Orbit Research Reader 40 User manual

Orbit Reader 40™
Quick-start Guide
Introduction
This guide provides the basic instructions for using the Orbit Reader 40 Electronic Braille
Display. For more information and the complete instructions, consult the Orbit Reader 40 User
Guide included on the SD card.
The Orbit Reader 40 is a unique 3-in-1 device that enables a blind or visually impaired user to
read books and documents in braille, take notes and save them as braille or text files. It helps
the user to easily access all the functions of a computer or smartphone such as web browsing,
email, and text messaging.
Reading materials that were previously available in braille embossed on paper, can now be
read on the compact and portable Orbit Reader 40. Thousands of books can be stored on the
small memory cards, known as SD cards. Blind people who used to write notes using a slate
and stylus or a Perkins Brailler can now type in braille with the Orbit Reader 40, which includes
a similar 8-key braille keyboard and is much quieter and faster, as well as being fatigue-free.
The notes are stored on the SD card and can be transferred to a computer or smartphone and
read by anyone.
The Orbit Reader 40 produces braille symbols using 8 pins that can move up and down to
produce braille dots and can show a line of 40 such symbols, also known as cells. Any text or
braille content can be instantly displayed on the device, 40 symbols at a time and once you
have read the first line of 40 symbols, you can move to the next line by pressing a button,
known as the pan button.
In the Box
The following items are included in the package. Contact your distributor if anything is missing
or damaged.
•Orbit Reader 40 unit
•Charger
•USB Cable (USB-A to USB Type C)
•SD Card with User Guide and content (installed in unit)
•Printed Quick-Start Guide
Orientation of the Device
The normal operating orientation of the device is with the space bar closest to you. Above the
space bar is the line of braille cells. On the left and right side of the braille line are two buttons.
These buttons are used to skip to the next or previous line of braille and are known as the pan
keys.

Just above the line of braille cells and in the middle is the navigation pad. The navigation pad
contains four directional arrow buttons (Up, Down, Left, Right) and the Select button.
On left and right side of navigation button are eight traditional braille input keys. Dots 7, 3, 2
and 1 are on the left and Dots 4, 5, 6, and 8 are on the right. These keys are used to type in
braille and to enter commands. The navigation pad is used to move within a book or file and
through menus. The small buttons located above each braille cell are cursor routing buttons,
used to move the cursor to the desired location while editing.
On the right side of the device, from front to back, is the recessed Power button (front), USB
Type-C (middle), and 3.5mm Audio Jack (back). On the left side of the device, is the Standard
USB A host port. At the back side of the device, is the SD card slot.
Charging the Device
We recommend charging the device fully before or during first use. To charge the battery, plug
the small end of the cable into the USB Type C port on the right side of the unit and insert the
other end into the supplied charger or a USB port on a computer.
Powering On and Off
To turn on the device, press and hold the power button for 2 seconds. If the device is already
on, pressing and holding the power button for 2 seconds will turn it off. If the device is running
on batteries and you do nothing with it for 10 minutes, it goes to sleep automatically to
conserve power. The device will activate all the dots momentarily to indicate power-on and
power-off.
Language Settings
Your Orbit Reader 40 comes with support for several languages and more can be loaded from
the SD card as needed. You can select a language by pressing the Select button and one of
the Dot keys together. The Select and Dot 1 keys will choose UEB Grade 1 (uncontracted)
braille for reading and writing. All the messages and menus will also be shown in UEB Grade 1
(uncontracted). The Select and Dot 2 keys will choose UEB Grade 2 (contracted). The Select
and Dot 3 keys will choose the BRF format, which is independent of language. The Select and
Dot 4 keys will choose the language you have loaded from the SD card. There are many other
options that provide a lot of flexibility. Please refer to the User Guide for more details.
Reading
The Orbit Reader 40 comes with an inserted SD card containing the User Guide and translated
braille material already on it. If the SD card is removed or there is no SD card present when
the unit is turned on, the Orbit Reader 40 displays “SD card [no media]”. To insert a card into
the slot, make sure its contact fingers are facing down and gently push it in until you hear or
feel a click. To remove a card, press and release it.
When you first power the device on, the display shows the name of the first file or folder on the
SD card. You can scroll through the list of files using the Up and Down Arrow buttons on the
navigation keypad.

To open a file in the list for reading, press the Select key. To read a file, use the panning
buttons to move forward or back through the contents forty characters at a time. To exit from
reading a file and return to the list of files and folders, press the Dot 7 key.
Creating and Editing Files
To create a new file, press the space bar and the dot keys for the letter ‘N’(Dots 1 3 4 5). You
will notice that dots 7 and 8 (the two dots at the bottom) in the first cell will start blinking. This is
known as the cursor and shows the position at which the text you type will be inserted. Start
typing using the Dot 1 thorough Dot 6 keys. Choose the language you would like to type in,
using the Select and Dots 1 through 4 keys.
To edit a file you are reading, press the space bar and the dot keys for the letter ‘E’(Dot 1 5).
To exit the Editor, press the ‘Select’ key twice. The cursor disappears and returns you to the
file you were reading. If you had created a new file, the editor automatically names the file with
the first 40 characters of the file. You can rename the file if you like.
Setting Preferences
The Orbit reader 40 offers several options which are accessed through the menu. This allows
you to do things such as checking the battery status, configuring the way braille is displayed,
etc.
•To see the menu, press the Select and Up arrow key
•To move through the menu items, press Up or Down Arrow keys
•To see the options for an item in the menu, press Right or Left Arrow keys
•To select or unselect an option, press the Select key
•To close the Menu, press the Dot 7 key
Connecting to a Computer or Smartphone
The Orbit Reader 40 can connect to computers and mobile devices to access all of their
functions and features using braille. The connection can be either through USB or Bluetooth.
The access to the computer or mobile device’s features is through a software program called a
Screen Reader. This software is available for all platforms including Android, iOS, Windows,
Mac OS, Chrome, and Amazon FireOS and has been fully tested to operate seamlessly with
the Orbit Reader 40. For further details, please refer to the User Guide.
Further Information
For the latest information, specifications, troubleshooting tips, software upgrade instructions,
care and use information, warranty information, and more detailed instructions, visit the Orbit
Reader 40 support webpage at: http://www.orbitresearch.com/support/orbit-reader-40-support/
or contact us at [email protected].
© 2021 Orbit Research. All rights reserved.