The Dot Braille smartwatch has changed a lot since we featured it back in July 2015. Dot Inc, the South Korean startup behind it was hoping to start selling it in Canada and the U.S. last December. While it did not meet this goal, it has now begun to take pre-orders with plans to produce as many as 100,000 watches this year.
In the meantime, the Dot Braille smartwatch has undergone a design transformation. Gone is the svelte rectangular design (seen above) in favour of a more elegant round one with a crown at the traditional 3 o’clock position and a button on either side of it. The Braille display has also been modified and now consists of four active dynamic braille cells with two groups of 15 dots arranged in a five by three layout.
Dot Braille smartwatch specifications:
- Case diameter: 42mm
- Case thickness: 12mm
- Case Material: Aluminium
- Case back: Aluminium
- Display: Four active dynamic Braille cells
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.1 LE
- Sensors: Gyroscope, accelerometer, touch
- Battery: 400mAh
- Colours: White
- Band: 2mm sport band or leather strap
Compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones, the Dot Braille smartwatch will offer a number of typical smartwatch functions. It will display notifications, messages, navigation, alarms and the time on its Braille display so that anyone who is visually impaired can read the notification much as others would read their smartwatch.
Dot is still aiming to sell the Dot Braille smartwatch for about US$300. Pre-orders are now underway with those interested asked to provide their phone number, address, country of residence so that Dot can reach out to them. There is no word on exactly when this year it will begin to ship.
Dot is also working on an affordable E-Braille reader tablet called the Dot Pad.
Source : Dot Inc.