Sunday, October 12, 2014

The Affordable Braille System Strategies

  • The Affordable Braille System (with working prototype developed over a span of 5 years).
    • Description
      • The blind and communities of the blind would have easy and affordable access to the internet, compose and edit texts, read and write novels and other types of literature.
      • Five visually impaired persons will use only one mid-range personal computer (PC) at the same time, each having their own keyboards and refreshable Braille displays, thus, radically (!) cutting down on hardware and software costs.
      • By design, each unit could be built by intermediate-level technicians from off-the-shelf hardware, and also by design, programmed by intermediate-level programmers in "C-language" using free Linux operating system. No specialized high-tech training, making the system more affordable.
    • The Commodity is composed of three components:
      • First. The free system that is managed by a company or a Foundation, provides all the technical and schematic diagrams for users to build it themselves for free. If they build the system for profit, they remit a specified percentage to the Foundation. The site at this link is the starting point.
      • Second. Not everyone will be capable of building it. Others would not want to spend time building and programming it. Thus, the second component is a factory, owned by the company or the Foundation, that builds the system, and fills orders of those who want to procure the system.
      • Third. BEST of all, the visually impaired around the world would also have access to the many sources of knowledge and wisdom available to sighted people.
    • What is the size of the market?
      • Since this has a "unique niche" and is not available anywhere in the world, the market would be the whole world - developed and developing countries alike.