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The authors present the worldwide need for electronic Braille displays to promote literacy among the blind. The use of of EAP's to produce Braille displays is encouraged and detailed descriptions of the technology of Braille are presented. Prior art is covered since the early 1950's through present day displays based mostly on piezoelectric technologies. EAP's offer the promise of the "Holy Braille", the ability to display a full page of Braille electronically. Details on "how not to make a Braille display" are covered in prior art. BACKGROUNDThe Boston-based National Braille Press has recently established a Center for Braille Innovation (CBI), whose mission is to research and develop affordable braille literacy products. The primary focus has been to facilitate the development of dramatically lower cost electronic braille display devices, and the much-soughtafter "Holy Braille" of a full-page braille display.Developing new braille technologies is key to improving the extremely low literacy rate (around 12%) of blind students.Our CBI team is working to aid developers of braille technology by focusing attention and resources on the development of the underlying braille actuator technologies. We are also developing braille-related information resources to aid braille display developers.The CBI braille requirements summary is one of these efforts. Available on the NBP web site (http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/company/cbi.html), the braille specifications include braille dot dimensions, spacing, displacement, lifting force, and response time requirements. The NBP web site summarizes the technical requirements and specifications for braille and other tactile displays. Additionally, there is a listing of over 100 previous and current tactile display development projects.Mentoring, helping to evaluate new braille display ideas, and openly sharing braille display technology are all part of the activities of the NBP braille innovation team.NBP has expanded the CBI project with domestic and international partners including the China Braille Press, World Braille Foundation, National Federation of the Blind, American Printing House for the Blind, American Foundation for the Blind, and many university and research partners. REVIEW OF THE NEEDSThe main challenges our CBI team is addressing are to help improve the extremely low literacy rate of blind students and to reduce the high unemployment among the visually impaired folks who don't read braille. The employment rate of Braille readers is considerably higher than non-Braille readers.Since commercially available braille line displays are made with many individual braille cells that cost $100 each (US), the typical braille line display of 20 to 40 cells costs several thousand dollars. There is a strong need for compact one-line braille displays that are an order of magnitude less expensive, especially for the educational market. There is also a major need for braille actuator technologies that can produce multiple-line or full-page braille displays.

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The Boston-based National Braille Press has established a Center for Braille Innovation (CBI), whose mission is to research and develop affordable braille literacy products. The primary focus has been to facilitate the development of dramatically lower cost electronic braille display devices, and the much-sought-after "Holy Braille" of a full-page electronic braille display. Developing affordable new braille technologies is crucial to improving the extremely low braille literacy rate (around 12%) of blind students. Our CBI team is working to aid developers of braille technology by focusing attention and resources on the development of the underlying braille actuator technologies. We are also developing braille-related information resources to aid braille display developers. The CBI braille requirements summary (available through the NBP website (http://www.nbp.org) is one of these resources. The braille specifications include braille dot dimensions, spacing, displacement, lifting force, and response time requirements. In addition, mentoring, helping to evaluate new braille display ideas, and openly sharing braille display technology are all part of the activities of the NBP braille innovation team.