Latest News
- Braille Bar on Tuesday
Our popular Braille Bar returns this Tuesday at 7:30 PM. No question is too small, from kit to code – just ask and our experts will assist you!
Or, to join by phone, use these details:
- Phone number: 0131 460 1196
- Meeting ID: 880 3508 8878
- Passcode: 123456
- Notable Braille Exhibitors and Events at Sight Village London, Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 October
Sight Village London takes place:
- Tuesday 27 October, 9:30 AM-3:30 PM
- Wednesday 28 October: 9:00 AM-3:00 PM
Braille-Related Exhibitors
- Braillists Foundation
- Bristol Braille Technology
- Hable
- HumanWare
- Index Braille
- jw.org
- Sight and Sound Technology
- Torch Trust
Tuesday at 1:20 PM in Seminar Room 1: BrailleNote Evolve, BrailleSense 7 or Something Else?
Presented by Matthew Horspool, Braillists Foundation
There’s so much choice when it comes to braille devices nowadays! But which choice is the right one? In this session, we will discuss the pros and cons of the two new flagship braille notetakers, the BrailleNote Evolve from HumanWare and the BrailleSense 7 from Selvas and explore how they compare with stand-alone braille displays and other products. By the end of the session, you will understand the factors to consider when choosing a braille device and be able to make more informed decisions about the device which is right for you or the people you are supporting.
Tuesday at 2:40 PM in Seminar Room 1: Introduction and presentation of our company Index Braille, our products and how we achieve “Braille”
Presentation of our free software “Index tactile graphics” and how to create and edit braille graphics.
Wednesday at 12:10 PM in Seminar Room 2: Introduction and presentation of our company Index Braille, our products and how we achieve “Braille”
Presented by Mikael Vikman Sunna, Index Braille
Presentation of our free software “Index tactile graphics” and how to create and edit braille graphics.
- From HumanWare: Which BrailleNote Evolve is Right for You? Braille Keyboard vs QWERTY 40, Tuesday 27 October at 9:00 PM
BrailleNote evolve is designed to grow with you, but which model best matches your skills, needs and learning journey?
In this webinar, we’ll compare the Braille keyboard and upcoming QWERTY 40 versions of BrailleNote evolve and explore who each option is designed for.
We’ll look at how the Braille keyboard can support braille-first learners as they build confidence with Windows, screen readers and eventually QWERTY skills, while the QWERTY 40 provides a familiar keyboard experience for users who already know QWERTY and want braille integrated directly into their everyday computing.
Throughout the session, we’ll include short live demonstrations to show how each version can be used in real-world education, workplace and independent-living scenarios.
By the end of the webinar, you’ll have a clearer understanding of which BrailleNote evolve configuration is the right fit for where you are today — and where you want to go next.
- Braille, Brands & Questions, Wednesday 28 October at 4:00 PM
Dear Braille Display Users,
We are writing on behalf of the Braille Working Group of the European Blind Union (EBU).
More information about EBU and our braille-related activities can be found here:
https://livingbraille.euThis message is about our next expert table talk; BBQ – Braille, Brands & Questions, an informal online table talk dedicated to braille displays and their use.
This public online event for braille experts and braille users is part of a series of table talks with different braille display manufacturers.📅 The meetings are planned to take place on the last Wednesday of each month, of autumn 2026 and spring 2027.
We will welcome you on our next BBQ:
on Wednesday 28TH of October 2026 from 5:00 to 6:30 pm CET (16:00 GMT);
with our guest Thomas Friehoff from BBTF GmbH;
on Zoom.🎧 We plan to record each meeting and publish the recording on our YouTube channel, together with a text summary on livingbraille.eu. You can find the summaries and reports of our previous Table Talks on the livingbraille portal. You can also listen to previous sessions comfortably in your podcast player in the LivingBraille.eu podcast.
During the table talk, we will discuss following topics with our guests:
- their braille displays and their main characteristics;
- how their products relate to our checklist on choosing a braille display;
- different features of braille displays and the needs of users in different use cases.
EBU Braille Working Group team is looking forward to welcome you on our online BBQ.
- Meet Braille Bloom and Paige Connect! Friday 30 October, 11:00 AM, Thomas Pocklington Trust, London
The Perkins Brailler is probably the most commonly used and well-known Braille writing device in the world. It’s been used in the UK since the 1950s, and many blind people use them today in schools, at home and in the workplace. It is a mechanical device similar, in some ways, to a manual typewriter, though it obviously does not require ink!
