Robust Surfaces for Multi-Line Braille Displays

描述（由申请人提供）：数字革命已经将大量的电子信息放在了普通人的一个按钮上。不幸的是，由于缺乏高效、低成本的显示系统，盲人被这场革命抛在了后面。现有的商业盲文显示器利用压电致动器来部署形成盲文文本的机械销。为了降低盲文显示器的成本，需要一种新的方法。轨道研究公司开发了一种利用低成本、小而有效的MEMS微阀的微驱动盲文显示器概念。微型阀用于控制输送到每个盲文点的气压以控制部署。在第一阶段计划中，轨道研究公司成功地展示了两种不同的方法来产生一个强大的可刷新的盲文显示表面，并确定了将光标路由直接集成到盲文表面本身的可行性，从而提高了显示器的实用性，同时限制了成本的增加。对于第二阶段，轨道研究公司将在第一阶段奠定的基础上开发一个模块化的气动盲文表面，使多个盲文模块和表面能够连接在一起，形成任何尺寸的盲文显示器。这些盲文模块将整合光标路由技术，使读者能够迅速将光标移动到他们正在阅读的任何特定位置。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The digital revolution has placed a wealth of electronic information literally at the touch of a button to the average individual. Unfortunately, blind people have been left behind by the revolution due to the lack of efficient, low-cost display systems. Existing commercial Braille Displays utilize piezoelectric actuators to deploy mechanical pins, which form Braille text. In order to reduce the cost of Braille Displays, a fresh approach is necessary. Orbital Research has developed a pneumatically actuated Braille Display concept that utilizes low-cost, small, and efficient MEMS microvalves. The microvalves are used to control air pressure delivered to each Braille dot to control deployment. During the Phase I program, Orbital Research successfully demonstrated two separate methods for producing a robust refreshable Braille Display surface and determined the feasibility of integrating cursor routing directly into the Braille surface itself, thereby enhancing the utility of the display while limiting cost increase. For the Phase II, Orbital Research will build on the foundation laid by the Phase I to develop a modular, pneumatic Braille surface that will enable multiple Braille modules and surfaces to be linked together to form any arbitrarily sized Braille Display. These Braille modules will integrate cursor routing techniques to enable the reader to rapidly move the cursor to any specific location they are reading.