Shubham Banarjee improvised upon an existing concept from his $350 LEGO Mindstorms EV3 kit and developed this low-cost Braille printer. What started off as a project for his school’s science exhibition has turned many heads, and has opened doors for several exiting opportunities. The overall process of developing the Braille printer demanded many design and programming iterations. Cost was one major lookout, since visually-impaired people in developing countries do not have low-cost printing options. While a commercial printer could be availed for $2000, Shubham’s printer costs nearly $350, and most of the parts can be acquired via the LEGO kit.
The device Braigo (Braille + LEGO) at present is just at a concept stage, and much has to be worked upon it. The creator would like the device to be open-source with entire plan and programming put online. The video shows how the device works, and its construction with demonstration. It punches holes in paper, and with further development, it could become an efficient Braille printer.
A major ambition driving the next-gen Braigo is the ability to scan an entire text page and then convert the text to Braille. At present, printing happens letter to letter, where spaces must be entered separately.
Shubham got the idea of making Braigo when he saw a flier asking donors to help the blind. This is an attempt by him to make a difference in their lives. The young genius is now in seventh grade, but aspires for a bright future as a scientist, doctor or an engineer. Wishing him all the best in his future pursuits.
Watch the videos –
Shubham Banarjee improvised upon an existing concept from his $350 LEGO Mindstorms EV3 kit and developed this low-cost Braille printer. What started off as a project for his school’s science exhibition has turned many heads, and has opened doors for several exiting opportunities. The overall process of developing the Braille printer demanded many design and programming iterations. Cost was one major lookout, since visually-impaired people in developing countries do not have low-cost printing options. While a commercial printer could be availed for $2000, Shubham’s printer costs nearly $350, and most of the parts can be acquired via the LEGO kit.
The device Braigo (Braille + LEGO) at present is just at a concept stage, and much has to be worked upon it. The creator would like the device to be open-source with entire plan and programming put online. The video shows how the device works, and its construction with demonstration. It punches holes in paper, and with further development, it could become an efficient Braille printer.
A major ambition driving the next-gen Braigo is the ability to scan an entire text page and then convert the text to Braille. At present, printing happens letter to letter, where spaces must be entered separately.
Shubham got the idea of making Braigo when he saw a flier asking donors to help the blind. This is an attempt by him to make a difference in their lives. The young genius is now in seventh grade, but aspires for a bright future as a scientist, doctor or an engineer. Wishing him all the best in his future pursuits.
Watch the videos –