<div>Thanks to all for your feedback and help till date. We appreciate it.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Aaron,</div>
<div> </div>
<div>You wrote:</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>>If those were the only differences, then there would be no problem. However, making a computer understand Braille requires not just >getting the Braille into the computer, but also translating it to print. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Thanks for your suggestions about this topic. We will try to arrive at an optimal solution w.r.t translation of Braille to print. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>>Are you considering making the Braille keyboard a separate USB device, or replacing the existing keyboard with the Braille keyboard? I >would strongly recommend keeping it separate. Blind people have been typing on standard keyboards for years with absolutely no >problems, and many prefer doing so, my self included.
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Thanks for pointing us to this idea. We were not thinking about having the Braille Keyboard as a seperate USB Device. We will look into this option more deeply.</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Peter/Rakesh,</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Thanks for the idea about using the existent dots on "F", and "J" keys to locate the home row. We are trying to come up on a conclusion whether the existent dots would be sufficient pointers for a child, or do we need more guide dots? Any suggestions/feedback about it will be appreciated.
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Regards,</div>
<div>Manu</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Manusheel Gupta</div>
<div>One Laptop Per Child Inc.</div>
<div><a href="http://laptop.org">http://laptop.org</a> <br> </div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div><br><br><br> </div>
<div> </div>
<div><br> </div>
<div><span class="gmail_quote">On 10/23/07, <b class="gmail_sendername">Walter Bender</b> <<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:walter.bender@gmail.com" target="_blank">walter.bender@gmail.com
</a>> wrote:</span>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">Are the current single dots on F and J sufficient? That would make the<br>manufacturer happy. But if a few more guide dots would be helpful,
<br>especially to young children, we should investigate.<br><br>-walter<br><br>On 10/22/07, Peter Korn <<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:Peter.Korn@sun.com" target="_blank">Peter.Korn@sun.com
</a>> wrote:<br>> Hi Walter,<br>><br>> I believe the XO already has a single dot on the 'f' and 'j' keys, which <br>> is sufficient to locate the home row, and from there to use the home row
<br>> for chording Braille text entry if that were desired.<br>><br>> I can't imagine anyone wanting a full Braille representation on the keys <br>> themselves. For one thing, it wouldn't be localizable...
<br>><br>> Regards,<br>><br>> Peter Korn<br>> Accessibility Architect,<br>> Sun Microsystems, Inc.<br>><br>> > We were debating whether or not it would make sense to make a version <br>> > of the OLPC keyboard that had raised dots for Braille. I imagine that
<br>> > it would be relatively easy to make a new mold for the rubber membrane<br>> > keyboard. We'd consider it if it was useful globally--a percentage of <br>> > these keyboards could be included in every order. But it isn't clear
<br>> > that would be particularly useful.<br>> ><br>> > Of course, we'd need to get the back-end support working as well. <br>> ><br>> > -walter<br>> ><br>> > On 10/22/07, Aaron Cannon <
<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:cannona@fireantproductions.com" target="_blank">cannona@fireantproductions.com</a>> wrote:<br>> ><br>> >> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
<br>> >> Hash: RIPEMD160<br>> >><br>> >> Hi Manu.<br>> >><br>> >> I just want to clarify some things. First, when you say Braille keyboard,<br>> >> do you mean a regular keyboard with Braille labels on the keys, or a
<br>> >> keyboard that will allow the user to type in Braille?<br>> >><br>> >> I assume the latter, but would just like to make sure.<br>> >><br>> >> There are two general types of Braille in use in the world, six-dot and
<br>> >> eight-dot. Most languages use six-dot Braille. This is the type of Braille<br>> >> used in the English Braille Code, the new Unified English Braille code,<br>> >> Braille music, the Nemeth Braille code for mathematics, Spanish Braille, and
<br>> >> many others. An eight-dot code is also sometimes used for certain foreign<br>> >> languages, as well as certain types of computer Braille. Many manufacturers<br>> >> of Braille keyboards simply make the 8-dot type, and the users just don't
<br>> >> use the lower two keys.<br>> >><br>> >> If those were the only differences, then there would be no problem.<br>> >> However, making a computer understand Braille requires not just getting the
<br>> >> Braille into the computer, but also translating it to print. This is much<br>> >> more complex than it may seem at first glance. Because Braille was not<br>> >> designed to be read by computers, there are several ambiguities. (There
<br>> >> were bound to be; you have only 63 dot combinations in 6-dot Braille, and<br>> >> they have to represent close to a hundred different symbols.) Fortunately,<br>> >> these ambiguities are quite obvious to a human. Unfortunately, they are
<br>> >> quite difficult for a computer. If that weren't bad enough, many Braille<br>> >> codes, including English and Spanish, employ contractions. Braille is big,<br>> >> and one way we reduce the size of Braille is to write in short hand.
