The Visually Impaired's DREAM Braille: Welcome to Ultra-BRAILLE!

The DREAM

Imagine a Braille literacy scenario: a room filled with blind children and adults enjoying themselves

some reading their English textbooks
some the Bible, the Koran, and other holy writings
some writing or editing a manuscript for a book
some learning French or Mandarin on the internet
some providing distance counseling
some teaching Braille in a classroom halfway around the globe
a scholar writing an acceptance speech as a Nobel Prize awardee

PRESENTATION at the LinuxFest Northwest Conference at Bellingham Technical College in the State of Washington, April 28, 2013, 10:00 AM

http://www.thcalasanz.com/braille/linuxfest_braille.pps

http://www.thcalasanz.com/braille/linuxfest_braille.ppt

http://www.thcalasanz.com/braille/linuxfest_braille.pdf

from LFNW website (http://www.linuxfestnorthwest.org/)

The June 17, 2014 cached copy of my presentation is at my website at:
http://www.thcalasanz.com/braille/five-blind-persons-and-hw-interface-one-pc.htm

The original version was at this URL:

http://www.linuxfestnorthwest.org/content/five-blind-persons-and-hw-interface-one-pc

OVERVIEW

This is a "bird's eye view" of the Braille Literacy Tool (Ultra-Braille), that is a product of five years of research at the Ateneo de Manila University. In one year, a group of students would conduct an undergraduate research thesis on one aspect of the system. Another group of students would do another aspect the next year, and so on. At the end of five years, we had a complete system going.

I am a retired professional and a member of the faculty of the School of Science and Engineering of the Ateneo de Manila University (on leave). I undertook the project, together with my students, listed below, who are now professionals in their own respective fields. They have agreed that this project will be "open source." Braille Literacy is very close to my heart, because I know that this is one bridge that can lead the blind to greater self-actualization and dignity, and claim their rightful place in society.

2004 - Abueva & Suamen / Calasanz (Braille Pins & Opening Files)
2005 - Calasanz (Assessment and Planning)
2006 - Flores & Pelecio / Calasanz (Edit/Save Text Files & Access Internet)
2007 - Pacot, Palileo, Sabulao, Semblante / Calasanz Multiplexed Display & Keyboard & Ultrasonic Sensors for Navigation)
2008 - Domingo, Pasion, Ramos, Tan / Calasanz (5-Terminal, One PC)

This is a cached screenshot of the March 31, 2008 "Manila Times" article on the project. It was continued on in 2009 to produce a prototype. The article itself is cached by Google.