Tactile Smartphone

Sumit Dagar, an Indian designer, is developing a tactile smartphone for people who are blind. The screen of the smartphone will be covered in pins that can be raised to create braille, tactile text, tactile maps and tactile images. Dagar is currently working on a prototype and the first model could be really for sale within a year. The project is being funded by a US$50,000 2012 Rolex Award for Enterprise. The design clearly has value for people who are deaf-blind, and the possibility of tactile maps and images seems promising. Watch a video describing the project after the jump.