SNC ElBraille 40 Freedom Scientific User Guide

SNC ElBraille 40 Freedom Scientific

Specifications

• Product: ElBraille 40
• Manufacturer: Freedom Scientific Inc.
• Address: 11800 31st Court North St. Petersburg, Florida 33716-1805 USA
• Website: www.FreedomScientific.com

Safety and Maintenance

Do not attempt to repair ElBraille or open its case. This product contains no user serviceable parts. Any unauthorized attempt to service or replace internal components will void the product warranty.

Keep ElBraille away from wet areas, rain, and other sources of liquids. Do not submerge ElBraille.
Do not store in places subject to temperature extremes such as aparked car.
Use only the power adapter that came with ElBraille to charge its internal battery pack. Other adapters may damage the unit.

Quick Start

To quickly start using ElBraille:

1. Review the physical layout of the device.
2. Connect the power adapter to charge the internal battery pack.
3. Press the power button to turn on the device.

Basic JAWS Setup

To set up JAWS on ElBraille:

1. Activate JAWS using the provided instructions.
2. Run the JAWS Startup Wizard for initial setup.
3. To turn off speech, follow the specified steps in the user manual.

Freedom Scientific Inc. 11800 318 Court North St. Petersburg, Florida 33716-1805 USA www.FreedomScientific.com Information in this document is subject to change without notice. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the express written permission of Freedom Scientific. Copyright © 2018 Freedom Scientific. All Rights Reserved. JAWS is a registered trademark of Freedom Scientific in the United States and other countries. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Safety and Maintenance

Do not attempt to repair ElBraille or open its case. This product contains no user serviceable parts. Any unauthorized attempt to service or replace internal components will void the product warranty. Keep ElBraille away from wet areas, rain, and other sources of liquids. Do not submerge ElBraille. Always operate ElBraille in a place where the temperature is between 5° and 35° C (41° and 95° F). Do not store in places subject to temperature extremes such as a parked car. Use only the power adapter that came with ElBraille to charge its internal battery pack. Other adapters may damage the unit.

Welcome to your ElBraille, the twenty-first century, take anywhere replacement for the dedicated notetaker. Running Windows 10 with JAWS, and a braille display with a full Braille keyboard, your ElBraille 40 is a fully accessible compact computer.
The ElBraille includes the following key features:

• Runs Windows 10 and JAWS
• Focus 40 Blue Braille display
• Intel® Atom™ x5-Z8300, Quad-Core 1.84 GHZ processor
• 2 GB RAM
• 160 GB of internal storage
• 2 stereo speakers, built-in microphone, and 1/8″ (3.5 mm) headphone jack
• An additional system speaker with sound and vibration feedback
• SD card slot supporting SD, SDHC, SDXC up to 256 GB
• USB 3.0 port
• Mini HDMI port
• Wireless WLAN802.11 A/B/G/N/AC networks support (2.4 and 5 GHz)
• Bluetooth V4.2
• A built-in 4G LTE modem for cellular connectivity Rechargeable 10,400 mAh battery (Approximately 17 to 20 hours on battery, even with wireless networking turned on)
• Specially designed apps for performing popular actions such asthe creation of voice or text notes, listening to audio content, and more
• Supports Microsoft Office 2016 (Office 365), Office 2013, and Office 2010
• ElBraille 40 unit
• ElBraille eco-leather carrying case with a shoulder strap
• ElBraille AC adapter
• ElBraille manual in print and braille

Physical Layout

Position the ElBraille on a flat surface so that the braille display is directly in front of you.

On the left side, going from front to back, you will find the round ElBraille Power button, the Focus 40 Blue Power button, a Micro-USB port, Micro-SIM slot, internal microphone, and mini HDMI port. The Micro-USB port is located directly under the Focus Power button with the Micro-SIM slot  directly under the USB port. The HDMI port enables you to connect an external display such as a projector for running a PowerPoint presentation, or to a monitor so a sighted teacher or parent can also view the output from ElBraille. The Micro- SIM slot allows you to insert a SIM card from a cellular provider and use the built-in 4G LTE modem.

