Korea’s venture capital which was established a year ago, is releasing ‘Braille Smartwatch’ for blind people in the latter half of this year. Its estimated price is only 10% of current Braille information instrument and it is showing possibility of ‘Appropriate Technology’ due to interests from foreign businesses.
CEO Kim Ju Yoon of venture capital called dot said that it developed technology based on Braille Smartwatch ‘dot’ and is planning to release it in the U.S. in December. Dot is world’s first Braille Smartwatch and it materializes texts and push alarms through Braille by connecting itself to Smart instruments such as Smartphones and Table PCs through Bluetooth. One can definitely read emails as well as publications and novels.
Dot was developed from blind people’s perspectives. Current Text-to-Speech (TTS) system is weak on protecting one’s privacy due to its exposure of personal information through sound. When earphones are worn, there are concerns about possibilities of accidents due to interference of one’s understanding of location using his or her hearing because blind people rely on sense of hearing and touch.
There is also a problem with lack of infra because distribution rate of Braille books are less than 1% and 0.1% worldwide and in Korea respectively. It’s also difficult for blind people to purchase Braille information instruments when 75% of them are unemployed and the instruments cost anywhere from $1,805 to $2,707 (2 million to 3 million KRW). Problem about lack of information access authority for blind people due to costs of Braille books came to rise as it usually takes more than 3 months to make a single Braille book.
Estimated price for dot is anywhere from $180 to $270 (200,000 to 300,000 KRW), and there are no worries about exposure of one’s privacy because information are sent through Braille not sound. Text information are materialized in real time through Braille even when dot is worn on the wrist, and dot is made with 100% self technologies. Dot is developing ATMs based on this technology with Industrial Bank of Korea and Hyosung.
It is also getting a lot of interests from foreign businesses. Dot recently visited headquarter of France Communication agency called ‘Orange’ and discussed a plan of how it is going to apply dot solution. CEO Kim Ju Yoon said that Orange suggested about putting Braille boards based on dot technologies into its current Smartphones’ inputs. Dot is also promoting its products by attending contest exhibit for appropriate technology called ‘Wearable for good’ that is organized by UNICEF.
Dot received an office in Seoul and operation fund of $108,000 (120 million KRW) by being selected at third class of SK Telecom’s ‘Bravo Startup’, which is a program that assists business starters. It is dreaming about a success story just like Cremotech that received interests for its ‘Smartbeam’. It is receiving outside and inside developers, patent attorneys, and mentoring from SK Telecom.
Director Park Sung Hyuk of SK Telecom’s Myeong-dong Support Center of Startups evaluated dot by saying it is an example that showed a possibility of ‘Appropriate Technology’ by making products that are necessary for mankind by skillfully combining current technologies. “I decided to develop this technology by witnessing a student who is visually impaired and having difficulties reading a book. I want to develop and supply dot with a belief that everyone should be able to approach information.” CEO Kim Ju Yoon showed his aspiration by saying what made him decide to develop this technology.
Staff Reporter Seo, Hyeongseok | hsseo@etnews.com