Braille engineering project scoops two global awards

9th July 2018

KWSP

Alex Lynn

0 0

An innovative new braille printer, developed by engineering consultancy KWSP together with design partner Co&Co, has scooped two international design awards. Just months after completing a working prototype, b.my.jet has been honoured, with a silver award from A’Design and first place in the office equipment category for the IDA Design Awards.

A multifunctional printing device, b.my.jet, allows blind and partially sighted people to access visual content at an affordable price in the home. It has been designed with a powder deposition system, dispersing a controlled amount of powder onto a surface in a range of sizes and quantities, enabling operators to quickly and easily print Braille and Moon alphabet, in addition to other tactile surfaces.

The project, which was backed by the EU research and innovation programme Horizon 2020 SME Instrument, saw KWSP collaborate with Hungarian engineers, CERC (Central European Research Center) and UK based Alchemie Technology to develop a new alternative to traditional embossing methods. A working prototype was delivered using innovative digital manufacturing techniques with the consortium now pursuing potential commercialisation of the product

Kieron Salter, Managing Director of KWSP, commented: “We are delighted to see b.my.jet recognised for innovative design with not one, but two awards. Everyone involved has offered their creative insight for a product that can make a real difference to partially-sighted and blind people around the world.

“We approach all of our projects with a blank sheet of paper and do away with any technological preconceptions, allowing us to draw inspiration from various different sectors to find the best solution possible.”