Note: For units purchased in the United States and Canada, the ElBraille has been confirmed to work with AT&T. Other GSM and  CDMA networks may work as well.

On the right side, going from front to back, you will find a headphone jack, SD card slot, USB port, and the connector for the AC adapter.
The refreshable braille cells are located toward the front of the unit.
There is a Cursor Router button above each braille cell. At each end of the display’s surface are NAV Rockers used for easy navigation. Positioned above each NAV Rocker is a NAV mode button which cycles through different navigation modes. Positioned directly above the Cursor Router buttons is an 8-dot Perkins- style braille keyboard. Going from the center, the left-hand keys contain the following: Dot 1 under the index finger, Dot 2 under the middle finger, dot 3 under the ring finger, and dot 7 under the little finger, while the right-hand contains: Dot 4 under the index finger, Dot 5 under the middle finger, Dot 6 under the ring finger, and Dot 8 under the little finger. These keys are used to enter text or perform commands. On the front edge, directly under and in the center of the display is a SPACEBAR. This key is used together with the braille keys when entering commands. A command that includes the SPACEBAR is commonly referred to as a chorded command. For example, L CHORD or DOTS 1-2-3 CHORD.

On the front edge of the display are the following controls, located from left to right: Left Panning button, Left Rocker bar, Left Selector button, Left Shift button, Right Shift button, Right Selector button, Right Rocker bar, and Right Panning button. For more information about the Focus Blue controls, refer to your Focus Blue User’s Guide.

Above the display are eight buttons. Going from left to right, they are; E1, E2, E3, Volume Down, Volume Up, E4, E5, and E6 (also referred to as the Display Connection Mode button). The speakers are located to the left and right of these buttons with the LED indicator located under the right speaker.

LED Indication Types

The following table lists the available LED indicator types.

plugged in, it can also mean the battery is fully charged.

Overview of JAWS BrailleIn

The JAWS BrailleIn feature allows you to use the Perkins-style braille keyboard on the braille display to control ElBraille. Using the keyboard along with other Focus controls, you can perform all Windows and JAWS commands that you can do from a regular QWERTY keyboard. In addition,  you can also enter text using contracted or uncontracted braille. For more information about BrailleIn, refer to the JAWS Help.

Modifier Keys
Use the keys on the braille display to simulate key combinations (keystrokes) that include CTRL, ALT, WINDOWS Key, SHIFT, or the JAWS Key (INSERT). To use these modifiers when typing a keystroke, do the following:

1. Hold down DOT 8 CHORD and then press the corresponding modifier keys in the keystroke. Modifier keystrokes are listed below.
2. After you create the modifier portion of the keystroke, release the keys and press the remaining part of the keystroke. For example, to perform the keystroke CTRL+SHIFT+V, you press DOTS 3-7-8 CHORD, release the keys, and then press V (DOTS 1-2-3-6).

• Function Keys (F1 through F12): DOT 1
• INSERT: DOT 2
• CTRL: DOT 3
• WINDOWS Key: DOT 4
• JAWS Key: DOT 5
• ALT: DOT 6
• SHIFT: DOT 7

Function Keys
To simulate the function keys (F1 through F12), press DOTS 1-8 CHORD followed by A through L (which correspond to 1 through 12). For example, to simulate the F6 key, press DOTS 1-8 CHORD, then F (DOTS 1-2-4). If the function key is part of a key combination, add the appropriate modifiers while holding down DOTS 1-8 CHORD. For example, to simulate the keystroke INSERT+F2, press DOTS 1-2-8 CHORD, then B (DOTS 1-2/

Note: Before turning E Braille on for the first time, fully charge the battery using the supplied AC adapter. The unit emits two ascending tones and vibrates when the AC adapter is connected and emits two descending tones and vibrates when the adapter is disconnected. When the battery is charging, the LED indicator lights up red. It takes approximately five to seven hours to fully charge the unit.

