Short answer: Color InkConnect is a ViewPlus accessory that adds colour printing to the Elite, Premier and Columbia braille embossers. Braille, tactile graphics, black text and colour end up on the same sheet in one run, so sighted and blind people can read the same document side by side.
What does Color InkConnect do?
Color InkConnect connects to the embosser by USB and prints colour with HP ink cartridges while the embosser produces braille and graphics. You create the document in ordinary programs such as Word or Excel and print as usual. Tiger Software Suite handles the braille and can translate colours into different dot heights or textures, so the differences can also be felt.
Specifications
| Works with | ViewPlus Elite, Premier and Columbia |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 100 dpi |
| Speed | Up to 110 characters per second with print and braille |
| Paper | Continuous (tractor-fed) paper, 4–12 inches wide, 75–230 g/m² |
| Ink | HP ink cartridges |
According to ViewPlus, an Elite 200 with Color InkConnect can produce around 1,000 pages in four hours, because embossing and colour printing happen in the same pass.
Who is it for?
- Schools and resource centres: sighted and blind students can work with the same sheet.
- STEM teaching materials: colours and textures make it easier to tell areas apart in diagrams and maps.
- People losing their sight: large print and braille on the same page make it easier to learn braille.
- Workplaces: floor plans, overviews and materials that colleagues with and without sight can use together.
What to consider
Color InkConnect is designed for the larger embossers with continuous paper. If you need colour on cut sheets, SpotDot or Delta may be an alternative. See also How to choose a braille printer.
If you are interested in Color InkConnect for an Elite 200, Premier 100 or Columbia, write to info@inva.store and we will check price and delivery time.
Sources
- ViewPlus: Color InkConnect and product page with specifications
- Easter Seals Crossroads, Assistive Technology Update 673: Color InkConnect and ViewPlus Technologies with Dan Gardner (2024)