Freedom Scientific Focus 14 Blue User manual

440665-001 Rev A
Focus 14 Blue
Refreshable Braille Display
User’s Guide
Freedom Scientific Inc.

PUBLISHED BY
Freedom Scientific Inc.
11800 31st Court North
St. Petersburg, Florida 33716-1805
USA
http://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 © 2014 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.
Contains transmitter module FCC ID: ED9LMX9838
Contains transmitter module IC:1520A-LMX9838
USA-Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Notice
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class
B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and
on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of
the following measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio /TV technician for help.
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference,
and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired operation.
Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible
for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
Caution: Exposure to Radio Frequency Radiation.
This device must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other
antenna or transmitter.
Canada –Industry Canada (IC) Notice
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du
Canada.
This device complies with RSS 210 of Industry Canada. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of this device.
L ‘ utilisation de ce dispositif est autorisée seulement aux conditions suivantes :
(1) il ne doit pas produire d’interference et
(2) l’ utilisateur du dispositif doit étre pr?t ? accepter toute interference
radioélectrique reçu, m?me si celle-ci est susceptible de compromettre le
fonctionnement du dispositif.

Caution: Exposure to Radio Frequency Radiation.
The installer of this radio equipment must ensure that the antenna is located or
pointed such that it does not emit RF field in excess of Health Canada limits for
the general population; consult Safety Code 6, obtainable from Health
Canada’s website www.hc-sc.gc.ca.
Attention: Exposition à des radiations de fréquences radio.
Cet appareil émettant des ondes radio, l'installateur doit s'assurer que
l'antenne est positionnée ou orientée de telle sorte que l'appareil émette des
champs RF ne dépassant pas les limites recommandées par Santé Canada
pour le grand public; consultez Code de sécurité 6, disponible à Santé Canada
ou sur leur site web www.hc-sc.gc.ca.
Attention
This unit has been shipped with cables that allow compliance with FCC
Regulations. If replacement cables are needed in the future, contact Freedom
Scientific to obtain the appropriately shielded cable.
Safety, Maintenance, and Cleaning Procedures
Do not attempt to repair Focus Blue 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 Focus Blue away from wet areas, rain, and other sources of liquids. Do
not submerge Focus Blue.
Always operate Focus Blue in a place where the temperature is between 5°
and 35° C (40° 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 Focus Blue to charge its internal
battery pack. Other adapters may damage the unit.

Procédures de sécurité, d’entretien et de nettoyage
Focus Blue ne contient aucune pièce susceptible d'être réparée par l'utilisateur.
Toute tentative d'entretien ou de réparation non autorisée de l'appareil par
ouverture de sa coque fait perdre à l'utilisateur ses éventuels droits à la
garantie.
NE PAS exposer Focus Blue ou l’utiliser à proximité de liquides, sous la pluie
ou dans une atmosphère humide. Ne pas le plonger dans un liquide.
Cet appareil doit être utilisé uniquement dans des environnements où la
température est comprise entre 5 ° et 35 ° C (40 ° et 95 ° F).
Ne pas l’exposer à des températures extrêmes comme par exemple une
voiture garée.
Utilisez uniquement l'adaptateur secteur fourni avec Focus Blue pour charger
sa batterie interne. D'autres adaptateurs peuvent endommager l'appareil.
Important Notice
This device has no user-serviceable components. Any unauthorized attempt to
service or replace internal components by opening the case will void the
product warranty.

Table of Contents
Features...................................................................................................... 1
What’s in the Box? .................................................................................... 2
Physical Layout ......................................................................................... 3
Side View................................................................................................ 3
Top View................................................................................................. 3
Front View............................................................................................... 4
Controls................................................................................................... 5
NAV Rockers and Mode Buttons........................................................ 5
Selector Buttons................................................................................. 5
Rocker Bars........................................................................................ 5
Panning Buttons................................................................................. 6
Cursor Router Buttons........................................................................ 6
Table of Multi-Control Functions ........................................................ 6
Power Button .......................................................................................... 7
Internal Battery .......................................................................................... 8
Connecting the Focus............................................................................... 9
Adding JAWS Support to the Focus Display........................................ 10
Configuring the USB Connection.......................................................... 10
Configuring the Bluetooth Connection .................................................. 11
Toggling Between the USB and Bluetooth Connection ........................ 14
BrailleIn .................................................................................................... 16
Typing with Contracted Braille .............................................................. 16
Braille Study Mode .................................................................................. 18
Configuring the Focus Display............................................................... 19
Placement of Status Cells..................................................................... 19

