At Your Fingertips - Braille Then and Now

From Braille Displays to Tactile Drawing: Tools for Creative Access

Explore the latest in portable Braille displays, updates in TalkBack 17, and a brilliant low-tech solution for creating tactile graphics at home. Learn how to choose the right device and enhance accessible reading and writing in 2026.   This episode dives into the evolving world of Braille technology, starting with TalkBack 17 and its upcoming integration with Samsung devices, including enhanced support for USB and HID Braille displays. We then explore a range of portable Braille displays under 20 cells, comparing features like storage, connectivity, battery life, and usability.   Highlights include an in-depth look at the Humanware Brailliant BI 20X, APH Chameleon, Focus 14 Blue, Orbit Reader 20 Plus, and Help Tech Actolino, with insights from Scott Davert’s “Keeping It Portable in 2026” series. Each device’s strengths, quirks, and compatibility tips are shared to help you make an informed choice.   To close, we spotlight the Sensational Blackboard, a low-tech, highly creative tool that allows anyone to create tactile line drawings with a simple ballpoint pen—bringing art, maps, and signatures to life for blind and visually impaired users.   Relevant Links   Keeping it Portable in 2026 article 1 by Scott Davert : https://www.helenkeller.org/keeping-it-portable-in-2026/ [https://www.helenkeller.org/keeping-it-portable-in-2026/] Keeping it Portable in 2026 Part 2 by Scott Davert : https://www.helenkeller.org/keeping-it-portable-in-2026-part-2/ [https://www.helenkeller.org/keeping-it-portable-in-2026-part-2/]  Sensational Blackboard: https://sensationalbooks.com/products.html [https://sensationalbooks.com/products.html] Keyword List   TalkBack 17 Braille, portable Braille displays 2026, Humanware Brailliant BI 20X, APH Chameleon 20, Focus 14 Blue review, Orbit Reader 20 Plus, Help Tech Actolino, tactile graphics tools, Sensational Blackboard, Braille HID support, accessible drawing tools Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Crafting in Braille: Patterns, Resources, and New Tools

Explore the latest Braille technology, accessible crafting resources, and the PAIGE Braille learning app in this in-depth episode. From new Braille displays to tools for learners and creative crafters, here’s what you need to know.   Chris Cooke takes a deep dive into the evolving world of Braille in 2026, highlighting new devices announced at the CSUN Assistive Technology Conference. Discover the HumanWare Braille Note Evolve, Orbit Research’s Strata and Flow displays, Selvis BrailleSense 7, and the innovative Mnemonic Braille Labeller.   For creative listeners, Chris shares where to find accessible knitting and crochet patterns, including resources like Blind Mice Mega Mall, Accessible Patterns Index, and the Braille Authority of North America’s hobby guidelines.   The episode also includes a hands-on walkthrough of the PAIGE Braille learning app, exploring its strengths, quirks, and how it can support both beginners and advanced learners with or without a Braille display.   Relevant Links   Blind Mice Mega Mall: https://www.blindmicemegamall.com [https://www.blindmicemegamall.com] Accessible Patterns Index: https://accessiblepatternsindex.com/category/using-the-index [https://accessiblepatternsindex.com/category/using-the-index] Braille Authority of North America – Crafts & Hobbies: https://brailleauthority.org/crafts-and-hobbies [https://brailleauthority.org/crafts-and-hobbies] PAIGE Braille App: https://paigebraille.com [https://paigebraille.com] Keyword List   Braille learning app, PAIGE Braille, Braille displays 2026, HumanWare Braille Note Evolve, Orbit Research Strata, Selvis BrailleSense 7, Mnemonic Braille Labeller, accessible knitting patterns, crochet Braille patterns, Blind Mice Mega Mall, Accessible Patterns Index, Braille teaching tools, assistive technology podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Braille Bridge: Mastering Braille for Adults

