Youngest entrepreneur invents device to help the blind

Santa Clara: Shubham Banerjee a 13-year old eight-grader became Silicon Valley’s youngest entrepreneur with his invention of a low-cost Braille printer.

The development came about after he questioned how blind people read. After his parents answered his query with a simple “Google it”, he was shocked to learn that Braille printers, also known as embosser, cost a whopping $2000 which is too expensive for most blind readers, especially those in developing countries.

Shubham decided there had to be a simpler way to do it and built the printer with a Lego robotics kit as a science school fair project last year. He wants to now develop a desktop Braille printer that costs around $350 and weighs just a few kilograms, compared with current models that can weigh more than nine kilograms.

The machine could be used to print Braille reading materials on paper, using raised dots instead of ink, from a personal computer or electronic device.

The name “Braigo” which combines Braille and Lego, won numerous awards and enthusiastic support from the blind community, and so Shubham started Braigo Labs with an initial $35,000 investment from his father.

“We as parents started to get involved more, thinking that he’s on to something and this innovation process has to continue,” said his father, Niloy Banerjee.

Shubham used the money to build a more sophisticated version of his Lego-based printer using an off-the-shelf desktop printer and a newly-released Intel computer chip. The new model, Braigo 2.0, can translate electronic text into Braille before printing.

Intel executives were so impressed with Shubham’s printer that in November they invested an undisclosed sum in his start-up. Director of Inventor Platforms at Intel Edward Ross was quoted as saying, “He’s solving a real problem, and he wants to go off and disrupt an existing industry. And that’s really what it’s all about.”

“This Braille printer is a great way for people around the world who really don’t have many resources at all to learn Braille and to use it practically,” said Henry Wedler, who is visually impaired and has become an adviser to Braigo Labs.

Shubham’s mother, who was earlier not supportive of the venture, has now become the CEO of the company.