Variable Braille Dot Firmness ............................................................... 19
Locking the Perkins-style Keyboard...................................................... 20
The Display Menu.................................................................................... 21
Bluetooth ID.......................................................................................... 21
Key Repeat........................................................................................... 21
Display Sleep Delay.............................................................................. 22
Focus Keyboard Commands Overview................................................. 23
Modifier Keys........................................................................................ 23
Function Keys................................................................................... 24
Special Keys......................................................................................... 24
Navigation Commands.......................................................................... 27
Microsoft Word Navigation Quick Keys................................................. 30
Text Selection Commands.................................................................... 31
Selecting with the Cursor Router Buttons ........................................ 33
Braille Commands................................................................................. 33
Windows Commands............................................................................ 34
Selection Commands............................................................................ 35
JAWS Commands................................................................................. 36
Cursor Functions................................................................................... 38
Utility Functions..................................................................................... 39
Environmental Considerations............................................................... 40
Storage ................................................................................................. 40
Operating.............................................................................................. 40
Diagnostics Mode.................................................................................... 41
Entering and Exiting Diagnostics Mode ................................................ 41
Routing Button Test .............................................................................. 41
Display Test/Clean................................................................................ 41
Key and Controls Test .......................................................................... 42
Battery Info Mode.................................................................................. 43
Troubleshooting ...................................................................................... 44

1
Features
The Focus 14 Blue refreshable braille display provides a compact, tactile
interface to your computer. Its extremely small size makes it ideal to carry with
you for use with notebooks, mobile phones, and other mobile devices.
The Focus 14 Blue includes the following features:
14 refreshable braille cells
A cursor router button above each braille cell
8-key Perkins-style braille keyboard, with the addition of two SHIFT keys
Two panning buttons, two rocker bars, and two selector buttons
A NAV Rocker and a mode button at each end of the display for quick
navigation of files, lists, and menus
VariBraille adjustable braille dot firmness
Status cells configurable to either end of the display
USB connection to computer
Bluetooth® wireless connectivity
Support for select cell phones and other mobile devices via third party
applications

2
What’s in the Box?
The Focus package includes the following items. If you find that you are
missing any of the components listed below, please call Customer Service at
[phone].
Focus 14 Blue braille display
AC adapter
USB Cable, 6-foot
Carrying Case
Manual in Print and braille
Companion CD
Warranty registration cards
Product support insert

3
Physical Layout
Side View
On the left side of the display, going from front to back, you will find the Power
button (1) and a standard micro USB port (2). The USB port allows you to
connect the display to a computer using the supplied USB cable, or to the AC
adapter.
Top View
The refreshable braille cells (3) are located toward the front of the unit. There is
a cursor router button (4) above each braille cell. At each end of the display's
surface are NAV Rockers (5) used for easy navigation. Positioned above each
NAV Rocker is a mode button (6) which cycles through the different navigation
modes.

4
Positioned directly above the cursor router buttons, there are eight keys similar
to those on a Perkins-style braille keyboard (7). The eight braille keys from left
to right are: 7, 3, 2, 1, 4, 5, 6, and 8. 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 (8). This key is used together with the braille keys
when entering commands.
Front View
On the front edge of the display are the following controls, located from left to
right:
Left selector button (9a)
Left rocker bar (10a)
Left panning button (11a)
Left SHIFT key (used in conjunction with the SPACEBAR, braille keys,
and other controls to enter commands) (12a)
Right SHIFT key (used in conjunction with the SPACEBAR, braille keys,
and other controls to enter commands) (12b)
Right panning button (11b)
Right rocker bar (10b)
Right selector button (9b)

5
Controls
The Focus 14 Blue display provides two NAV Rockers, two mode buttons, two
selector buttons, two rocker bars, two panning buttons, and cursor router
buttons above each braille cell. See the chart following the Cursor Router
Buttons section for a full listing of all multiple-control functions.
Note: If you choose to use the Focus display with a third-party screen reading
application on a computer or mobile device, refer to the documentation
that came with the software as the functions of these controls may be
different from how they work with JAWS.
NAV Rockers and Mode Buttons
The Focus NAV Rockers allow you to move quickly through files, dialog boxes,
lists, and menus. In a file, you can move by line, sentence, paragraph, or pan
backward and forward. To switch between the four navigation modes, press the
mode button located directly above each NAV Rocker. In a dialog box, you can
move between the available controls, and even interact with them. In a menu,
you can move up and down through the menu items.
Selector Buttons
Used by themselves, the concave-shaped selector buttons control Auto
Advance. When pressed in combination with other controls, the selector
buttons perform multiple functions.
Rocker Bars
The rocker bars provide movement up or down by line. Press the top of the
rocker bar to move up one line; press the bottom of the rocker bar to move
down one line. The rocker bars, in combination with the panning buttons, move
to the beginning or end of the line on which the cursor is positioned. Press a
panning button and the top of a rocker bar to move to the start of the line.
Press a panning button and the bottom of a rocker bar to move to the end of
the line.