Discover Braille Bridge, a new APH resource designed for adult learners and transition-aged readers who want to build practical Braille fluency. Learn how to integrate Braille into daily life through engaging exercises, tactile graphics, and fun activities.   In this episode of At Your Fingertips: Braille, Then and Now, Chris introduces Braille Bridge, a resource from the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) created for adults and young people seeking to refresh or improve their Braille skills. Unlike children’s books or overly simplistic texts, Braille Bridge offers short, relevant, and practical reading materials—covering household labels, recipes, jokes, riddles, and even short letters like one from Helen Keller.   Chris also shares a step-by-step guide for creating a tactile Braille heart design using a Perkins Brailler or slate and stylus. The episode highlights ways to integrate Braille into everyday activities, from labelling household items to enjoying games like Scrabble, Uno, or Monopoly. Discover how consistent, practical Braille use can help learners gain confidence, independence, and joy in reading.   Relevant Links   APH Braille Bridge: https://www.aph.org [https://www.aph.org] Paths to Literacy Braille Designs: https://www.pathstoliteracy.org/braille-designs-valentines-day/ [https://www.pathstoliteracy.org/braille-designs-valentines-day/] Keyword List   Braille Bridge, APH Braille resources, adult Braille learners, tactile graphics, Perkins Brailler activities, Braille fluency practice, accessible learning tools, BRF files, Paths to Literacy, Braille heart design   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Jonathan Mosen on the Legacy and Future of Braille

Celebrate the legacy of Louis Braille and explore the past, present, and future of Braille with Jonathan Mosen, Executive Director for Accessibility Excellence at the National Federation of the Blind. Learn how Braille technology evolved from the VersaBraille to multi-line displays like the Monarch, and why literacy through Braille is still life-changing today.   In this engaging conversation, Chris welcomes Braille advocate and technology leader Jonathan Mosen to reflect on the impact of Louis Braille’s invention and the ongoing journey of Braille literacy. Jonathan shares stories from his lifelong relationship with Braille, from reading under the covers as a child to using early devices like the VersaBraille in the 1980s.   Listeners will hear about the challenges and breakthroughs in Braille technology, including the rise of refreshable Braille, the promise of multi-line displays, and the transformative potential of tactile graphics for education and STEM learning. Jonathan also recounts his emotional visit to Louis Braille’s birthplace, reflecting on the profound legacy of a system that continues to empower blind people around the globe.   Together, Chris and Jonathan discuss practical ways to encourage more people to learn Braille, the myths surrounding technology replacing literacy, and the exciting future of devices like the Dot Pad and Monarch.   [Relevant Links]   National Federation of the Blind: https://www.nfb.org   NFB Centre of Excellence in Non-visual Accessibility (CENA): https://nfb.org/cena   Access On Podcast: https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/technology/access-on   [Keyword List]   Louis Braille legacy, Braille technology, Jonathan Mosen interview, refreshable Braille displays, Monarch Braille display, Dot Pad tactile graphics, VersaBraille history, Braille literacy advocacy, National Federation of the Blind, accessible technology podcast   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

From Perkins to Pixels: How Multi-Line Braille Displays Are Changing Access and Education

Discover how multi-line Braille displays like Dot Pad X and Monarch are transforming accessibility, education, and tactile literacy. Jackie Brown shares her lifelong Braille journey, from Perkins Braillers to cutting-edge digital Braille technology.   In this engaging conversation, Chris speaks with Jackie Brown, a digital skills officer at RNIB and founder of Strive Ability, about the evolution of Braille and its exciting future. Jackie shares her experience supporting tactile learners, her passion for Braille technology, and how multi-line displays are changing the way blind users access diagrams, graphics, and digital books.   From early Braille learning at age four to embracing electronic Braille in 2000, Jackie details her journey into using devices like the Dot Pad X and Monarch for reading Kindle books, exploring tactile diagrams, and supporting students in mainstream education. She highlights the power of tactile graphics, the importance of multi-line Braille in STEM learning, and the impact of showcasing these devices to educators and schools.   Relevant Links   Strive Ability: https://www.striveability.uk [https://striveability.uk/] Braillists – Braille on Display: https://www.braillists.org/braille-on-display [https://www.braillists.org/brailleondisplay/] Keyword List   multi-line Braille display, Dot Pad X, Monarch Braille display, tactile diagrams, electronic Braille, RNIB accessibility, Kindle Braille reading, Strive Ability UK, Braille in education, assistive technology 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]