“Dot Pad” Receives the Best of Innovation Awards at CES 2023.

Dot pad was nominated as honoree in 3 different categories (Accessibility, Mobile & Devices, Virtual & Augmented Reality) for this CES 2023. In the Accessibility category, we were awarded with the Best of Innovation! Other media represented the other Korean companies, including us, as K-Innovation. CES(Consumer Electronics Show) is the biggest ICT Convergence Conference hosted by Consumer Technology Association (CTA). The Best of Innovation award is given to products with leading and innovative technology. Dot Inc. has been developing and collaborating with Apple and NV Access (NVDA) to make office tools such as excel, keynote, powerpoint and so on accessible. We hope you will continue supporting us as we strive to make a positive impact on the lives of the blind community. Keep an eye out for future updates!

Marhaba everyone!

  Since Dubai is one of the most famous tourist cities in the world, there has been an increasing interest and reaction to ‘BarrierFree Kiosk’. Filip Verstraete, President of Tourism of the Deaf in Belgium, said BarrierFree Kiosk could be very helpful to deaf people and specifically to deaf travelers. He said he’s looking forward to    seeing more kiosks in public places. With Dot, it was a precious time to imagine all the barriers of disability torn down in the future.

 We introduced Dot pad with advanced software services. First of all, the function that automatically translates text-to-braille received favorable reviews from experts and local VIPs. 

 Secondly, the function automatically converting image files to tactile graphics received a great response from the blind users. Personally, I felt that it was a good opportunity to feel the infinite possibility of digital tactile graphics.  At the expo, I was fortunate to make a blind friend who has a 4 month-old baby. He was very surprised and happy to “see” his son’s picture converted into a tactile graphic displayed on the Dot Pad. Looking at his bright, happy smile made me imagine how much more the Dot Pad could bring joy to the blind in the future.

 I’d like to conclude my story by sharing the most memorable episode at the expo. Next to our booth, an abstract painter from Jordan named Suheil Baqaeen was showing his booth with the artistic program where blind people could recognize the color by adding fragrance to it. Mr. Suheil Baqaeen visited our booth, tried out the Dot Pad, and at once, suggested a collaboration to improve the accessibility of the blind to art. It happened all of a sudden. I thought it was interesting and accepted his proposal. During the collaboration, blind visitor drew a whale with fragrant paints and I took a picture of it and transferred the picture into tactile graphics. 

 It was a spontaneous collaboration, but seeing the audience enjoying it so much, I personally felt proud and I decided to work harder so that the Dot Pad can be used for blind people in various fields in the future. Through this AccessAbilities Expo, we successfully introduced our product and service in Middle-East Asia. And we started preparing to enter the new global market. I hope to continue my work, offering user experience with the Dot Pad all over the world so that blind people can learn and access tactile graphics and feel a new level of excitement. Go Dot!

“Special Days for our Society”

What is the first thing that comes into your mind when you think of December? Yes, it’s Christmas! However, other than Christmas, Dot team wants to direct your attention to another day meaning to  that everyone knows, Dot Letter would like to introduce another important day all over the world. It’s December 3rd, International Day of People with Disability. It is one of the international anniversaries designated by the United Nations (UN), which was decided on the basis of the adoption of ‘World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons’ at the 37th UN General Assembly held on December 3, 1981. Since then, the year 1981 has been known to be the International Year of People with Disability, and it officially took effect on December 3rd, 1992. International Day of People with Disability is an anniversary to check the rehabilitation and welfare status of disabled people around the world, as well as to understand disability and to secure equal rights and means of assistance. Many countries around the world hold celebrations on this day, but in Korea, April 20th, the Day of people with Disability, designated by the Korean government, is better known to the public. 

Let us take a look at other international anniversaries in honor of people with disabilities. 

The Korean government offers safer, easier services

with barrier-free kiosks

Have you considered the challenges of obtaining public services from a district office? Navigating the building and speaking with the appropriate personnel can be particularly challenging for first-time visitors, while every public building posts necessary information in their lobby, it can be time-consuming to locate the relevant information. Additionally, individuals with disabilities may require assistance even accessing the information board. Learn more about how to overcome this to improve these barrieres with Dot kiosk.