The Dot team had an awesome global journey in 2023! Kicking things off, Dot Pad snagged the 'Best of Innovation' Award in the Accessibility category at CES, catching the eye of media worldwide. Since CES, Dot Pad has made its way to places all around the globe, reaching out to visually impaired communities in the US, Europe, the Middle East, South America, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia. We've gathered some cool insights from easygoing chats with visually impaired folks in each country, giving you a glimpse of Dot Pad's adventures and the impact it's had throughout the year.
#1. Dot's Tactile Display at CSUN 2023
Last February, we attended the CSUN Conference held in Northridge, a neighboring area of Los Angeles, California. At the event, we gained confidence that Dot Pad, with its multi-line Braille, provides a tactile experience, and will become an essential part of STEM education. Imagine the moment when students can explore and feel the complexity of molecular structures and substances in a biology class! Tactile graphics are now poised to go beyond simple pictures, changing the daily lives and futures of visually impaired students.
"Whoa, I've never seen a picture change like this. And having a compact tactile display this size is —pretty awesome. I never knew what the YouTube logo looked like, but now I do know!"
- Jimmy Cong -
#2. Meeting visually impaired retired veterans in the U.S.
During our time in the U.S., we met visually impaired veterans and introduced them to Dot Pad and Dot Canvas. They shared how these devices provide various experiences, from writing documents to playing games and drawing.
One veteran with low vision visited our booth, wanting to draw his guide dog's face. Using an iPad, he sketched something and then checked it on Dot Pad. He was really happy with the result.
"Touching the dog I drew with my own hands is so amazing...This part is where I drew the ear! Wow, it came out neatly."
- The visually impaired woman from the BVA(Blind Veteran Association) Conference with her guide dog -
#3. Meeting Visually Impaired Students in Kazakhstan
In September, when fall was just kicking in, we swung by a school for visually impaired students in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana. When we rolled out "Dot Pad," more folks showed up than we expected, which was a surprise.
The students got the hang of Dot Pad pretty quickly, loving how it zips through tactile graphics and Braille. You could see their interest and excitement as they felt the drawings they made. We hooked them up with the images they wanted to check out on Dot Pad right away.
"This drawing kinda feels like someone smiling. Whoa... it's really nice."
-Visually impaired gal from Kazakhstan -
#4. Meeting Blind School Teachers in Dubai
During the AccessAbilities Expo 2023 in Dubai, our 'Accessible Kiosk' and 'Dot Pad' grabbed a lot of attention. Thanks to the easy-to-use interface, Braille/tactile keypads, and voice guidance service, people were really into it, especially people from various government agencies like the airport, police department, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
"This could be a huge help for our students. Hope to see more of these around!
Inshallah
(God willing)."
- Sana Khan, Dubai International School Teacher -
#5. Showcasing Dotpad at the Sight World Expo in Japan
During the exhibition, we got to hang out with awesome folks, both visually impaired students and teachers! Representatives from Nagoya Lighthouse, a cool welfare support center, were there too, supporting visually impaired folks, diverse individuals with disabilities, and seniors. Everyone, including education authorities, loved the graphics on Dot Pad, and we're all looking forward to some positive vibes in the education scene!
"I've checked out all the cool stuff on Dot Pad for different subjects.
There are indeed many valuable resources that can benefit our students. I
hope we can utilize Dot Pad in school shortly!"
- Umino Takami, teacher of the Shizuoka Prefectural Blind School -
#6. Feedback sessions with Educators in Australia
During our visits to Victoria and New South Wales in Australia, we introduced Dot's products and services to teachers, content creators, and many others, including visually impaired users.
We got an excited response from teachers at regular schools in Australia, where they're all about inclusive education for everyone. They liked how Dot makes it easy to whip up Braille or image materials on the fly, even during hectic class hours, without the need for preparation.
"When kids with visual impairments use Dot Pad to explore various content, it's exciting to envision them finding even more enjoyment in webtoons or storybooks."
- Alternative Content Creators in Australia -
“It's amazing to see the immediate creation of images or Braille for reading. I believe my work will become much smoother.”
- Teacher in Australia -