<br>> >> Contracted Braille in English is very well defined, but unfortunately, it is<br>> >> still often ambiguous to computers.<br>> >><br>> >> There is a publication available from the National Library Service for the
<br>> >> Blind and Physically Handicapped, a division of the Library of Congress,<br>> >> which gives some details about each of the formalized Braille codes in the<br>> >> world. If you'd like I can dig up the title.
<br>> >><br>> >> Are you considering making the Braille keyboard a separate USB device, or<br>> >> replacing the existing keyboard with the Braille keyboard? I would strongly<br>> >> recommend keeping it separate. Blind people have been typing on standard
<br>> >> keyboards for years with absolutely no problems, and many prefer doing so,<br>> >> my self included.<br>> >><br>> >> However, if you are in fact planning on making a separate Braille input
<br>> >> device, then by all means, go for it. Just know that getting the Braille<br>> >> into the computer is the easy part. Back-translation to print is what's<br>> >> hard.<br>> >>
<br>> >> Finally, a third alternative is to simply use the standard keyboard for<br>> >> Braille input. Whether or not this will work will depend on the hardware,<br>> >> but many blind people type Braille on a standard qwerty keyboard. They
<br>> >> press the f, d, s, j, k, and l keys in various combinations to make the<br>> >> different Braille symbols. I've done it my self, and it seems to work ok.<br>> >> I think I prefer a true Braille input device for typing Braille, but I could
<br>> >> probably get used to it.<br>> >><br>> >> Anyway, I hope that that helps.<br>> >><br>> >> Let me know if you have any further questions or need any clarifications.<br>> >>
<br>> >> Aaron<br>> >><br>> >><br>> >> - --<br>> >> Skype: cannona<br>> >> MSN/Windows Messenger: <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:cannona@hotmail.com" target="_blank">
cannona@hotmail.com</a> (don't send email to the hotmail <br>> >> address.)<br>> >> - ----- Original Message -----<br>> >> From: "Manusheel Gupta" <<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:manu@laptop.org" target="_blank">
manu@laptop.org</a>><br>> >> To: "Aaron Cannon" < <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:cannona@fireantproductions.com" target="_blank">cannona@fireantproductions.com
</a>>; <<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:bigone@qon.lao.net" target="_blank">bigone@qon.lao.net</a>>;<br>> >> "Peter Korn" <<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:Peter.Korn@sun.com" target="_blank">
Peter.Korn@sun.com</a>><br>> >> Cc: "Discussion of accessibility on the OLPC"<br>> >> <<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:accessibility@lists.laptop.org" target="_blank">
accessibility@lists.laptop.org</a>>; "Walter Bender" < <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:walter@laptop.org" target="_blank">walter@laptop.org</a>>;<br>> >> "Samuel Klein" <
<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:sj@laptop.org" target="_blank">sj@laptop.org</a>><br>> >> Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 10:48 AM<br>> >> Subject: Re: [laptop-accessibility] keyboard for the blind
<br>> >><br>> >><br>> >><br>> >>> Thanks Aaron, Peter, and Big One(Sorry! I don't know your name) for the<br>> >>> introduction and help.<br>> >>><br>> >>> Me and Walter are currently working on the development of OLPC-Braille
<br>> >>> Keyboard.<br>> >>><br>> >>> <br>> >>> Aaron, you wrote:<br>> >>><br>> >>><br>> >>>> What adaptations are you considering?<br>
> >>>><br>> >>> We are at an initial stage, and are in the process of looking for a <br>> >>> suitable<br>> >>> layout.<br>> >>><br>> >>> The first question we are searching about, at the moment is: Is Braille
<br>> >>> in US the same as Braille in India as Braille in China as Braille in Peru? <br>> >>> If so, we can sum up with a separate keyboard mold for use<br>> >>> everywhere--economies of scale.
<br>> >>><br>> >>> Any pointers/feedback about it will be highly appreciated. <br>> >>><br>> >>> Regards,<br>> >>> Manu<br>> >>><br>> >>> Manusheel Gupta
<br>> >>> One Laptop Per Child Inc.<br>> >>> <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://laptop.org/" target="_blank">http://laptop.org</a><br>> >>><br>> >>>
<br>> >>><br>> >>><br>> >>><br>> >>><br>> >>><br>> >>><br>> >>><br>> >>> On 10/22/07, Aaron Cannon < <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:cannona@fireantproductions.com" target="_blank">
cannona@fireantproductions.com</a> > wrote:<br>> >>><br>> >>>> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----<br>> >>>> Hash: RIPEMD160<br>> >>>> <br>> >>>> Hi Peter.
