Refreshable Braille Display Using Shape Memory Alloy With Latch Mechanism

Refreshable Braille Display (RBD) is a device that enables people with blindness to access digital textual content through tactile interface. The use of commercially available RBDs is restricted to affluent individuals and organizations due to their high cost, which restricts their penetration in developing nations. Braille displays based on shape memory alloy actuators are a potential low cost alternative but face the challenge of high power consumption, heat accumulation and low response time. This paper proposes an SMA based actuator with a novel latching mechanism to make RBDs. It also discusses the design and production challenges addressed in making the RBD. It further compares the performance of the current prototypes with previous designs of SMA based RBDs.Copyright © 2017 by ASME