Abstract:
A portable device for translation of digital content on a display into braille includes: a conductive material located adjacent an end of the portable device for contacting a display of a touchscreen device; a microcontroller located on a body of the portable device; a communications module in electronic communication with the microcontroller; and a first braille cell comprising a plurality of movable individual braille elements, the individual braille elements collectively capable of forming braille alphabet letters. The microcontroller receives a command via the communications module to create a braille character on the first braille cell in response to the conductive material contacting the display of the touchscreen device, the braille character corresponding to a character displayed on the display of the touchscreen device at the location the conductive material contacts the display.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/328,026 for a “Portable Tactile Device for Interpreting Digital Content via Physical Representation” filed on Apr. 27, 2016, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    This disclosure relates to the field of accessibility technology. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a handheld or semi-wearable device that allows visually impaired persons to view and interpret digital content through braille language. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Braille devices currently available to the visually impaired are either in the form of a Braille display hooked to a computer/touch surface or a Braille Note-taker, which is a Braille display with a computer built into it. The display on those two devices is a single line of 10-80 refreshable Braille cells. These devices are extremely expensive and cost between $1,000 and $15,000, with cheaper devices having as little as ten Braille cell lines, meaning a person can read ten letters or less before having to press next and move ther person&#39;s hand. These devices are also typically limited in features compared to a Tablet or a Smartphone device. The cost of these devices puts the devices well beyond the means of the vast majority of visually impaired individuals, as it is estimated that 90% of blind people live in developing countries and are therefore unable to afford the devices. Additionally, these devices are not highly portable as they are quite bulky, and the single line display is quite slower to read and less natural compared to our approach, which will provide a full-page reading capabilities with intuitive interaction. 
         [0004]    Other devices have attempted to integrate other tactile elements. However, these devices typically require various pieces of specialized hardware and are not compatible with existing devices that already include touch screens. 
         [0005]    What is needed, therefore, is a tactile device for interpreting content of a touchscreen or other similar device in a tactile form. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    A portable device translates digital content on a display into tactile feedback. In a first aspect, the portable device includes: a conductive material located adjacent an end of the portable device for contacting a display of a touchscreen device; a microcontroller located on a body of the portable device; a communications module in electronic communication with the microcontroller; and a first braille cell comprising a plurality of movable individual braille elements, the individual braille elements collectively capable of forming braille alphabet letters. The microcontroller receives a command via the communications module to create a braille character on the first braille cell in response to the conductive material contacting the display of the touchscreen device, the braille character corresponding to a character displayed on the display of the touchscreen device at the location the conductive material contacts the display. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment, the portable device further includes: a glove body shaped to conform to a shape of a user&#39;s hand, wherein the first braille cell is located at a first fingertip of the glove; and a second braille cell located at a second fingertip of the glove. 
         [0008]    In another embodiment, the portable device further includes: a first pressure sensor located adjacent the first braille cell; and a second pressure sensor located adjacent the second braille cell. The first and second pressure sensors detect when the first and second fingertips of the glove contact a surface. 
         [0009]    In a second aspect, a portable device for translation of digital content on a display into tactile feedback includes: a glove body shaped to conform to a shape of a user&#39;s hand; a conductive material located adjacent an end of the portable device for contacting a display of a touchscreen device; a microcontroller located on a body of the portable device; a communications module in electronic communication with the microcontroller; and a first braille cell located at a first fingertip of the glove shaped body and comprising a plurality of movable individual braille elements, the individual braille elements collectively capable of forming braille alphabet letters. The microcontroller receives a command via the communications module to create a braille character on the first braille cell in response to the conductive material contacting the display of the touchscreen device, the braille character corresponding to a character displayed on the display of the touchscreen device at the location the conductive material contacts the display. 
         [0010]    In a third aspect, a method of translating digital content on a display into tactile feedback includes: providing a handheld device including a capacitive portion located on an end of the handheld device and a braille cell located on the device adjacent a finger of a user; providing a touchscreen device including a touchscreen display; contacting a portion of the touchscreen display with the capacitive portion of the handheld device; determining on the touchscreen device a location of the portion of the touchscreen display contacted by the capacitive portion of the handheld device; identifying a character displayed on the touchscreen device in the portion of the touchscreen display contacted by the handheld device; transmitting an identity of the character identified within the portion of the touchscreen display contacted by the handheld device; translating the identified character into a braille character; and generating the braille character on the braille cell of the handheld device. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    Further features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, appended claims, and accompanying figures, wherein elements are not to scale so as to more clearly show the details, wherein like reference numbers indicate like elements throughout the several views, and wherein: 
           [0012]      FIGS. 1-5  show a handheld device for translating content of a display to tactile feedback according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  shows a chart including characters of a braille alphabet according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 7-9  show flow charts of queuing characters touched by a user with a handheld device according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0015]      FIGS. 10 and 11  show a handheld device in a stylus form according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 12 and 13  show a handheld device including rotating braille cells according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
           [0017]      FIGS. 14 and 15  show a handheld device shaped to conform to a user&#39;s hand according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    Various terms used herein are intended to have particular meanings. Some of these terms are defined below for the purpose of clarity. The definitions given below are meant to cover all forms of the words being defined (e.g., singular, plural, present tense, past tense). If the definition of any term below diverges from the commonly understood and/or dictionary definition of such term, the definitions below control. 
