This is an excerpt from the presentation given by Nicholas Caporusso at Silicon Valley Personal Health Technology on May, 26, 2011.

1. QIRIS.org
Nicholas Caporusso

2. Deaf-blindness
• Multi-sensorial handicap (deafness + blindness)
• Per se disability (yet not recognized in several countries)
• Communication through the tactile channel
• Need of an assistant-interpret

3. Cost (UK pounds)
• 2.14 bln: direct cost
• 4.34 bln: indirect cost (assistance)
• niche market (0.00003% of population)
• social cost

4. open-source wearable technology
bidirectional input/output peripheral (keyboard + display)

5. software
• wraps the O.S. to provide users with:
– simplified, Tactile User Interface (TUI)
• with text-to-tactile™ technology
– complete control of the host device
• PC or smartphone
– large, yet-not-infinite set of applications

6. touch & pinch™ alphabet
• simple tactile alphabet
– invented by a deaf-blind
• used by the deaf-blind
• requires interpret

7. how does work?
1

8. how does work?
2 “open file”

9. how does work?
2
“hi there!”

10. how does work?
2
“I need help!”

11. how does work?
3

12. Features (portability)
• PC (Windows, Linux or Mac)
• smartphone (Android, iPhone)
• stand-alone device

13. Features (connectivity)
• wired connectivity
– serial (deprecated)
– USB (host-based)
• wireless connectivity
– Bluetooth (host-based)
– Wi-Fi (stand-alone)

14. Features (apps & plug-ins)
• standard applications
• marketplace of dedicated applications
– e.g., training system, chat, conference system
• hardware plug-ins
– GPS, ad hoc social network

15. why is better?

16. …open-source
• you can build your own device
some user-contributed designs
• participative development process
– engaging paper-based manufacturing

17. ...low-cost
• it is based on inexpensive technology
€ 1.500 (2.100 $)*
€ 100 (140 $) *
Braille display dbGLOVE
*bill of material

18. ...appropriate
• dedicated to deaf-blindness
• uses alphabet designed by a deafblind
– binary/ternary system
• can be learned easily
– can be learned faster than a keyboard
– can type as fast as a keyboard

19. ...extensible
• a plethora of applications
• dedicated marketplace
• hardware plug-ins
• community of developers

20. ...it is your
• wearable, natural, personal, comfortable
• it can be utilized by the sighted
• it is a metaphor of social inclusion

21. Status
• Started by MiNiBeCa in 2008
– funded with 25000 €
• Acquired by QIRIS in 2009
– strategic change
• open-source, development process
– v 1.0 developed and tested
– v 2.0 developed and tested
– v 3.0 under development
• Launched as an independent start-up in 2011
– looking for investors

22. QIRIS
• non-profit organization for scientific research
– human-computer interaction
– hospital risk management
• since 2009 (Q2):
– 5 research areas
– 8 research projects
– 13 publications
– 2 start-ups

23. What we are looking for
• Advice
• Contacts
• Partners
– research institutes
– investors
– companies
– developers
• Grants/donations

24. quality research
safety
QIRIS instruction
innovation
Nicholas Caporusso (n.caporusso@qiris.org)
www.qiris.org - www.dbglove.com