Monarch is the breakthrough braille reading and learning tool.

With a multi-line dynamic tactile display for braille or graphics, finally there’s an alternative to unwieldly printed braille books.

Now learners or professionals have instant access to whole books in braille.

And with a built-in graphics display – for graphs, pictures and diagrams via APH’s Tactile Graphics Library too – the Monarch is set to revolutionise math, literacy and science instruction for the visually impaired.

The Monarch is more than a braille display – it’s a graphing calculator, an e-book reader, a brailler, and more – a complete learning and information access tool for braille learners and the braille literate alike!

The barrier breaking braille tool

The Monarch’s cutting-edge breaks barriers in learning and productivity by delivering thousands of pages of tactile text and images, on demand, to the fingertips of individuals: ideal for students, children and adults who are blind or have low vision.

Monarch’s 480 braille cells display up to 10 lines of braille, with 32 characters in each line. This is essentially a braille screen. This means users can display not just text but also:

tactile imagery
graphs
algebraic expressions
geometric shapes
and so much more that’s essential for STEM learning

In addition, students can access a vast array of tactile graphics from the APH’s Tactile Graphics Image Library (TGIL).

No more lugging around the heavy, cumbersome, multi-binder versions of books – a significant practical, social and cost barrier to braille learning and learning with braille. With the Monarch, users can download and store hundreds of digital textbooks or other material, for easy search, reading and reference.

The Monarch puts information literally at the user's fingertips, reducing the time and effort required to access important information and enhancing the learning experience for blind students or working professionals.

The Monarch comes with a 2 year warranty.

Additional 1 or 2 year Care Plans are available -- contact Bridges for more details.

Apps included for learning, productivity and fun

The Monarch comes loaded with applications powered by HumanWare’s KeySoft accessibility suite:

Interactive Startup Tutorial by APH
KeyWord - Word processor supporting MATHML
KeyMath - Graphing calculator powered by Desmos
Tactile Viewer - Direct access to online libraries such as TGIL
Victor Reader - Book reader with direct access to online digital libraries such as Bookshare and more
KeyBrf - Braille Editor, read and create with multilple lines of braille
Internet Browser - A first multiline web browser experience
Monarch Chess - Have fun while learning, understanding the the concept of Monarch's unique touch capabilities

And there's more to come! An SDK has been made available to close partners, allowing APH to develop various educational applications for Monarch. Including Monarch Chess, which gamifies braille learning .

Stay tuned for more releases, soon!

Technical Specifications

Ten line 32-cell refreshable display containing 3,840 pins
Visual display capabilities – connect your Monarch to a monitor via HDMI to display what the Monarch user is viewing on a screen for sighted students
8-dot Perkins braille keyboard
Customizable line spacing for introductory braille readers
Text-to-Speech functionality
Touch Gesture recognition
Battery life lasting longer than 24 hours
WiFi connectivity
USB and Bluetooth® connections for thumb drives, keyboards and headsets
Weight:4.65 lbs
Dimensions: 40.3 x 26.7 x 3.5 cm (15.9” × 10.5” × 1.4”)
Language: English, French, Spanish
Over 250 onboard braille tables including learning Braille tables (Duxbury & Liblouis)