Latest News
- Extra Braille Bar Today
Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are offering an additional Braille Bar session this week in lieu of a Masterclass.
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
- 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)
- From Blind Information Technology Solutions: Introducing The Canute Scientific from Bristol Braille Technology, Thursday 12 November at 1:00 AM
Join Blind Information Technology solutions (BITS), as we welcome Ed Rogers, , MD and founder of Bristol Braille Technology, who will introduce their latest offering, the Canute Scientific.
Released earlier this year, the Canute Scientific is a multiline Braille workstation developed for students, professionals and enthusiasts working in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths, (STEM).
Featuring a 360-cell refreshable Braille display, (9 lines by 40 cells), combined with a 13-inch synchronized visual monitor, enabling blind and sighted users to collaborate equally when working with technical content.
The device is particularly suited for STEM education, data analysis, and professional environments, where multiline access to information is important.
With an array of connectivity options, powered by an open-source operating system and a suite of custom applications. The software suite is under continual refinement as we adapt and create applications for our customer’s particular use cases, extending the Canute Scientific’s capabilities for all users.
We invite you to visit the Bristol Braille YouTube channel, where you can check-out some examples of the latest developments with the Canute Scientific: https://www.youtube.com/@bristolbrailletechnology8169
This presentation will take place on Zoom.
Register for the Canute Scientific presentation
If you have a problem registering for this event, please contact:
Brad Snyder
BITS Presentations Chair
[email protected]- 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.
- Last Chance, Deadline 15 November! Invitation to a Braille Meet-Up, Friday 4-Sunday 6 December, Germany
Dear friends,
we invite you.
Please share this invitation which you also find here: www.livingbraille.eu/meetup and register yourself in the registration form
Invitation European Braille Meet-Up
4 – 6 December 2026 in Germany (Langenselbold, close to Frankfurt)Meet with other braille users and experts all over Europe, exchange about braille practice and braille devices and have fun with braille.
Host: European Blind Union (EBU) and German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted (DBSV)
Venue: Konferenzhotel Ysenburger Hof
Gelnhäuser Strasse 5, 63505 Langenselbold
www.ysenburgerhof.de
(1 hour by train from Frankfurt airport, 30 minutes from Frankfurt central station; we will try to help you at travelling at the airport and Frankfurt central station; please indicate in the registration form)Times:
- Welcome: Friday, 4 December 2026 15:00 CET
- Official opening: Friday, 4 December 2026 19:30 CET
- End: 6 December 2026 12:30 CET (followed by lunch)
Language: English
Registration fee including accommodation and meals: 150 €
(The same fee applies to accompanying persons.)Maximum 90 participants
Please register by 15 November 2026. Accompanying persons, please register separately.
Please use the registration formYou are invited:
- present practices, methods and devices of learning and using braille in the Show & Tell session.
- present your knowledge in a “speed presentation” of 15 minutes
- as producer of braille devices present new products
- read out braille in your language
- or simply come along take part
Website: www.livingbraille.eu/meetup
Contact person for questions: Reiner Delgado, [email protected]
Programme
Friday 4 December
15:00 – 18:00: welcome and braille open space
- Braille-Art: creating images out of braille patterns
- Braille Bar I
participants may ask and discuss any question they might have about the use of braille displays with experts18:00 – 19:30: dinner
19:30 – 21:00: official opening of Braille Meet-Up
- greetings/keynote
- icebreaker games
- A fun introduction in braille music notation
Saturday, 5 December
9:00 – 10:30: teaching braille
- tactile training with Punktum, Reiner Delgado (German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted)
- Braille literacy for blind children, Judit Gombas (ELTE Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education, Hungary)
- Teaching braille to adults Ana Gonzalez Arean (Organisación de Ciegos Espanoles)
10:30 – 11:00: coffee break
11:00 – 12:30: multiline and graphic braille displays
- overview on the current market
- use cases
- hands-on experience with devices
Matthew Horspool and Dave Williams (Braillists Foundation, UK), Jesse Wienholts, Netherlands)
12:30 – 13:30: lunch
13:30 – 15:30: Show & Tell
participants are invited to show devices or usecases of teaching and using braille; please indicate n the registration form what you like to present; e.g.
- your braille display
- tools for writing braille
- material and methods for teaching braille
- creating braille images
15:30 – 16:00: coffee break
16:00 – 17:30: speed presentations I (15 minutes each)
please indicate on the registration form, if you want to present something
- what Unified English Braille means (Matthew Horspool)
- tactile lettering – why do we need standards like EN18156 (Bart Simons, Dutsh Braille Authority))
- What is the new E-Braille format?, James Bowden (RNIB, UK)
17:30 – 18:30: Braille Bar II
participants may ask and discuss any question they might have about the use of braille displays with experts18:30 – 20:00: dinner
20:15 – 21:30: cultural event
reading out from braille the fairytale Ciderella in different languages
Please indicate in the registration form, if you want to read.Sunday, 6 December
9:00 – 10:30: speed presentations II (15 minutes each)
please indicate on the registration form, if you want to present something10:30 – 11:00: coffee break
11:00 – 12:30: Br-AI-lle – what’s going on with braille and artificial intelligence?
