A braille writer with a maroon and grey body, a row of rounded white keys, and a small screen displaying the word "learn".

Perkins SMART Brailler

by Perkins Solutions

$2,195.00, see price history

Price is what the vendor listed when last checked. Confirm it with the vendor before buying.

Professional guidance helps A family could unbox it and start embossing braille quickly. But this is a learning tool, so it works best when a teacher of students with visual impairments picks the right features and builds braille lessons around it. It is also a high-cost item, so good guidance helps make sure it fits the student.

What it is

Summary

AI-generated from vendor-published content · October 1, 2026

The Perkins SMART Brailler is an electric braille writer that embosses braille on paper while showing what is typed on a built-in 4.3-inch screen. As a student types, the screen shows the letters, and large print and spoken audio feedback confirm each one. That lets a sighted teacher or parent follow along without reading braille. It also uses SimBraille, a font that adds shadow dots to help sighted readers make sense of braille. Documents can be edited, saved, and moved by USB, and the voice can be set to male or female. It takes paper up to 8 1/2 x 11 inches and weighs 8.5 pounds, so it works best as a desk or classroom machine rather than something to carry around.

Getting it

Try before you buy

Devices like this are often available to borrow through your state's AT Act program — typically free or low-cost — so you can try it before buying or pursuing funding.

Find your state's lending program →

Where to get it

LS&S Visit
$2,195.00
Independent Living Aids Visit
$2,195.00

These are the vendors WhatCanHelp tracks for this product — it may also be available from other retailers or a local supplier, and prices vary.

How to fund this

These are common places to ask about paying for equipment like this. Each one decides its own eligibility and what it covers, so start by asking them.

All funding programs, state by state →

Details

Quick Facts Catalog facts · auto-generated
Type
Addresses
Platform
Age range
Complexity
Professional guidance helps
Price
$2,195.00
Funding
  • AT Act lending
  • Out of pocket
  • School district
  • Vocational rehab

What setup looks like

  • Out of the box
    Load a sheet of paper and start typing to emboss braille. The mechanical writing works as soon as it is set up.
  • With a guide
    1. Use the Quick Start Guide and the user manual to turn on the screen, speech, and SimBraille display.
    2. Set the voice (male or female) and try saving a document and moving it by USB. Plan on about 30 minutes to get comfortable.
  • With professional help
    A teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI) can match the settings and lesson plan to the student's braille level and decide how the visual and audio feedback fits into instruction.

Sources & fine print

Vendor facts (name, price, platforms, vendor link) sourced from LS&S — view on vendor site (opens in a new tab); last checked November 4, 2026.

Classification & description AI-generated from vendor-published content on October 1, 2026 · confidence: high. Vendor specs may lag; verify before relying on details in a clinical or funding artifact.

How listings stay current