An Android tablet called Blitab with a smart Braille surface for the visually impaired has been unveiled at the CES 2017.

The affordable Braille device is expected to change the way visually impaired people use computing devices. The top half of the device turns into a Braille reader on the press of a button to enable users to read the content using Braille.

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The creators of Blitab, who participated in TechCrunch's Hardware Battlefield at CES, noted that the devices for this niche market are "really disappointing." Specialized devices like the Braille notetakers are not that powerful and very expensive, costing up to as much as $5,000. They even run outdated versions of operating systems. Although they could be afforded in countries providing health insurance, they are not popular in countries without such health opportunities.

On the other hand, Blitab, being an Android device, hosts WiFi and Bluetooth and can run all sorts of Android apps. It also supports accessibility features in Android, such as voice over. It costs only $500.

How does the device convert into a Braille reader?

The device has a button on the side. When pressed, it converts the top half of the device into a Braille reader with the help of air pipes that inflate the parts of the screen into bubbles analogous to a tradition Braille reader. One can load a document or a web page and then read the content using Braille. In addition to the physical reading experience, the tablet is also equipped with a voice over so that the content can be read aloud by the tablet, said the co-founder and CEO of Blitab, Kristina Tsvetanova.

Furthermore, the company is thinking about innovations like drawing a Google Maps view on the top half of the device so that one can feel the map.

The company, a team of 10 people, started working on Blitab in 2014. The tablet is expected to be shipped in six months with pre-orders starting later this month. The company said that he tablet has received positive feedback from the three thousand visually impaired people who played with it.