page.
Our Aims
- Promote the value of braille as a proven literacy tool that enriches the lives of blind people.
- Support efforts to make affordable braille and tactile reading technologies available to all blind people irrespective of education and employment status.
- Provide an open forum for the exchange of ideas about the development of future braille technology.
Find Out More
Join our announcements only mailing list to receive our weekly newsletter.
Join the conversation and meet other Braillists on our discussion forum.
Connect with us on Twitter (@Braillists) or like us on Facebook for up to the minute Braillists news.
Listen to some braille-related audio on Soundcloud (braillists).
Please see our Sponsors and Partners for information on organisations who are supporting us.
Get In Touch
Email [email protected] or call 020 3893 3392. Further details on our Contact Us page.