Subscribe now

Technology

Ultrasonic speakers let people who are blind read Braille in mid-air

By Donna Lu

27 May 2020

Haptic device being used at an ATM

An ultrasonic device could help people with visual impairments access private data in public

University of Bayreuth, Germany

People who are blind can read Braille in mid-air using their hands thanks to a grid of speakers that emit ultrasound waves. The device creates points in the air that are similar to the dots that form Braille characters.

“On the skin this feels like a gentle breeze of air,” says Viktorija Paneva at the University of Bayreuth in Germany. The mid-air dots are perceptible on a person’s palm when they hold their hand up about 20 centimetres from the…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

Popular articles

Trending New Scientist articles

Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop