News

You might be familiar with many functions of the Canute 360 from Bristol Braille Technology, but did you know it can work seamlessly with the widely popular Duxbury Braille Translator? When connected to a Windows machine, the Canute can output Braille text in real-time using Duxbury’s six-key Braille entry, or display any translated text loaded into the application.

This added functionality can significantly enhance the usability of the Canute 360, particularly for those who need to quickly navigate content in a multi-line environment. If you already have Duxbury and the Canute 360, you’re set to go!

Join Bristol Braille Technology’s Ed Rogers and Sight and Sound Technology’s Stuart Lawler to learn not only how to set up this integration but also explore a variety of use cases. Don’t miss this opportunity to maximize your Canute 360 experience!

Register for the Masterclass here.

To join by phone, please use these details:

• Phone number: 0131 460 1196
• Meeting ID: 862 7390 4662
• Passcode: 123456

With thanks to Bristol Braille Technology and Sight and Sound Technology for their sponsorship of this event.

Selvas BLV is proud to announce that BrailleSense 6 firmware version 3.0 is due for release by the end of September!

This major update delivers a redesigned Main Menu and Settings dialog, an enhanced Word Processor, a new Braille Practice app for teaching and learning Braille, the highly anticipated new Web Browser, and more.

They will be holding a webinar to preview this firmware and have a live Q and A session on Tuesday 16 September at 10:00 PM UK time.

Join link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88034816739

Join them to explore how this update advances productivity, learning, and accessibility.

Join Braille Literacy Canada at 6pm UK (1pm EST, 10am Pacific, 11am Mountain, 12pm Central, 2pm Atlantic) on Friday, September 19th to learn about eBraille!

Presented by Willow Free, Global Innovations Product Manager at the American Printing House for the Blind, this workshop will explore the new eBraille file format, which promises to greatly improve the experience for electronic braille readers. Files distributed in the eBraille format will be able to seamlessly adapt to various braille display line lengths, can incorporate both text and graphics, and can include markup (such as headings and lists) to make navigation and searching easier. Version 1 of the eBraille technical specification was released in August 2025.

“We’re at the beginning of another braille revolution,” says Willow Free, co-chair of the eBraille Working Group. Learn about eBraille, the file type which allows braille and tactile graphics to be read together in one electronic document. Willow will talk about eBraille, how it is implemented and supported, and will also take questions.

Willow Free is a certified transcriber, member of the World Braille Council, a former board member of the National Braille Association, and chair of the eBraille Working Group. Her job fuses technology and braille, both of which fill her with joy. She enjoys spending time with friends, in nature, and complaining about user interfaces.

Click here to Register for eBraille on Braille Literacy Canada’s website.

Apple recently released the latest versions of its flagship operating systems, including iOS and iPad 26 for the popular iPhone and iPad product lines. Amongst the many new features are a significant number of improvements to VoiceOver, the built-in screen reader.

In this two-part series, Matthew Horspool will lift the lid on what is new and changed for users of braille displays and Braille Screen Input.

In part 1, on Tuesday 23 September, we will cover:

• Braille Keyboard Input
• Item overview
• New cursor and text selection options
• Quick navigation
• Single-hand Braille Screen Input
• Changing gestures in Braille Screen Input Command mode

In part 2, on Tuesday 30 September, we will devote the entire session to Braille Access, a new notetaker-like experience for connected braille displays. We will talk about:

• Launching apps and items
• Taking, reading and managing braille notes
• Reading and transferring BRF files
• The braille clock and calculator
• Live braille captions
• Braille Access settings
• Configuring braille keyboard commands for Braille Access

Both sessions will start at 7:30 PM UK time, and you can register once to attend both sessions.

Register for the Masterclass here.

To join by phone, please use these details:

• Phone number: 0131 460 1196
• Meeting ID: 890 9440 0482
• Passcode: 123456

Braille workshops for 8 weeks

Where: Limavady library, 5 Connell Street, Limaady BT49 0EA

When: Friday 5 Sept for 8 weeks

Time:  3pm to 4pm

Facilitator: Mary Lea

Open to all levels – starting at the very beginning!!

Contact: [email protected] or phone 028 7776 2540

Carveco are excited to invite you to “Touch: Beyond Vision”, an inclusive exhibition that reimagines how we experience art.

Join them at the iconic OXO Tower in London for a unique event where visual culture is brought to life through the sense of touch.

This exhibition is designed especially for blind and visually impaired visitors, but it’s open to everyone—artists, educators, families, and accessibility advocates alike.

What Awaits You:

• Over 20 tactile artworks crafted using Carveco’s AI driven relief technology, featuring famous musicians, landmarks, historical figures, and personal stories.
• A community mural wall of 3D-printed, touchable photographs contributed by blind individuals.
• Audio descriptions, braille labels, and guided touchpoints for independent exploration.

Why Your Involvement Matters

This is a movement in consumerising Art for the visually impaired. Using our new AI driven technology, we aim to demonstrate how accessibility and design can intersect in real-world, creative applications and make it accessible to anyone with visual impairment. It also provides a platform to connect with others committed to inclusive practices — including educators, artists, charities, and advocates.

We’d be delighted to have you join us, not only to explore the exhibition, but to discuss potential ways we might collaborate further in supporting accessibility through design and technology.

If you’re interested in attending or know anyone who nay be, please don’t hesitate to use the links below to register your interest.

Daytime Event | Evening Event

For further information, please email Ashlee Zogala on [email protected]

The 11th World Blindness Summit recently concluded in São Paulo, Brazil. This session took place on 2 September 2025, the first day of proceedings.

From the Programme

PLENARY SESSION 1: 09:00 – 10:30
Session Number: P1
Venue: Dorina Nowill Auditorium
Session Moderator: Yaw Ofori Debra

Speakers:

• Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame, Ghana; Martine Abel-Williamson, New Zealand – Launching a Braille Literacy Campaign – More Braille, More Empowerment.
• Regina Fátima Caldeira de Oliveira, Brazil – BRAILLE, YES, because reading is essential!
• Frances Gentle, Australia – Braille in the Digital Age: Integration of Tactile Literacy and Artificial Intelligence and Assistive Technologies
• Márcia Noronha de Mello, Brazil – The Braille System and the Advancement of Technologies as a Tool for Inclusion

Watch the Session

The session is available as part of the YOuTube stream for day 2, starting approximately 22 minutes from the start. It lasts approximately 90 minutes.

Watch the stream from the start of the Braille200 session

Aasha Rose has been working towards a PhD focussed on braille literacy and quality of life at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. As part of this, she has had the opportunity to submit to the 3-minute thesis (3MT) competition.

You can watch her presentaition on YouTube here: Does braille literacy impact quality of life?

The competition has a People’s Choice Award. If you would like to vote for Aasha’s presentation to win that award, simply like it on YouTube. Voting closes 12 September at 5:00pm.

2025 Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) Satisfaction Survey

Attention: All Users of APH Products! If you have purchased APH products and services to use in education or rehabilitation settings, we want to hear from you!

This brief survey is conducted annually and is designed to accomplish several key goals:

• Give users an opportunity to share their experiences with APH products and services.
• Help us coordinate priorities and improve our product development processes.
• Collect performance data as required by the federal Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA).

Follow the link below to complete the survey and learn more.

All individual responses will remain confidential. Your feedback about our performance and product effectiveness DOES make a difference.

Survey response deadline is Friday, October 10.

Start the 2025 GPRA Survey

HumanWare recently announced firmware version 2.5 for the Brailliant BI X, Mantis Q40 and Chameleon 20. Download the release notes for more information.