Over the years, various attempts have been made to modernise the Perkins, including the revered Braille and Print, which connected the Perkins directly to a printer.
Recently, two new attempts have come to market, both of which connect to a computer or smart device:
- the Paige Connect, which connects via Bluetooth and sends FDSJKL to supported applications;
- the Perkins Braille Bloom, which connects via USB or Bluetooth and sends regular text.
On Friday 30 October, Matthew Horspool will be joining Thomas Pocklington Trust’s Tech Friday programme to demonstrate both devices. He will provide more details on the differences between the two and explain where each one would be most beneficial. Attendees will also have the opportunity to see both devices both detached from, and attached to, a Perkins, and try them out for themselves with a range of compatible devices.
This event will run from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Thomas Pocklington Hub, 3 Queen Square, London WC1n 3AR. Biscuits and tea/coffee will be available on the day.
TPT staff can meet you at 10:30 at Russell Square station on the Piccadilly line if required. Please indicate whether you would like to be met when registering or alternatively, contact the hub team on 0208 995 0880 or email [email protected]
Register for Tech Friday with the Braille Bloom and Paige Connect
- From Bristol Braille Technology: Catch Us On Points West
Recently the BBC filmed some interviews with a few of the Bristol Braille team for their Points West news program. We’re expecting this episode will be aired and online 21/10/26.
- A New Way to Choose your Braille Display: Introducing BrailleDB, Tuesday at 7:30 PM
It’s fantastic to see so much choice when it comes to braille technology! However, comparing the various offerings can be daunting.
In this session, we will introduce you to BrailleDB, a new, free database from Seeing Hands designed to make the task of comparing braille displays easier.
Register for Introducing BrailleDB
To join by phone, please use these details:
- Phone number: 0131 460 1196
- Meeting ID: 880 2052 5899
- Passcode: 123456
- How do you Feel about Tactile Markings on Bank Notes? Tell the Bank of England! Deadline 25 October
To mark the 10 years since the release of the first series of polymer bank notes, the Bank of England wishes to engage with blind and partially sighted people to better understand their experiences of their first polymer banknote series. The aim is to ensure that banknotes serve all members of the UK public in being accessible to use, learn from lived experience from the perspective of blind and partially sighted people, understand if and how different banknote design features are used to support banknote identification and denomination, and to use the feedback to help inform the design of the next series of banknotes.
This survey is voluntary and no personal data will be collected.
The survey is open till 25 October.
- From Orbit Research: Software Update 2.3.1 for Orbit Speak and Orbit Speak Plus – Alexa Support and Bug Fixes
We are pleased to let you know that software version 2.3.1 is now available for Orbit Speak and Orbit Speak Plus.
This release brings Amazon Alexa support to Orbit Speak Plus, along with several bug fixes for both Orbit Speak and Orbit Speak Plus.
Important: This update is intended only for devices running software version 2.1 or later. If your device is still running version 1.x, please upgrade to version 2.1 first. Do not install version 2.3.1 directly over version 1.x.
We also recommend consulting the updated user guide available on our website to take full advantage of the features and improvements in this release.
Changes and Improvements
Amazon Alexa Support for Orbit Speak Plus
Orbit Speak Plus users can now install and use the Amazon Alexa Android application from the App Catalog.
With Alexa, you can access services such as Kindle and Audible, listen to internet radio, control compatible smart-home devices, and use other Alexa features. The availability and functionality of these services depend on Amazon and other third-party providers, your account, subscription requirements and your country or region. Not all features or services may be available to every user.
You can interact with Alexa by activating the “Talk to Alexa” button within the Alexa application, or by saying the Alexa wake word while the application is open and focused on its main screen.
For installation instructions and more information about using Alexa, please refer to the Alexa User Guide for Orbit Speak Plus.
Please note that Alexa is a third-party application provided by Amazon. Orbit Research does not provide technical support for the installation, setup, operation, or troubleshooting of Alexa or other third-party Android applications.
Bug Fixes for Orbit Speak and Orbit Speak Plus
Version 2.3.1 also includes the following fixes for both devices:
- Fixed an issue where text-to-speech voices could sometimes change unexpectedly instead of retaining the selected voice.
