Apple, Microsoft, Google collaborate on new universal standard for Braille displays

Apple, Microsoft, Google collaborate on new universal standard for Braille displays

6 years ago
Anonymous $2WKDXfy9lA

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/5/31/17413178/apple-microsoft-google-usb-universal-standard-braille-displays

The USB Implementers Forum — a group that includes major tech companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Google — has announced a new USB HID (Human Interface Device) standard for Braille displays. That may not sound like much, but it’s a big move forward to make computers more accessible to people who are blind or have impaired vision by making it much easier to use Braille displays across different operating systems and devices without having to worry about unique software or drivers for each device.

Ultimately, it means that soon, users will be able to simply use Braille readers as plug-and-play devices across a wide hardware ecosystem, much in the same way that users are able to simply plug in a USB mouse or keyboard. The standard seeks to make this process function similarly across operation systems, whether it’s a PC, Mac, or Android device.