How AI can improve braille currently and in the future
Oleg Shevkun (Germany)12:30 – 13:00: closing of meet-up
13:00: lunch
- From Dr Natalina Martiniello: Research-based Masters or Ph.D. degree opportunity with funding: Supporting families of adult braille learners, Deadline 15 November
Dear braille friends and colleagues,
I wanted to share the launch of the new website for my braille research lab at the University of Montreal. You can find it here: www.mbrl.ca
I also wanted to share an exciting opportunity for a student interested in pursuing a funded research-based Masters or Ph.D. degree under my supervision. See details below and please feel free to share widely. I am looking forward to supporting a student interested in this project!
Funded Master’s or Ph.D. Opportunity: Exploring the role of family members during adult braille learning: Co-creating resources for success
Are you interested in research that advances literacy equity and information access for people who are blind or low vision? Globally, people who can read and write have greater social opportunities and upward mobility, and people who are blind are no exception. Questions surrounding braille therefore extend beyond education and rehabilitation: they are also questions of equity, autonomy and inclusive participation. As the population ages, a growing number of adults who become blind or develop low vision later in life may benefit from learning braille. Although we know that parents and families play an important role in supporting children who learn braille, far less is known about the role, the experiences and the needs of families and friends who might support adult braille learners. This funded master’s opportunity places you at the centre of that question.
Applications are invited from students interested in pursuing a research-based master’s or Ph.D. degree in Vision Science (blindness and low vision rehabilitation option) under the supervision of Dr. Natalina Martiniello at the School of Optometry, Université de Montréal. The successful candidate will undertake participatory research, in close collaboration with the blind and low vision community, to explore the role of families in adult braille learning and to co-develop practical resources that help families provide effective support. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to explore:
- The role that family members play during adult braille instruction;
- The facilitators and barriers experienced by families during adult braille learning, from the perspective of adult learners and their families; and
- The information, strategies and resources that families would benefit from to better support adult braille learning and usage.
Learn more here: https://mbrl.ca/en/announcements/masters-student-research-opportunity-supporting-adult-braille-learners-and-their-families
Expressions of interest welcome until November 15th, 2026. Please feel free to share with others in your network who may be interested!
- From the Australian Braille Authority: DBT Producers’ Manual, 5th edition
The Australian Braille Authority is pleased to announce the release of the DBT Producers’ Manual 5th Edition
You can download your braille or print copy from the link above.
We hope you find the new update useful. It has been a long time coming, but we wanted to make sure that it was as comprehensive as it could be.
My thanks to the members of the DBT Producers’ Working Group for all of the hard work and time you put into making the Manual relevant to users of the Duxbury Braille Translator in 2026.
- From Blazie Technologies: Code Store: A Community of Apps for Your BT Speak and BT Braille
Your Braille computer keeps getting more possibilities, and now, fellow users are helping create them. Code Store brings community-developed apps directly to BT Speak and BT Braille, giving you an expanding selection of tools and games to download and enjoy. It also gives you the opportunity to create and share apps of your own, helping shape what your device can do next.
Our latest blog shows you how to explore Code Store and get involved. We also reveal all 15 apps in the Code Store, including:
Audio Editor
Trim recordings, combine audio clips, and add fades directly from your braille keyboard. Edit MP3, WAV, and M4A files without changing the originals.
BTMastodon
Join the conversation on Mastodon! Read timelines, share posts, and hear sound alerts for new posts and notifications, all within Blazie Mode.
Open Road
Put on your headphones and hit the road in this audio driving game. Steer around traffic, pass slow trucks, and listen carefully as you navigate the curves.
Sky Catch
Put your ears and reflexes to the test! Catch falling balls, dodge bombs, and grab bonuses as this audio arcade game picks up speed.
FrotzSpeak
Explore interactive stories with speech and braille, where your commands drive the adventure. Two games are included, with more available to download from within the app.
Your Idea Could Be Next!
Have something you’d like to share? Code Store welcomes creators of every skill level, including unfinished projects and starter apps. Share what you’ve begun and give someone else a chance to help it grow.
The blog reveals the full app lineup, learn how to download apps, and find out how to submit your own creations.
Thank you for being part of the Blazie Technologies community. We can’t wait to see what we build together!
- From Orbit Research: Orbit Slate Firmware r72 Now Available
We are pleased to announce the release of firmware version B0.08.00.00r72 for the Orbit Slate 520 and firmware version B0.09.00.00r72 for the Orbit Slate 340.
Improvements in this release:
- Fixed an issue where searches in BRF files incorrectly displayed “Not found” results.
Important Notes:
If your device is currently running firmware version B0.xx.00.00r59 or earlier, please be aware of the following before upgrading:
- Your device settings will be reset to their default values after the upgrade. You will need to reconfigure any settings you have customized.
- If you have installed a localization package, you will need to reinstall it after upgrading. The localization package is available on our website at the link below.
Firmware Download:
The latest Orbit Slate 520 firmware package can be downloaded from the Support section of our website: Orbit Slate 520 Firmware Download : Orbit Research
Localization Package: Orbit Slate 520 Support : Orbit Research
The latest Orbit Slate 340 firmware package can be downloaded from the Support section of our website: Orbit Slate 340 Firmware Download : Orbit Research
Localization Package: Orbit Slate 340 Support : Orbit Research
Upgrade Instructions:
For instructions on upgrading your Orbit Slate, please refer to Section 24 of the User Guide, available here:
Orbit Slate 520 User Guide : Orbit Research
Orbit Slate 340 User Guide : Orbit Research
If you need assistance with the upgrade, please contact our Customer Care team at[email protected].
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.