Turning On ElBraille
To turn on the ElBraille, press and hold the round Power button on the left side of the unit until the unit beeps and vibrates. During the startup process, you will hear a series of short beeps and feel a vibration. Once the device has booted, you will hear JAWS speaking and the display will show some text. Finally, you will be placed on the Windows Desktop.

Quick Start

Note :

Before turning ElBraille on for the first time, fully charge the battery using the supplied AC adapter. The unit emits two ascending tones and vibrates when the AC adapter is connected and emits two descending tones and vibrates when the adapter is disconnected. When the battery is charging, the LED indicator lights up red. It takes approximately five to seven hours to fully charge the unit.

Turning On ElBraille
To turn on the ElBraille, press and hold the round Power button on the left side of the unit until the unit beeps and vibrates. During the startup process, you will hear a series of short beeps and feel a vibration. Once the device has booted, you will hear JAWS speaking and the display will show some text. Finally, you will be placed on the Windows Desktop.

Shutting Down or Restarting ElBraille

To shut down or restart, do the following:

1. Press DOTS 4-8 CHORD followed by D (DOTS 1-4-5) to move focus to the Desktop.
2. Press DOTS 1-6-8 CHORD followed by D (DOTS 1-4-5) to open the Shut Down Windows dialog box.
3. In the combo box, use the Left Rocker bar to select Restart or Shut Down and then press DOT 8. If you do not want to shut down or restart, press Z CHORD (DOTS 1-3-5-6+SPACEBAR) to cancel.

Note: Shutting down or restarting can take some time. Please wait for the beeps and vibration alerts indicating the device is turned on or turned off.

ElBraille Emergency Menu
Sometimes, it may be necessary to shut down or restart if the device is not working correctly. For example, you unexpectedly lost speech or braille] output from JAWS. You can easily do this using the ElBraille Emergency menu. This menu provides speech and braille output even if JAWS is not currently working correctly.

To open the Emergency menu, press and hold the E1 button. You will hear a beep followed by a menu containing three items: Restart JAWS, Shut
Down, and System Reboot. Use the NAV Rockers to navigate the menu and press a NAV Mode button to activate the selected item. To close the menu, press RIGHT SHIFT+DOT 1. Alternatively, you can use the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons to navigate, the E4 button to activate an item, or E1 to close the menu.

Note: Use the Emergency menu only when absolutely necessary as shutting down or restarting from this menu will not guarantee anything you are currently working on is saved. In addition, if
JAWS speech is currently working, you will hear double speaking as the speech in this menu is independent from JAWS.

Braille Display Modes

• By default, the built-in Focus 40 Blue works as a braille display connected to ElBraille. However, it can also be used as a stand-alone Focus 40 Blue that can be connected to a PC over USB or used as a Bluetooth device.
• To hear the current braille display mode, press E6. To switch between modes, press and hold E6 until you hear a brief tone.
• When the ElBraille is on, switching the braille display mode will turn the display off.
• If you connect the ElBraille to a PC using the Micro-USB port on the left side of the unit, the braille display mode automatically switches to the PC connection, and the Focus 40 Blue acts like a stand-alone display. You can then press and hold E6 to toggle the Focus between the ElBraille and PC connection. When you disconnect from USB, the braille display mode automatically switches back to the ElBraille connection.
• If the ElBraille is off, the display operates as if it was a stand-alone Focus= 40 Blue, and the ElBraille buttons do nothing.

Viewing Device Status Information
Use the ElBraille buttons at any time to check the battery status, network connection, or the time and date.

• To check the battery status, press E2.
• To view wireless network status information, press E2 twice quickly.
• To view the current time, press E3.
• To view the current date, press E3 twice quickly.

Default ElBraille Key Assignments

The following table lists the default assignments for the ElBraille buttons.