<br>> >>>><br>> >>>> I wrote to the person leading the effort as well as CCing the list as I<br>> >>>> thought it would be of interest.<br>> >>>> <br>> >>>> I got the information from the weekly email update to the
<br>> >>>> <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:community-news@laptop.org" target="_blank">community-news@laptop.org</a> mailing list from Walter Bender:<br>> >>>> "18. Keyboards: Manusheel, Sayamindu Dasgupta, Roshan Kamat, Tushar
<br>> >>>> Sayankar, Jens Peterson, and Walter Bender have finished the layout for a<br>> >>>> Deva keyboard (See <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Devanagari_Keyboard" target="_blank">
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Devanagari_Keyboard </a>). We<br>> >>>> hope<br>> >>>> to finish the Nepali and Pashto keyboards in the coming weeks. Manu is<br>> >>>> leading a discussion on an OLPC keyboard for the blind. Please send your
<br>> >>>> ideas/feedback to manu<at>laptop<dot>org)."<br>> >>>><br>> >>>><br>> >>>> Aaron<br>> >>>><br>> >>>> - --
<br>> >>>> Skype: cannona<br>> >>>> MSN/Windows Messenger: <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:cannona@hotmail.com" target="_blank">cannona@hotmail.com</a> (don't send email to the
<br>> >>>> hotmail<br>> >>>> address.) <br>> >>>> - ----- Original Message -----<br>> >>>> From: "Peter Korn" <<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:Peter.Korn@Sun.COM" target="_blank">
Peter.Korn@Sun.COM</a>><br>> >>>> To: "Discussion of accessibility on the OLPC" <br>> >>>> <<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:accessibility@lists.laptop.org" target="_blank">
accessibility@lists.laptop.org</a>><br>> >>>> Cc: <<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:manu@laptop.org" target="_blank">manu@laptop.org</a>><br>> >>>> Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2007 11:09 PM
<br>> >>>> Subject: Re: [laptop-accessibility] keyboard for the blind<br>> >>>><br>> >>>><br>> >>>><br>> >>>>> Hi Aaron,<br>> >>>>>
<br>> >>>>><br>> >>>>>> I have been informed that you are in the process of designing a<br>> >>>>>><br>> >>>> keyboard<br>> >>>><br>
> >>>>>> for<br>> >>>>>> the blind for the XO. Being totally blind my self, and having learned<br>> >>>>>><br>> >>>> to<br>> >>>>
<br>> >>>>>> touch-type at age six, I am curious about the project. First, why is<br>> >>>>>><br>> >>>> it<br>> >>>><br>> >>>>>> believed that a specialized keyboard is needed? Is there something
<br>> >>>>>> unique<br>> >>>>>> about the current XO laptop which makes it difficult to touch type<br>> >>>>>><br>> >>>> with?<br>> >>>>
<br>> >>>>>> What adaptations are you considering?<br>> >>>>>><br>> >>>>> You have reached an e-mail discussion list, where folks interested in<br>> >>>>> accessibility for the OLPC/XO discuss these matters.
<br>> >>>>><br>> >>>>> I am not aware of any work going on around a specific "keyboard for the<br>> >>>>> blind for the XO". However, if someone is working on that, it is a
<br>> >>>>> reasonable guess that they might be on this e-mail list.<br>> >>>>><br>> >>>>><br>> >>>>> From where did you hear this?<br>> >>>>>
<br>> >>>>><br>> >>>>> Regards,<br>> >>>>><br>> >>>>> Peter Korn<br>> >>>>> Accessibility Architect,<br>> >>>>> Sun Microsystems, Inc.
<br>> >>>>> _______________________________________________<br>> >>>>> accessibility mailing list<br>> >>>>> <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:accessibility@lists.laptop.org" target="_blank">
accessibility@lists.laptop.org </a><br>> >>>>> <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/accessibility" target="_blank">http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/accessibility
</a><br>> >>>>><br>> >>>> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- <br>> >>>> Version: GnuPG v1.4.6 (MingW32) - GPGrelay v0.959<br>> >>>> Comment: Key available from all major key servers.
<br>> >>>><br>> >>>> iD8DBQFHHJIWI7J99hVZuJcRA0Z6AKDhiU8QrenzIy9r0MISws27dUzH1gCgkR3E <br>> >>>> x4D5tEq0un/QPkyIxphqRfw=<br>> >>>> =EvaG<br>> >>>> -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
<br>> >>>><br>> >>>><br>> >> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- <br>> >> Version: GnuPG v1.4.6 (MingW32) - GPGrelay v0.959<br>> >> Comment: Key available from all major key servers.
<br>> >><br>> >> iD8DBQFHHOG6I7J99hVZuJcRA7b3AKDGOwnRJcty7EyBS313aV9xzcVW0gCgwHl+ <br>> >> 5tHOo7MdxjlJCNEosDDSK4I=<br>> >> =EFlW<br>> >> -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----<br>> >>
<br>> >><br>> ><br>> ><br>> ><br>><br>><br><br><br>--<br>Walter Bender <br>One Laptop per Child<br><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://laptop.org/" target="_blank">
http://laptop.org</a><br></blockquote></div><br>