A new update to the Monarch multiline braille and tactile display has added features for maths, exams, tactile graphics and accessing images.
Released on 14 September, Monarch 2.0 is the latest update to the device developed by the American Printing House for the Blind (APH), HumanWare and the National Federation of the Blind. The software update is available free of charge to existing Monarch users.
Unlike a traditional single-line braille display, Monarch can display 10 lines of refreshable braille at once. It can also display tactile graphics, giving blind and low vision users a way to explore information such as graphs, diagrams and maps by touch.
One of the new features is Exam Mode, designed for students using Monarch during assessments. Teachers can choose which apps and features are available during an exam, while students can continue to use the braille and tactile tools they need.
There are also updates to maths. The KeyMath graph viewer now provides more detail when exploring graphs, while MathCAT supports the conversion of mathematical content between print and braille.
Tactile graphics can now be viewed at more zoom levels, giving users more control when exploring an image. A new Describe with AI feature can also generate a description of an image, providing another option for understanding visual content.
The update also includes improvements to sharing files through KeyDrive and accessing eBraille files through VictorReader.
Monarch is available in Australia and was recognised earlier this year at the Assistive Technology Suppliers Australia (ATSA) Awards, where it was named one of the winners of Australian Innovative Product of the Year.
Having several lines of braille and tactile graphics available on the same device can be particularly useful for content where layout matters. Rather than accessing information one line at a time, users can explore more of a page or graphic at once.
For more information about the update, read HumanWare’s announcement about the new Monarch 2.0 features.