6
Panning Buttons
The Focus panning buttons pan left or right one display width (14 cells) each
time they are pressed. Press the panning button on the left front edge of the
Focus, the button with a raised double left arrow symbol, to pan left; press the
panning button on the right front edge of the Focus, the button with a raised
double right arrow symbol, to pan right. The functions of the panning buttons
can be reversed so that pressing the left panning button causes the Focus
display to pan right and pressing the right panning button causes it to pan left.
Please refer to help for the JAWS Keyboard Manager for details on modifying
these and other control assignments.
Cursor Router Buttons
There is a Cursor router button located above each braille cell. Press a cursor
router button to move the cursor to that point, or to select a link in a Web page
or e-mail message. In line mode, press a cursor router button to open a menu
or select menu items.
Press and hold the LEFT or RIGHT PANNING BUTTON while simultaneously
pressing a CURSOR ROUTER BUTTON to simulate a right mouse click at that
location.
Table of Multi-Control Functions
Function
Command
Enable Auto Advance Mode
LEFT SELECT+RIGHT SELECT
Decrease Auto Advance Speed
LEFT SELECT
Increase Auto Advance Speed
RIGHT SELECT
Right Mouse Click
PANNING BUTTON+CURSOR
ROUTER BUTTON
Control + Left Mouse Click
ROUTER BUTTON CHORD
Page Down
LEFT or RIGHT
SELECT+ROCKER DOWN

7
Function
Command
Page Up
LEFT or RIGHT
SELECT+ROCKER UP
Top of File
LEFT PANNING
BUTTON+SELECT BUTTON
Bottom of File
RIGHT PANNING
BUTTON+SELECT BUTTON
End
PANNING BUTTON+ROCKER
BAR DOWN
Home
PANNING BUTTON+ROCKER
BAR UP
Next Line
ROCKER BAR DOWN
Prior Line
ROCKER BAR UP
Pan Left
LEFT PANNING BUTTON
Pan Right
RIGHT PANNING BUTTON
Select Text
LEFT SHIFT+CURSOR
ROUTER BUTTON
Select Block
RIGHT SHIFT+CURSOR
ROUTER BUTTON at beginning
of block; repeat at end of block
Toggle NAV Rockers On/Off
LEFT or RIGHT MODE
BUTTON CHORD
Power Button
The power button turns the Focus on or off when not connected to USB. Press
and hold it for three seconds to turn the display on and press and hold it for
three seconds again to turn the display off.

8
Internal Battery
The Focus 14 Blue contains an internal battery for Bluetooth operation. While
using the Focus over a Bluetooth connection, you will get approximately 20
hours for typical usage. To check the battery status while the display is in use,
press the power button to display the percentage of battery charge used. Press
a cursor router or any other control to return to normal operation.
When the battery is at 20 percent, 10 percent, and 5 percent respectively, a low
battery warning is displayed indicating it is time to plug in the AC adapter. You
can dismiss this message by pressing a cursor router button.
Use the AC adapter supplied with your unit to charge the battery. The unit
takes three hours to charge using the supplied AC adapter even when the
Bluetooth connection is active. Charging time will be less if the battery is not
completely discharged before the display is plugged in. The Focus will also
charge while connected to a computer using the USB cable, however, charging
time will take longer than with the supplied AC adapter. As the Focus charges,
the battery charging indicator, a circle of dots, is displayed to the right of the
percentage until the unit reaches 100 percent. You can continue using the
Focus while it is charging.
Caution: No user serviceable parts. Risk of High Voltage shock.

9
Connecting the Focus
You can connect the Focus braille display to your computer using either the
USB port or Bluetooth. If you connect using USB, the display is powered from
the computer through the USB connection cable. This also charges the internal
battery.
As soon as you connect the USB cable to the computer, the Focus immediately
turns on. When the USB cable is removed, the Focus turns off. Pressing the
power button while connected to USB causes the focus to display the model,
firmware version, battery status, and the letters US in the last two cells to
indicate it is connected to USB. Pressing a cursor router button returns the
display to normal operation.
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless communications technology. Devices with
Bluetooth capabilities can communicate with each other over a distance of
about 10 meters (30 feet) without requiring a physical connection. Using the
Focus wirelessly over Bluetooth means you do not have any cables to worry
about and you can relax on your couch and use the Focus as both a braille
display and keyboard to access your computer from across the room.
In order to use Bluetooth, you must establish a partnership with a Bluetooth
enabled computer. The majority of modern notebook computers and mobile
phones as well as some models of desktop computers offer built-in Bluetooth
support. However, not all computers offer this. If your computer does not have
built-in Bluetooth, you will need to purchase an external USB Bluetooth adapter
and install the appropriate drivers on your system to enable this functionality.
Refer to the documentation that came with your Bluetooth hardware to ensure
Bluetooth is properly configured on your computer.

