The Campaign

DOT. The first Braille Smartwatch. It brings new possibilities and benefits of the networked digital age to the wrists of millions of B&VI people worldwide. The patented DOT Active Braille Technology reduces size, weight and price by more than ten times compared to existing digital Braille reading devices which rely on piezo-electricity. B&VI people can benefit from DOT in all areas of life: DOT makes communication easy and private, provides fast access to information anywhere, makes navigation and transport more convenient and safe, enables efficient, independent and joyful education, improves work performance and increases job opportunities, supports leisure and sports activities. Through the open DOT API, anyone can develop apps or services for DOT. Existing ones can be easily adapted. Apps for Braille education, social networking, navigation, newsfeed, weather and many more are already in development.

Creative Execution

DOT is connected to the smartphone via Bluetooth and can receive any information in text-form, from any app or service – e.g. notifications, texts, directions. It has a crown and two buttons for input – e.g. quick reply, accept calls, remote control. DOT comes with full smartwatch functionality: time, timer, alarm, stopwatch, gyroscope and accelerometer. It’s made from superlight durable aluminum, the battery lasts for 7 days and it costs $290. DOT’s patented Active Braille Technology is based on solenoid multi-actuators controlling four Braille cells with 24 pins by magnetism instead of piezoelectricity as in other Braille devices. This reduces size and production cost, increases speed and keeps energy consumption low. DOT uses haptic force feedback technology to detect finger movement on the pins and automatically change the pins to show the next characters. Along with software, this makes it possible to display text rapidly and conveniently even with limited Braille cells.

DOT will be available in late 2016. Thousands of B&VI people around the world are already experiencing its benefits as testers with early access to final prototypes, at trade fairs, roadshows and stationary retail partners and at schools. 60,000 DOTs have been pre-ordered so far. Prominent visually impaired personalities like athlete Henry Wanyoike, singer Andrea Bocelli and musician Stevie Wonder support DOT. There are cooperations with companies like Google and Uber, educational institutes and the 2018 Paralympic Games in Pyeongchang. DOT Smartwatch is only the entry device into the assistive technology market. Based on its patented technology other applications are already in development: DOT Mini with lower price for developing countries. DOT Active Braille Technology for public facilities, such as ATMs and train stations. DOT Pad to be released in 2017.

The main goal in development was to increase affordability. The development of DOT’s own innovative Active Braille Technology made this possible: It reduces size and production cost by more than ten times, increases speed and keeps energy consumption low. Strategically, the DOT Smartwatch is the entry device into the assistive technology market. Based on its technology, a low-price DOT Mini for developing countries, integration into utilities like ATMs and a DOT Pad are already in development for release in 2017/18. DOT was developed in close relationship with Braille education institutes all over the world, to deliver a final product that fits the actual needs of B&VI people. DOT is promoted and distributed at trade fair and institutions for the blind and visually impaired worldwide, as well as in media for the blind and visually impaired. The PR strategy involves reaching out to friends and families of blind and visually impaired people.