         [0019]      FIGS. 1-4  show a user&#39;s hands, each with its own handheld device  1 , shown as a glove in  FIG. 1 . As referred to herein, handheld device  1  corresponds to a device that is readily grasped and manipulated by a user. The handheld device  1  may be a device that is either held in a user&#39;s grip, or may be a wearable device that is worn by a user on the user&#39;s hands. Each handheld device  1  will be identical, except for alignment of fingers, to fit either of the user&#39;s hands. Each handheld device  1  will consist of one or more braille cells  2  and one or more pressure sensors  6  that are located inside the handheld device  1  adjacent fingertips of a user, and underneath the tip of the ring, middle, and index fingers of the user. The braille cell  2  and pressure sensor  6  are in electronic communication with a microcontroller  3  via communication lines  5  extending from the braille cells  2  to a wrist band  20  the wrist band  20  including the microcontroller  3  and a power source  4  (such as a battery). The braille cells  2  are preferably located at a tip  22  of the handheld device  1  adjacent a fingertip of the user. The tip  22  of the handheld device  1  is preferably formed of a conductive material, such that a capacitive touchscreen display detects the tip  22  contacting the capacitive touchscreen display. 
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the handheld device  1  interacting with a touchscreen display  11  of a touchscreen device  10 . The handheld device  1  is preferably constructed at least partially from a conductive material such that the touchscreen device  10  detects the handheld device  1  contacting the touchscreen display  11 . The handheld device  1  is shown as a glove in  FIGS. 1-5 , and under the tip  22  of the handheld device  1 , the braille cell  2  is provided that is preferably formed of piezoelectric cells that move up and down to form the braille alphabet, shown in  FIG. 6 , when a user&#39;s—finger touches a letter  8  on the touchscreen  11  of an exemplary touchscreen device  10 . However, it is also understood that the braille cell  2  may be formed of various other suitable tactile feedback mechanisms that would allow a visually impaired user to interpret the letter  8  displayed on the touchscreen  111  of the touchscreen device  10 . 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , embodiments of the handheld device  1  further include programmable instructions implemented on one or more of the handheld device  1  and touchscreen device  10 . Touch input from the user, such as when the user contacts the touchscreen display  11  with a conductive portion of the handheld device  1 , is detected on the touchscreen display  11  by the touchscreen device  10  on the touchscreen device  10 . If a letter region  9  ( FIG. 5 ) is touched by the user, the letter  8  is added to a letter queue with other letters currently being touched. The letter queue may be stored on the microcontroller  3  of the handheld device  1 . 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIG. 8 , touched letters are detected and queued, thereby creating a string of letters. Once received, touch sensors  6  are checked to detect if the Left Ring Finger (LR) sensor is down and if so, the first received letter in the queue is assigned to the braille cell  2  located on the left ring finger of the handheld device  1 . Similarly, touch sensors  6  are check to detect if the Left Middle Finger (LM) is touched, assigning the following letter to the braille cell  2  located adjacent the Left Middle Finger if the corresponding Left Middle Finger sensor  6  is down, and then again with the left index finger and the following letter. 
         [0023]    The process of queuing and assigning detected letters is further performed on the handheld device  1  on the right hand of the user, as shown in  FIG. 9 . The touch sensors  6  are checked for a received detected letter queue, which may include a string of letters. Afterwards, the sensors  6  are checked to determine if the Right Ring Finger (RR) sensor is down and if so, assign the first letter in the queue to it the Right Ring Finger braille cell  2 . The system then performs the same with the Right Middle Finger (RM), assigning the following letter to the braille cell  2  of the Right Middle Finger if the corresponding sensor  6  is detected as in contact with a surface, and then again with the Right Index Finger (RI) and the following letter. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 10 and 11  shows a handheld device  23  in the form of a handheld stylus from several different views. The user positions a finger on an end  24  of the stylus on top of a braille cell  26  and a braille cell connector  27 . The positions the user&#39;s finger while maintaining a grip on a wide body  28  of the stylus with the aid provided from a grip area  30 . The handheld device  23  includes a power button  32  that is pressure induced and includes a charging port  34  on the wide body  28 . The handheld device  23  further includes a microcontroller  35 , a wireless communications module  37 , such as a Bluetooth Module, and a DC converter  39 . A conductive rubber portion  36  is located adjacent the end  24  where the user&#39;s finger is positioned, thereby allowing the handheld device  23  to interact with a touch screen on a touchscreen device. The conductivity may be transferred from the hand of the user while touching metal parts on the handheld device  23  such as the braille cell  26 . 