ElBraille Main Menu

The ElBraille turns your device into a convenient notetaker. From this menu, you can quickly accomplish many useful daily tasks, such as writing notes or using the calculator.
To open the ElBraille main menu, press E1. This menu contains a number of items including:

• My Files — opens Windows Explorer.
• Text Editor — opens Windows Notepad.
• Office Apps submenu — if you have purchased and installed Microsoft Office, opens a submenu listing the installed Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Calculator — opens Windows Calculator.
• Keyboard Editor — located in the ElBraille Utilities submenu, the ElBraille Keyboard editor is a specially designed application for adding, modifying, and deleting ElBraille keystroke assignments.
• Use the Rocker bars to navigate through the menu and press DOT 8 to activate an item. Each menu item also offers a corresponding access key you can press to quickly select it. These access keys are announced by JAWS as you navigate.

For example, you can use this menu to create a text file by doing the following:

1. Press E1, and then press E (DOTS 1-5). The text editor opens.
2. Type in your text.
3. To save the file, press DOTS 3-8 CHORD, followed by S (DOTS 2-
4. 4). The Save File dialog box opens.
5. Type in the file name and navigate to the Save button by using Dots 4+5 Chord, and then press Dot 8.
6. To close the text editor, press DOTS 1-6-8 Chord, followed by D (DOTS 1-4-5).

For more information on working in an application, refer to the help for the specific application.

Basics of Working with JAWS and Windows on ElBraille

Windows Basics
Using Windows with JAWS on the ElBraille is basically the same as using a regular Windows PC. The only difference is that with ElBraille, commands  are performed using the ElBraille buttons and the Focus Blue controls. The following describes how to access some of the more frequently used Windows features. For more information, see the help for Windows as well as the JAWS Help.

The Start Menu
To open the Start menu, press RIGHT SHIFT+DOT 4. You will be focused in the Search edit box where you can begin typing the name of an app or setting you want to find. Press a Rocker bar to navigate the list of search results and press DOT 8 to sele
To view the list of frequently used apps, configure your account, view all apps, or turn off the device, press DOTS 4-5 CHORD or DOTS 1-2
CHORD to navigate through the Start menu. Use a Rocker bar to move through list boxes and dropdown menus. Press DOT 8 to activate the selected item or to activate a button.
To close the Start menu, press DOTS 1-3-5-6 CHORD.

Working With Windows and Dialog Boxes
Windows dialog boxes can contain text information as well as various controls including check boxes, radio buttons, buttons, sliders, edit fields, and so on.

To read the window title, press DOTS 2-8 CHORD followed by T (DOTS 2-3-4-5). To read the status bar, simultaneously press the bottom of the Left and Right Rocker bars. To read the contents of the dialog box, press RIGHT SHIFT+DOTS12

To move between dialog box controls, press DOTS 4-5 CHORD or DOTS 1-2 CHORD. You can select a radio button, or select or clear a check box by using the SPACEBAR or a Cursor Router button. To activate a button,  press the SPACEBAR, DOT 8, or a Cursor Router button. When focused in an edit field, enter text using the Perkins-style braille keys. To adjust the value in a slider, press a Rocker bar to move by small increments or press a Rocker bar in conjunction with a Selector button to move by larger increments. If the dialog box contains multiple pages (tabs), press DOTS 5- 6 CHORD or DOTS 2-3 CHORD to move between the tabs.
You can have several applications open at once. The JAWS Window List dialog box enables you to switch quickly between running apps. To open the Window List dialog box, press RIGHT SHIFT+DOT 5. Use the Rocker bars to move through the list of running applications and press DOT 8 to switch to the selected app.

For more information, please refer to the JAWS help system.

Entering Data

Use the Perkins-style braille keyboard to type text on ElBraille. You can enter text in computer braille, or contracted or uncontracted braille. If you choose to type in contracted braille, your input is immediately translated back as normal text in the current email, document, or form. If an application or specific edit box does not support contracted braille, JAWS announces “Computer Braille.” In addition, the computer braille start symbol, dots 4-5-6 followed by dots 3-4-6, is shown on the braille display to indicate when computer braille is required. For more information, refer to the JAWS Help.

