Feel-The-Code (A Haptic Morse Code Reader) - Part 1: Software

Feel-The-Code (F-T-C) is a vibra-tactile Morse Code text reader. It has a software component and a hardware component. Its purpose is to make it possible to read any text file silently and without looking at the computer. With F-T-C a person who is blind can read text easily and unobtrusively.

There are some advantages to using Morse Code rather than using Braille or audio text. Morse Code is quite easy to learn and can present the letters and characters of an eText about as fast as Braille can. The big advantage for F-T-C is that it can be smaller, lighter and much less expensive than a Braille reading system. F-T-C will also work for individuals who have limited touch sensitivity because of a disease like diabetes.

This is Part 1 of a 3-part IBL that will describe how to build F-T-C very inexpensively. You will need a Windows PC to run the F-T-C software. (Other types of PCs and mobile devices can be used with the hardware, but my free software only works with Windows for now.) The F-T-C software, like the hardware, is compact and portable. It can be installed on a flash drive (Pic 1) and carried from PC to PC without a complicated install process (Pic 2).

The hardware LED vibra-tactile component (Pic 3) is described in Part 2. The hardware audio amplifier vibra-tactile component (Pic 4) is described in Part 3. These can be built for as little as $25 and work with the F-T-C software described here. These too are compact and portable so they can be carried from PC to PC.

Part-2-LED-Hardware/

Part-3-Amp-Hardware/

I want to make it clear that this project is still in the early stages of development. I am working with two people who have vision limitations and they are encouraging me to continue the project. I hope to be able to test the F-T-C devices soon with a group of students who have vision challenges. I will keep you informed of their feedback and suggestions.

Step 1: Concept

The F-T-C software converts an eText (or almost any other text document) into Morse Code in a letter-by-letter stream. The software can be used alone to listen to the audible Morse Code presentation of the text. (This can be handy when you are just learning Morse Code, but does not take full advantage of its potential.) However, the power of the software really comes into play when it is used to drive a hardware device that presents the dits and dahs of the Morse Code as vibrations you can feel. This silent, vibra-tactile mode is perfect for someone who needs to read textual material discretely.

A computer with F-T-C software will be able to produce two kinds of output: audio tones and on-off LED signals. The hardware described in Part 2 of this IBL (Pic 2) uses the LED signals to switch the vibra-tactile motor on and off to form the dits and dahs of the Morse Code. The hardware described in Part 3 of this IBL (Pic 3) uses the audio tones to switch the vibra-tactile motor on and off to form the dits and dahs of the Morse Code.

Comments

[amandaghassaei]

cool project! really interesting idea

[bikeframe]

Thanks! I hope the idea spreads.

[blkhawk]

I was just thinking in suggesting something like your project to learn morse code. Although I understand that learning morse code is not essential for the ham radio exam anymore.