Refreshable Braille Display: How It Works, Cost
A refreshable braille display is a device that shows text from a computer or phone as braille, using small pins that rise and fall in a row of cells. A screen reader sends it whatever is on the screen; the reader feels one line, presses a key, and the pins refresh to show the next part. Most displays also have keys for typing in braille.
Below: how the pins work, what sizes exist, how a display connects to Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android, what one costs today, and how people in the United States can borrow one for free.
Key points
- Each braille cell on a display has eight pins, not six. The two extra dots are used for things like showing where the cursor is.
- In most displays, each pin is lifted by a piezoelectric element: a crystal that bends when a voltage is applied. One element per dot is why displays are expensive.
- Sizes run from about 14 to 80 cells. Portable displays commonly have 20 or 40.
- Displays connect by USB or Bluetooth and work with screen readers: JAWS and NVDA on Windows, VoiceOver on Mac and iPhone, and TalkBack on Android (version 13.0 or later).
- Prices we checked on October 7, 2026: $899 for a 20-cell Orbit Reader 20 Plus, $1,715 for APH's 20-cell Chameleon 20, $2,682 for APH's 40-cell Mantis Q40.
- In the US, eligible readers can get a 20-cell braille eReader free through the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS).
How a refreshable braille display works
A display has a flat reading surface with a row of cells. Under each cell sit eight round-tipped pins that can be raised through holes in the surface. The device receives a line of text, works out which pins form each character, and raises them. When the reader reaches the end of the line, they press a panning key and the display shows the next stretch.
The pins are usually driven by the piezo effect: some crystals expand or bend when a voltage is applied. Each crystal is connected to a lever that pushes one pin up. There has to be one for every dot, so a 40-cell display has 320 of them. That mechanical complexity, built to survive daily use, is the main reason displays cost what they do.
Most displays also have a small cursor routing button above each cell. Pressing it moves the cursor to that character, which makes editing text much faster than moving with arrow keys.
Why eight dots instead of six
Literary braille, the braille of books, uses six dots. Displays use eight-dot cells so they can show extra information without taking up more space: the two bottom dots, 7 and 8, can underline the cursor position (⣀) or mark selected text. Many screen readers, such as NVDA, show the cursor this way by default. Eight-dot "computer braille" can also give each character on a keyboard its own cell, which helps when reading code or passwords.
What sizes are there?
Displays range from about 14 cells to 80. As a rough guide:
| Size | Typical use |
|---|---|
| 14 to 20 cells | Pocket-sized, mostly with a phone |
| 32 to 40 cells | Portable, for a laptop or phone; the most common middle ground |
| 70 to 80 cells | Desktop, usually under the computer keyboard |
A 40-cell display shows about half a line of a printed page at a time. A 20-cell one shows about a quarter, so you pan more often. More cells mean less panning but a larger, heavier and more expensive device.
Multi-line displays are now appearing too. APH's Monarch has ten lines of 32 cells, with 3,840 pins that can also show tactile graphics. It costs $15,500, so for now it is mostly a school and institutional device.
Braille display or notetaker?
A braille display shows what a computer or phone sends it. A notetaker is a display with its own built-in apps (a word processor, file storage, often a book reader and calendar), so it can be used on its own, without another device.
The line between them has blurred. The Orbit Reader 20 Plus, for example, works as a display, a book reader for files on an SD card, and a note-taker. When you compare models, check what each one does by itself and what it needs a computer or phone for.
How it connects to computers and phones
A display needs screen reader software, which reads what is on the screen and sends it to the display as braille. Connection is by USB or Bluetooth.
| Platform | Screen reader | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | JAWS (commercial) or NVDA (free and open source) | Both support most displays. NVDA uses liblouis for braille translation, the same open-source library behind our braille translator |
| Mac and iPhone | VoiceOver (built in) | Connects over Bluetooth. Lets you read and type in contracted or uncontracted braille, six-dot or eight-dot, with tables for many languages |
| Android | TalkBack (built in) | Needs TalkBack 13.0 or later. Connects over Bluetooth or USB, and you can type with the display's keys |
The braille you see can be uncontracted (grade 1), one cell per letter, or contracted (grade 2), with shortcuts for common words and letter groups. Many experienced English readers use grade 2 on their displays because it fits more text on the line. If those terms are new, see braille contractions.