You can write and edit text not only in text editing applications, but also in edit fields in Windows dialog boxes as well as forms on web pages. In all cases, the commands for editing text are the same. To start a new line, use DOT 8. To backspace and remove the previous character, use DOT 7. To delete the character under the cursor, use LEFT SHIFT+D (DOTS 1-4-5) or DOTS 1-2-3-4-5-6 CHORD

Basic Reading and Navigation Commands

Windows Explorer

To open Windows Explorer, press E1, and then select My Files or press the letter F (DOTS 1-2-4). Use the Rocker bars to navigate the list of files and folders and press DOT 8 to open the selected item. To go back to the previous folder, press DOT 7.

Other Common Commands

Common QWERTY Keyboard keys Simulated on the Braille Display

Basic JAWS Setup
ElBraille users have access to all JAWS features, just like on a standard Windows PC. This section covers some basic information to help you get started. For more information about working with JAWS, refer to the JAWS  help system.

Activating JAWS
When you first turn your ElBraille on, Windows will boot up, JAWS will run and you will be asked to activate the program. Using an Internet connection is the easiest and quickest way to activate your product. See the
Connecting to a Wi-Fi Network section of this manual for steps on setting up a connection.

If you do not activate at this time, JAWS runs in 40-minute mode, which requires a computer reboot every 40 minutes. The activation process can be started later by opening the JAWS Help menu and choosing Update

Authorization.
To activate JAWS, do the following:

1. In the Activation dialog box, choose Start Activation.
2. Read the message that displays and then make sure Internet (RECOMMENDED) is selected. Press DOT 8 to continue.
3. Enter your 20-digit Authorization number into the edit box. You can find your Authorization number in print and Braille on your JAWS CD sleeve.
4. Press DOT 8 to continue. You will be asked to connect to the Internet if you have not already done so. You must establish an Internet connection before continuing with the activation.
5. If you have not registered JAWS, you are asked to do so now. Registering JAWS lets you receive technical support. Choose Register Now and complete the online registration form by following the instructions provided. You can choose to register later, but you will be prompted to register the next time you activate JAWS.
6. After you submit your registration, Internet License Manager attempts to activate JAWS. This process may take several minutes.

When the activation is successful, choose Finish.

Note: If you need to request more activations, go to www.FSActivate.com

JAWS Startup Wizard

The JAWS Startup Wizard allows you to customize some of the more commonly used JAWS settings. These include speech rate and verbosity, typing echo, braille translation settings, and more. The Startup Wizard can be accessed at any time by doing the following:

1. Press RIGHT SHIFT+DOTS 2-4-5 to open the JAWS main window.
2. Use a Rocker bar to navigate to the Help menu and press DOT 8.
3. When the Help menu opens, press Z (DOTS 1-3-5-6) to open the Startup Wizard.

The Startup Wizard consists of several pages of options. After making your changes on each page, choose the Next button to move to the next page in  the wizard. On the last page, choose the Finish button to save your changes.

Turning off Speech
If you prefer, you can turn off speech and only use the braille display. To turn off speech, press RIGHT SHIFT+M (DOTS 1-3-4). Perform this command again to turn speech back on.

Note: In JAWS 2018, this command switches between Full Speech and Speech on Demand by default. To mute speech completely, toggle the Less Speech Options item in JAWS Settings Center.
For more information about Speech on Demand, please refer to the JAWS Help.

Connecting to a Network

ElBraille can connect to wireless networks. You can also connect the unit to mobile networks using the built-in LTE modem. The following sections describe how to connect to these networks.

