Braille Mitra 1aunched, can read 11 Indian languages
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE PUNE, MARCH 12
CITY firm Automatic Control Equipments (ACE) launched `Braille Mitra,’ a braille reader with a capacity to read up to 11 Indian languages and has 2MB memory. The machine, driven by a micro-computer chip, allows the visually- impaired to read line by line after the software format of the Braille book is loaded into it.
While this square panelled machine costs around Rs 62,000 (an upgraded version costs Rs 92,000), it can be used to read any number of books. A Braille book on the other hand costs at least Rs 700 and has a limited shelf life as the embossed dots flatten with use.
“The manual procedure to convert into Braille is tedious and it takes a couple of months to convert books into Braille using thick embossed paper. A 100 pages printed book becomes 400 pages of Braille. With frequent use, the dots in the book flatten and have a limited shelf life,” said Meena Joshi, consultant for ACE.
Last year, Modular Infotech Private Ltd had create software to translate English and Indian languages into Braille. “The visually challenged can store these books in a pen drive and load them as they require,” said Joshi. Out of the 1.6 crore visually challenged people only around 251akh are literate: Technology improves the chances of the visually challenged to be better read and opens opportunities, she said.
“The 16 braille characters per line machine costs Rs 62,000, while the 32 braille characters per line costs Rs 92,000,” said Raghunandan Joshi, chief architect of Braille Mitra and Chief Technical Officer of ACE.
The company has tested the machine for at least five Indian languages, however in principal the machine can read up to 11 Indian languages.Joshi said.