Last fall, we mentioned the 6dot, a prototype braille labeler using a standard braille keyboard and Dymo labeling tape. Now, the device is one of ten semifinalists in the Innovation Showcase, a contest for student inventors sponsored by the American
Society of Mechanical Engineers's. The team will present the 6dot on June 5 to a panel of judges, who will rate the prototype and its marketability. According to the contest webpage, "winners must prove that they have a sustainable business model to a judging panel
of successful innovators, industry experts, venture capitalists, and intellectual
property specialists." Winners have access to over $20,000 in additional funding which could help bring the product to the market. The 6dot team is also in talks with major manufacturers who may mass-produce the product, and we would not at all be surprised to see this one appear in the coming months. Here's a Video from Make:TV showing the labeler in action and describing some of the steps taken in its design. We especially appreciate the importance placed on including blind and visually impaired testers in the development of the product, which is specifically highlighted in the video.
Category: Portable Devices
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J.J. Meddaugh is an experienced technology writer and computer enthusiast. He is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a major in telecommunications management and a minor in business. When not writing for Blind Bargains, he enjoys travel, playing the keyboard, and meeting new people.