1. Press DOTS 4-8 CHORD, X (DOTS 1-3-4-6) to open the Quick Link menu.
2. Navigate to Network Connections and press DOT 8.
3. elect the Show available networks link and then navigate to the list of available networks.
4. Use the Left Rocker bar to select the network you want to connect to and press DOT 8. The Connect Automatically check box and the Connect button will appear. The check box is selected by default. If you want to connect to the network only once, clear this check box.
5. Press DOTS 4-5 CHORD to navigate to the Connect button and press DOT 8 again. If the network is secure, you are prompted to enter a password.
6. Type in the password and press DOT 8. If the connection is successful, you will see “Connected” near the selected network in the networks list.

Connecting to a Mobile Network
Before you can connect to a cellular network to use its data, you must first turn on the ElBraille’s internal modem by doing the following:

1. Press E1 followed by U to open the ElBraille Utilities menu.
2. Use the Left Rocker bar to navigate to Settings and press DOT 8.
3. Select “Modem disabled” and press SPACEBAR to enable it.
4. Navigate to the OK button and press DOT 8.

In the United States or Canada, most cellular carriers will need the] International Mobile Equipment Identification (IMEI) number of your] ElBraille to activate the SIM card for use on the carrier’s network. To get the ElBraille’s IMEI number and register the unit on your carrier’s network, do the following:

1. Press DOTS 4-8 CHORD, X (DOTS 1-3-4-6) to open the Quick Link menu.
2. Select “Windows PowerShell (Admin)”, making sure to select the Admin one in the list.
3. Type “netsh mbn show interface” without the quotes and press DOT
4. The value of the “device ID” parameter is displayed. This is the IMEI of your ElBraille’s modem. Make sure to record it.
5. Type “exit” without the quotes and press DOT 8 to close PowerShell.
6. Provide this IMEI number to your cell carrier in order to register th e ElBraille on their network.
7. Hold the activated SIM card, with the angled corner facing you and to the right, and insert it into the slot on the left side of the unit directly under the Micro-USB port until it clicks into place. (The cellular account must have available data.)
8. Once the SIM card is inserted, the ElBraille should automatically switch to your cellular network when a WiFi connection is not available.

To make sure the ElBraille can use your cellular network, do the following:

1. Press DOTS 4-8 CHORD, X (DOTS 1-3-4-6) to open the Quick Link menu.
2. Navigate to Network Connections and press DOT 8.
3. In the Network and Internet list box, navigate to Cellular and press DOT 8.
4. Verify the name of your cellular provider and that ElBraille indicates “Connected”.
5. Press ALT+F4 to close Settings.

Troubleshooting

adapter. If the battery is too low, the unit may not boot even when connected to the charger. Wait several minutes and then try turning the unit on again.
The battery is not charging or is taking longer to charge than expected.| Make sure you are using the charger supplied with the device. If the battery is charging, the LED indicator glows red.
Extra dots are appearing on the display and dots are sticking.| Clean the display as described in the Focus 40 Blue user guide.

Service and Support

• You can contact Technical Support to receive technical assistance.
• To contact by web, visit www.FreedomScientific.com/Forms/TechSupport, and complete the form to submit questions.
• To contact by email, send questions to [email protected]
• To contact by telephone, U.S. customers can call 727-803-8600, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM (Eastern Time).
• When you call, please provide the following information:

Product name
What you were doing when the problem occurred
Product serial number
How you tried to solve the problem

Warranty and Registration

Congratulations on your purchase of the ElBraille.

The unit and its accessories come with a two-year warranty against manufacturing defects.

Note: These devices have no user-serviceable components. Any unauthorized attempt to service or replace internal components by opening the case will void the product warranty.
Please call VFO Technical Support at 727-803-8600 for assistance in troubleshooting any problems. If necessary, the technical support specialist will issue a Return Materials Authorization (RMA) number that must be referenced on the outside of the package containing your returned unit. The unit or its accessory will then be exchanged or repaired as needed.

References

• Contact Technical Support
• Freedom Scientific – High-quality video magnifiers, braille displays, screen magnification software, and #1 screen reader, JAWS.
• Contact Technical Support
• Software Activation

Read User Manual Online (PDF format)

Download This Manual (PDF format)

Download this manual  >>