But it was Stoffel who wrote the software program that reads and writes Braille, and designed the hardware. When a floppy disk with his Braille program is inserted into a computer, it moves the six pins in the proper sequence to create individual Braille letters. The pins are push-type tubular solenoids. Plus, newer Windows machines can use DOS, too. The software that Stoffel developed also displays Braille in a large format on the computer screen for those with some sight.
Users can change the colors of the background and the dots.
They also can control the speed of the device and the force exerted by the moving pins. It has 64 different colors. You just use the shift key and a letter to change it instantly. James Belanich, adaptive technology coordinator at the Helen Keller Center, said existing electronic Braille readers were so expensive because they had rows for as many as 80 small Braille characters. Stoffel's device handles one large letter at a time.