Ionic liquids and polypyrrole helix tubes: bringing the electronic Braille screen closer to reality

Geoffrey M. Spinks; Gordon G. Wallace; Jie Ding; Dezhi Zhou; Binbin Xi; John Gillespie

doi:10.1117/12.484721

28 July 2003 Ionic liquids and polypyrrole helix tubes: bringing the electronic Braille screen closer to reality

Geoffrey M. Spinks, Gordon G. Wallace, Jie Ding, Dezhi Zhou, Binbin Xi, John Gillespie

Proceedings Volume 5051, Smart Structures and Materials 2003: Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD); (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.484721
Event: Smart Structures and Materials, 2003, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

There is a great need to develop a computer screen based on Braille technology that allows blind people to access computer-based information to the same extent as sighted people. The lack of a "graphical user interface" for the blind severely restricts employment, educational and recreational opportunities readily available to sighted people in the "internet age". Equally, the development of a refreshable 2-D Braille screen offers the EAP community a great opportunity to make a tremendous impact with new actuator technology. In this paper we review progress made in the development of a prototype multi-dot Braille cell using conducting polymer actuators. Two innovations (a helical wire interconnect and ionic liquid electrolytes) have provided significant performance advances in terms of strain rate and cycle lifetime, respectively. Despite these advances, some further challenges remain.

Citation Download Citation

Geoffrey M. Spinks, Gordon G. Wallace, Jie Ding, Dezhi Zhou, Binbin Xi, and John Gillespie "Ionic liquids and polypyrrole helix tubes: bringing the electronic Braille screen closer to reality", Proc. SPIE 5051, Smart Structures and Materials 2003: Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD), (28 July 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.484721

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