Braille Computer Mouse With Tactile Position Feedback
Original Publication Date: 1989-May-01
Included in the Prior Art Database: 2005-Jan-28
Disclosed is a method of providing cursor position and topographical information to vision-impaired or blind computer users. Using a mouse which produces braille screen readout  becomes difficult when one needs to know cursor screen position or relative positions of items on the screen. The problem of position determination is discussed further in . This article suggests a method by which screen position and character to character position may be determined. The solution in  has limitations. The primary limitation is that it requires fixed grooves on a tablet over which the mouse is moved. If the screen size is known in advance and the number of rows and columns is fixed, then the tablet may be scaled accordingly and manufactured for that specific display.