Iranian Tech Firm Wins National Award for Innovative Smart Perkins Braille Display
According to the Economic Desk of Webangah News Agency, a domestic knowledge-based enterprise has successfully introduced a cutting-edge smart Braille display, recognized as the premier rehabilitation aid for Persian-speaking visually impaired individuals within the country. This successful project was honored with the Alavi Empowerment Award in the category focused on enhancing educational equity.
The Alavi National Award functions as a vital catalyst for recognizing key contributors in the field of empowerment across the nation. Its primary objectives are the cultivation of role models, the promotion of cultural understanding, and the expansion of service capabilities through the presentation of successful case studies.
This national accolade is specifically structured to support and celebrate innovative ideas, projects, programs, and actions aimed at fostering development in underserved and rural areas, empowering vulnerable populations, and contributing to social, economic, and educational justice.
Submissions for the award undergo rigorous evaluation based on a defined set of criteria, including innovation and creativity, potential for replication, depth and scope of impact, sustainability and scalability, community participation and social collaboration, and principles of fairness and inclusivity.
The smart Braille display developed by this company currently competes with models produced in the United States, Canada, Germany, and South Korea. However, the domestic product boasts several key advantages over its foreign counterparts. These superior features include complete support for the Farsi language, in-country technical assistance, automatic operating system recognition, adjustable Braille dot height, and a substantially lower price point compared to imported equivalents.
The device is equipped with a dual-language Farsi and English editor, a file reader supporting formats such as Doc, Docx, klk, pn, and txt (in both Farsi and English), a vocabulary software suite encompassing four dictionaries (English-Farsi, Farsi-English, English-English, and Farsi-Farsi), a phonebook application, an audio file player, a calculator, a Quran application, and the capability to play audio files. Furthermore, it features Bluetooth connectivity for Android devices, functioning as both a Farsi and English Braille input and output mechanism, and supports Bluetooth and USB connectivity with the JAWS and NVDA screen readers.
The product is presented in a tablet format, featuring 20 keys, 20 8-pin cells constructed from anti-allergenic plastic, 20 CR keys, and a rechargeable battery. The device is supplied with an HDMI output for connection to monitors and televisions, integrated Bluetooth, and a USB port to support an external keyboard. Provisions have also been made for USB flash drive utilization.
