A one-handed input device based on braille patterns, designed to be held in a loose fist with four fingers on keys and thumb on a toggle/joystick.
The Braille-Click device allows users to input text using standard 6-cell or extended 8-cell braille patterns through a two-phase input system:
- Left Half: Press finger combinations for the left side of a braille character
- Right Half: Press the same finger combinations for the right side of a braille character
- Output: Device converts the braille pattern to text and provides haptic feedback
- Ergonomic Design: Held in loose fist, four fingers on keys, thumb on toggle
- Two-Phase Input: Left half → Right half → Character output
- Haptic Feedback: Gentle vibration to confirm input phases and character registration
- Dual Modes: 6-cell (standard) and 8-cell (extended) braille support
- USB HID: Works as a standard keyboard with any computer
- Error Prevention: Prevents "half-off" encoding through clear phase separation
- Index Finger: Dot 1 (top-left) / Dot 4 (top-right)
- Middle Finger: Dot 2 (middle-left) / Dot 5 (middle-right)
- Ring Finger: Dot 3 (bottom-left) / Dot 6 (bottom-right)
- Pinky: Mode modifier or unused
- Index Finger: Dot 1 (top-left) / Dot 5 (top-right)
- Middle Finger: Dot 2 (middle-left) / Dot 6 (middle-right)
- Ring Finger: Dot 3 (bottom-left) / Dot 7 (bottom-right)
- Pinky: Dot 4 (bottom-left) / Dot 8 (bottom-right)
- Hardware Setup: Follow the construction guide in
TECHNICAL.md - Firmware: Flash the Arduino sketch to your microcontroller
- Calibration: Adjust timing and haptic settings via configuration mode
- Practice: Start with simple letters (A-Z) before moving to punctuation
PLANNING.md- Feature roadmap and development phasesTECHNICAL.md- Hardware specifications, pinouts, and construction guide
Open source - feel free to modify and improve!
This is a personal project, but suggestions and improvements are welcome!