Worldwide, there are more than 285 million blind and visually impaired people. Yet, only 1% of all published books are available in Braille. As a direct result, the unemployment rate for the blind and visually impaired worldwide stands at a devastating 90%. Currently, Braille devices are clunky, not that powerful and cost up to $5,000 – which might be fine, if your health insurance will pay for it. But what if you do not have health insurance and want the same access to information as everyone else?

BLITAB^® is the first-ever Braille tablet designed for the blind and visually impaired. It is a cheaper version of an existing product and a much more useful device. It has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and can run all sorts of Android apps. It also supports the accessibility features in Android, such as voice over. When you press the button on the side of the device, the top half of the device turns into a Braille reader. You can load a document, a web page — anything really — and then read the content using Braille. The BLITAB^® tablet works by using small bubbles that quickly change in size, enabling the user to e.g. feel a map in Google Maps.

It is a next generation affordable multi-functional device for Braille reading and -writing people, and is a great example of how disrupting technology and design can drive social change and inclusion while contributing to a higher literacy and employment rate of blind users. With its functionalities and affordable price, BLITAB^® boosts Braille usage and significantly increases the employment rate of blind users worldwide.