Sanjaybhai Shah, a remarkable individual from California, USA, has faced the compounded challenges of being both deaf and blind. Born deaf, Sanjaybhai went on to achieve an impressive career, including a tenure at NASA—an extraordinary feat showcasing his determination and intellect. In later years, he gradually lost his vision, which created new and profound communication barriers in his life.
His journey took a positive turn when VOSAP provided him with a state-of-the-art E-Brailler—an assistive device that has significantly transformed his daily life. With this device, Sanjaybhai can now read and send emails, text messages, and interact with his mobile phone through Braille—bridging the communication gap that once felt insurmountable.
A tech-savvy innovator at heart, Sanjaybhai not only benefits from the E-Brailler but also actively contributes to the broader disability community. He collaborates with VOSAP, sharing valuable insights and technological ideas to improve accessibility solutions for others in the deaf-blind community. His story is a testament to how the right tools, combined with the right mindset, can empower individuals to thrive and lead meaningful lives.
How eBrailler operates
The eBrailler is an electronic braille typewriter designed for people who are blind or visually impaired. It allows users to type in braille, save their work, and even print or transfer it to a computer. The eBrailler has six main keys, plus a spacebar and other function keys. The user presses combinations of the 6 dot keys. For example, pressing dot 1 and dot 4 makes the letter “C” in braille. These keys are connected to sensors that detect the exact combination. A microcontroller (small computer chip) inside reads the key combination, checks what the key combination means, and also keeps a digital record of what’s being typed. Small metal pins push through thick paper to form raised braille dots (like a normal braille typewriter). The typed content can be saved as a file (like a text file), users can also send it to computer to edit or even print it.
