Braille is set to influence a whole new domain – video gaming. Bristol Braille Technology recently put a prototype Braille Games Console to the test in a unique Braille Arcade, aimed at bringing tactile gaming experiences to the visually impaired community.
Over the past few months, Bristol Braille Technology has been working on an exciting innovation. Using the Canute 360, our cutting-edge Braille multiline display, we have prototyped a dock that extended the Canute’s applications. This breakthrough led to the creation of a tactile gaming device capable of running a variety of games, including Snake, maze crawling games, Hangman, and even a city explorer game.
The aim is to enable as many individuals as possible to try this prototype and share their thoughts on potential applications. Hence, the concept of the first-ever travelling Braille Arcade was born, designed to take the Canute Gaming Dock on the road to schools, businesses, and communities. The intriguing tactile experiences offered by this unique setup are all scripted on the Canute 360 itself, using common computer languages like Python. This makes it the first multiline Braille workstation, opening up interest in computer science to an entirely new demographic.
Believing firmly that computer gaming should be universally accessible, Bristol Braille Technology is adhering to the model we employed during the decade-long design process of the Canute 360: early engagement with Braillists for prototype testing and iterative design based on their experiences and feedback.
Braille is literacy, education and employment. Video games are computer science. Let’s make Braille video gaming happen!
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