- Fixed an issue where speech settings could occasionally revert to their defaults after restarting the device.
- Fixed a stability issue that caused the Google text-to-speech engine to reload unexpectedly.
Steps for Updating the Software
Please follow the steps below to update the software. If you have already set up your Wi-Fi connection, you will automatically be notified of new software updates and will be able to download and install them easily.
Here are the steps to connect to a Wi-Fi network, if you have not already done so:
- From the home screen, locate the settings folder and activate it with the select key or dot 8.
- In the settings folder, locate the device settings item and activate it with the select key or dot 8.
- In the settings application, locate the Wi-Fi settings item and activate it with the select key or dot 8.
- The device will scan for available networks and will show the network list. Use the up/down arrows to find your network, and press select or dot 8 to connect to it.
- If the network is password protected, a dialog will pop up asking you to enter the password. Please enter the password and press the select key or dot 8.
- The device will connect to the network and give you an indication that the connection has been successfully completed.
- You can now press the home key or space + dots 1-2-3-4-5-6 to go back to the home menu.
Once your device is connected to the Wi-Fi network, the following are the steps for updating the software:
- From the home screen, navigate to the utilities folder and activate it with the select key.
- Locate the “Check for updates” item inside of the utilities list and activate it with the select key.
- Locate the check for updates now button and press select to activate it.
- The device will tell you that there is a newer software version available and will ask you if you want to install it. Activate the yes button inside the dialog that will pop up.
- Wait until the device downloads, installs the update, and restarts. Progress indications will be given throughout the process.
Note: During installation, you might hear the device speaking the home screen. This is normal. Do not touch the device until you hear it restart.
We hope you enjoy these improvements, particularly the new Alexa capability on Orbit Speak Plus. Thank you for your continued support and for the feedback and suggestions you share with us.
- From Orbit Research: Hotfix version 2.3.1.2 is available for Orbit Speak/Player: improves data entry into Android apps including Alexa
We have released a small software hotfix, version 2.3.1.2, available as an over the air update.
This update improves the following areas:
- Improves situations where characters were skipped when entering data into standard Android edit boxes, such as Amazon Alexa’s login screen.
- Fixed an issue where the speak passwords setting did not cause all secure edit boxes to speak their content properly when enabled through the screen reader settings, making it difficult to review entered passwords, applicable to both Bard and Alexa.
We hope that this will make the experience better.
The Braillists is a grass-roots community group offering high quality training and support to emerging and established braille users. We also work with family members, friends, colleagues and teachers of braille users, and connect braille users with braille technology developers and funders.
Everyone at the Braillists would sincerely like to thank our sponsors and partners.
What Is Braille?
Braille is a simple code for representing written language. We believe braille has the potential to transform the life of any blind person who has the opportunity to learn it.
Discover more about braille on this page.
Learn Braille
We support hundreds of adults to read braille by touch in a few short weeks through our innovative and approachable Braille for Beginners course. Free of charge, it comprises hard copy resources through the post and a series of short pre-recorded lessons, supplemented by email and Zoom support from highly qualified and experienced tutors.
Find out more about Braille for Beginners and register here.
There are plenty of other courses available too, for both children and adults, reading by touch or by sight. We have made a list of these on our Learn Braille page.
Perkins Repairs and Other Braille Equipment
The Perkins Brailler is the most established braille writer in use today, and even machines from the 1950s can still be serviced and repaired. We have compiled information about Perkins repairs, places to purchase Perkins Braillers, and other types of braille equipment on our Braille Equipment page.
If you are looking for braille paper, you can find it on our Braille Consumables page.
Our Aims
- Promote the value of braille as a proven literacy tool that enriches the lives of blind people.
- Support efforts to make affordable braille and tactile reading technologies available to all blind people irrespective of education and employment status.
- Provide an open forum for the exchange of ideas about the development of future braille technology.
Find Out More
Join our announcements only mailing list to receive our weekly newsletter.
Join the conversation and meet other Braillists on our discussion forum.
Connect with us on Twitter (@Braillists) or like us on Facebook for up to the minute Braillists news.
Listen to some braille-related audio on Soundcloud (braillists).
Please see our Sponsors and Partners for information on organisations who are supporting us.
Get In Touch
Email [email protected] or call 020 3893 3392. Further details on our Contact Us page.