PIO wonderkid working on new product for blind
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A 13-year-old Indian-origin
boy , who invented a low-cost portable Braille printer, says he is
currently working on a “pretty cool“ new idea for a product which will
again be useful for millions of visually impaired. Shubham
Banerjee, an eighth-grade student in Santa Clara, California, is
receiving rave reviews and valuable support from experts and prestigious
companies for his printer Braigo, which he had recently developed using
Lego Mindstorms EV3, a robotics kit.
Banerjee is not one to rest on his laurels and says that he has a “lot of ideas“, which are “secret for now“ and wants to work on products that will help people, particularly in developing countries.
Banerjee, who plans to pursue a career in engineering or the scientific area, encouraged youngsters of his generation to come up with original ideas that will help the society .
“Don't do something that someone's already done before. Do something original and something that helps the society ,“ he said over phone from California. “Anyone can build something to help people. Whenever you get a chance, really go out and help people,“ he said. A good idea can “come from anywhere“, Banerjee said, pointing out that he started out on the printer using the Lego blocks and figures.
Banerjee came up with the idea of building a lowcost printer for the blind when he was working on a science fair project last year.
He said he was shocked to learn that braille printers cost over US $2,000.
With millions of visually impaired people in the world, 90% of whom live in developing countries, Banerjee decided to develop a printer that was low-cost and could be used easily. The consumerfocused braille printer, wh ich uses new technology and an Intel Edison chip, is portable, silent and will be offered at a price point well below currently available products for the visually impaired.
Banerjee said he and his company are currently working on the design of the printer and the final product, which he expects will be released in the market in the mid 2015. He says his family in India is proud of his accomplishments.
Banerjee is not one to rest on his laurels and says that he has a “lot of ideas“, which are “secret for now“ and wants to work on products that will help people, particularly in developing countries.
Banerjee, who plans to pursue a career in engineering or the scientific area, encouraged youngsters of his generation to come up with original ideas that will help the society .
“Don't do something that someone's already done before. Do something original and something that helps the society ,“ he said over phone from California. “Anyone can build something to help people. Whenever you get a chance, really go out and help people,“ he said. A good idea can “come from anywhere“, Banerjee said, pointing out that he started out on the printer using the Lego blocks and figures.
Banerjee came up with the idea of building a lowcost printer for the blind when he was working on a science fair project last year.
He said he was shocked to learn that braille printers cost over US $2,000.
With millions of visually impaired people in the world, 90% of whom live in developing countries, Banerjee decided to develop a printer that was low-cost and could be used easily. The consumerfocused braille printer, wh ich uses new technology and an Intel Edison chip, is portable, silent and will be offered at a price point well below currently available products for the visually impaired.
Banerjee said he and his company are currently working on the design of the printer and the final product, which he expects will be released in the market in the mid 2015. He says his family in India is proud of his accomplishments.
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