10
Adding JAWS Support to the Focus Display
JAWS 13.0.1006 and later automatically installs the files necessary to use the
Focus Blue during the JAWS installation. Make sure JAWS 13.0.1006 or later is
installed and running before attempting to establish a USB or Bluetooth
connection with the Focus 14 Blue.
If you choose to use the Focus display with a third-party screen reading
application, you must install the driver from the Companion CD before
connecting it to your computer.
Note: Disconnect the Focus display from your computer when performing the
following steps. Having the display connected during this process
results in improper installation and failure of the display to operate
properly.
1. Insert the Focus Blue Companion CD. When the Freedom Scientific
Focus Setup dialog box opens, choose Install Windows driver. You will
hear a series of clicks as the driver is installed.
2. When the installation completes, choose the OK button to restart your
computer.
Once installed, refer to the documentation that came with the software for
information on configuring and using the Focus with the particular application
as certain commands may be different.
Configuring the USB Connection
To configure the Focus Blue braille display to operate with JAWS over USB, do
the following:
1. Establish a USB connection between the Focus and computer using
the supplied USB cable.
2. Windows will detect the display and install the appropriate drivers.

11
Note: Windows XP will display a Found New Hardware Wizard, prompting you
to locate the driver. Choose the option to automatically install the
software then select Finish to complete the installation.
3. Once Windows has confirmed that the hardware was successfully
installed, close and then restart JAWS. JAWS automatically detects
and begins using your Focus 14 Blue braille display.
Configuring the Bluetooth Connection
In order to use the Focus Blue with JAWS wirelessly over Bluetooth, you must
first configure a Bluetooth partnership between the Focus and computer.
To set up a Bluetooth partnership between the Focus display and computer
using Windows 7 or Windows Vista, do the following:
1. Make sure that Bluetooth is enabled on the computer running JAWS. If
you are using an external USB Bluetooth adapter, insert it and ensure
it is detected properly.
2. Power on the focus. The firmware version and battery status
information is displayed.
3. On the computer, go to the Control Panel and type "bluetooth" into the
Search edit box.
4. Press TAB to move to Add Bluetooth Device and press ENTER. The
computer will begin searching for Bluetooth devices. This may take
several seconds. You are placed in the list of devices when the search
is complete.
5. Use the ARROW keys to select your Focus display from the list, for
example, F14X, where X is the 8-digit Bluetooth MAC address which is
different for each Bluetooth device, and then choose Next. If the Focus
display was not found, make sure it is turned on then select the Retry
button.
6. Select the Pairing Code button, type 0000 into the edit field, and then
choose Next.

12
7. After a few seconds, you will receive a message informing you that the
Bluetooth device was successfully connected. Choose the Close
button.
To set up a Bluetooth partnership between the Focus display and computer
using Windows XP, do the following:
1. Make sure that Bluetooth is enabled on the computer running JAWS. If
you are using an external USB Bluetooth adapter, insert it and ensure
it is detected properly.
2. Power on the focus. The firmware version and battery status
information is displayed.
3. On the computer, go to the Control Panel and select Bluetooth
Devices.
4. When the Bluetooth Devices dialog box opens, press TAB to move to
the Add button and press ENTER.
5. Use the SPACEBAR to check the My device is set up and ready to be
found check box then choose Next to begin searching for Bluetooth
devices. This may take several seconds. You are placed in the list of
devices when the search is complete.
6. Use the ARROW keys to select your Focus display from the list, for
example, F14X, where X is the 8-digit Bluetooth MAC address which is
different for each Bluetooth device, and then choose Next. If the Focus
display was not found, make sure it is turned on then select the
Search Again button.
7. Select the Use the passkey found in the documentation radio button,
press TAB to Move to the Passkey edit field, type 0000, and choose
Next.
8. After a few seconds, you will receive a message informing you that the
Bluetooth device was successfully connected. Choose Finish to close
the wizard, and then OK to close the Bluetooth Devices dialog box and
save your settings.