         [0025]      FIGS. 12 and 13  show the concept of a rotating braille cell  38 , where the user positions the user&#39;s finger on top of the rotating braille cell  38  formed on the device shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13  which holds includes a plurality of individual braille cells. The rotating braille cell  38  rotates while the user navigates a touchscreen display with the handheld device  23 , thereby allowing the user to experience a natural reading experience as when moving on top of a braille paper. 
         [0026]      FIGS. 14 and 15  show additional embodiments of a handheld device  40  shaped to fit at least partially onto a hand of a user. The handheld device  40  may include a body  42  made from a flexible material such that the body  42  of the handheld device  40  is wearable on a user&#39;s hand. The body  42  extends from a portion that wraps around a user&#39;s hand to an end  44  that extends over a user&#39;s index finger. The braille cell  2  is located within the body  42  and adjacent to an index finger of the wearer. Components including the microcontroller  3 , power source  4 , and communications module  37  are preferably located on the body  42 . The various electronic compoennts may be located within a pocket  46  formed in the body  42  adjacent to a palm of a user&#39;s hand. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 15 , the body  42  may be shaped to fit around a finger of the user instead of wrapping fully around the user&#39;s hand. 
         [0027]    The handheld device  1  is able to detect contents of a display of a touchscreen or other device and to transmit the contents of the display to a user in an order based on movement of the user to simulate directly reading the contents of the display. The touchscreen or other device detects a location of a handheld or semi-wearable device on a display of the device and communicates contents of the display to the handheld or semi-wearable device through physical feedback on the handheld device  1 . Contents of the display in the particular location of the handheld device  1  are transmitted to the handheld device  1  and produced as physical feedback on the device, such as through the braille cell  2 . The handheld device  1  preferably utilizes wireless communication, such as with a Bluetooth module, to establish communication with the touchscreen device  10 . The touchscreen device  10  detects a position of the handheld device  1  on a display of the touchscreen device  10  and transmits data to the handheld device corresponding to content in that position of a display of the touchscreen device  10 . A braille library is preferably stored on one of the handheld device  1  and touchscreen device  10  such that content of the display on the touchscreen device  10  is translated to tactile feedback, such as braille, on the braille cell  2  of the handheld device  1 . The handheld device  1  may produce additional tactile feedback corresponding to a location of the handheld device  1  on the display of the touchscreen device  10 , such as to indicate that the handheld device  1  is at the end of a line of content or adjacent an edge of the display of the touchscreen device  10 . 
         [0028]    While reference is made herein to tactile feedback of the handheld device  1  provided as braille, it is also understood that the handheld device  1  may provide tactile feedback in various other forms. For example, tactile feedback may be provided as physical representations of characters or images displayed on the touchscreen device  10 . Further, additional tactile feedback may be provided, such as vibrations, pulses, or other various tactile outputs generated on the handheld device. 
         [0029]    In one embodiment, information of the touchscreen device  10  is automatically transmitted to the handheld device  1  corresponding to notifications or actions on the touchscreen device  10 . Notifications or actions include, for example, received text messages, emails, or push notifications occurring on the touchscreen device  10 . 
         [0030]    In one embodiment, a user may move the handheld device  1  along a surface other than a display of a touchscreen device, such as a table. As the user moves the handheld device  1  on the surface, movement of the handheld device  1  is detected and communicated to a device, such as a personal computer or touchscreen device. The device detects movement of the handheld device  1 , such as with a ball or laser located on an end of the handheld device  1 , and in response transmits information to the handheld device  1  corresponding to content shown on a display of the device. Alternatively, the handheld device  1  may include an accelerometer such that if a user manipulates the handheld device  1  through the air, the device detects movement of the handheld device  1 . In another embodiment, the handheld device  1  includes an optical text recognition scanner (OCR) on an end of the device such that contents of a display are detected and communicated to the user through physical feedback on the handheld device  1 . 
         [0031]    In one embodiment, an application programming interface (API) is implemented on the touchscreen device  10  to enable the handheld device  1  to be operable with various applications installed on the touchscreen device  10 . 
         [0032]    The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The described preferred embodiments are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the disclosure to the precise form(s) disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide the best illustrations of the principles of the disclosure and its practical application, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the concepts revealed in the disclosure in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the disclosure as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.