How much does a braille display cost?
These are list prices on the manufacturers' own pages, checked on October 7, 2026:
| Device | Cells | Keyboard | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orbit Reader 20 Plus (Orbit Research) | 20, eight-dot | Perkins-style | $899 |
| Chameleon 20 (APH) | 20 | Perkins-style | $1,715 |
| Mantis Q40 (APH) | 40 | Full QWERTY, can switch to Perkins-style input | $2,682 |
| Monarch (APH) | 10 lines × 32 | Eight-dot Perkins-style | $15,500 |
Older guides quote $3,500 to $15,000 for any display. That range is out of date: lower-cost 20-cell models changed the market. Prices still climb quickly with the number of cells, and extended warranties are worth pricing in (APH offers them for an extra $595 to $895 on the Mantis Q40).
Prices change, and so do discounts for students and through state programs. Check the manufacturer before buying.
Getting a display for free in the United States
The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), part of the Library of Congress, lends a braille eReader at no cost to its patrons. There are two models, made by HumanWare and Zoomax. Both have:
- a 20-cell refreshable braille display and a Perkins-style keyboard;
- Wi-Fi, to download braille books directly from BARD, the NLS download service;
- Bluetooth, to connect to a phone and read its screen in braille.
NLS equipment is "free of charge to NLS patrons" and available to people who cannot read or handle regular print because of a disability. To apply, contact your state's NLS network library.
Why use braille instead of speech?
Screen readers can speak everything, so why read it with your fingers? The American Foundation for the Blind sums up the advantages of a display over synthetic speech: it gives direct access to the text, lets the user check format, spacing and spelling, and is quiet. For deafblind users, a braille display is often the only way to use a computer or phone at all.
Many people use both: speech for skimming, braille for reading closely, writing and anything where spelling matters.
What to ask before buying
- How many cells do I need? 20 for a phone in your pocket, 40 for a laptop, 80 for a desk.
- Perkins-style or QWERTY keyboard? Six or eight braille keys suit people who write braille; a QWERTY keyboard suits people who touch-type. Some, like the Mantis Q40, offer both. More in braille keyboards.
- Display only, or notetaker? Do you want it to work without a phone or computer?
- Which devices will it connect to, and does your screen reader support it?
- Battery life, weight and warranty.
- Can I try it first? State agencies and blindness organizations often have demo units to try.
And one question before all of them: can you read braille yet? A display is a way to read braille, not to learn it. To get started, see how to learn braille and how long it takes.
Frequently asked questions
What is a refreshable braille display?
An electronic device that shows text as braille using pins that rise and fall in a row of cells. It connects to a computer or phone, where a screen reader sends it the text on the screen, and the pins change as the reader moves through it.
How much does a refreshable braille display cost?
On October 7, 2026, a 20-cell Orbit Reader 20 Plus cost $899, APH's 20-cell Chameleon 20 cost $1,715 and APH's 40-cell Mantis Q40 cost $2,682. Larger and multi-line displays cost much more: APH's ten-line Monarch is $15,500.
Is there a free braille display?
In the United States, the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled lends a 20-cell braille eReader, made by HumanWare or Zoomax, free of charge to its patrons. You apply through your state's NLS network library.
Can I use a braille display with an iPhone?
Yes. VoiceOver connects to Bluetooth braille displays, and you can read and type in contracted or uncontracted braille, six-dot or eight-dot. The setting is under Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Braille.
Can I use a braille display with Android?
Yes, with TalkBack 13.0 or later. Displays connect over Bluetooth or USB, and you can navigate and type with the keys on the display.
Why do braille displays have eight dots?
The two extra dots, 7 and 8, let the display show information that six-dot braille has no room for, such as the cursor position or selected text, and they let computer braille give every keyboard character its own cell.
What is the difference between a braille display and a notetaker?
A display shows what a computer or phone sends it. A notetaker has its own apps, such as a word processor and file storage, so it works on its own. Many modern devices do both.