MAKING THE WORLD ACCESSIBLE, DOT BY DOT.
| Title | MAKING THE WORLD ACCESSIBLE, DOT BY DOT. |
| Brand | DOT INCORPORATION |
| Product/Service | DOT TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCTS |
| Category |
A03. Technological Development |
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Entrant
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SERVICEPLAN GERMANY Munich, GERMANY
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Idea Creation
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SERVICEPLAN GERMANY Munich, GERMANY
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Idea Creation 2
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SERVICEPLAN KOREA Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
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Idea Creation 3
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CLOUDANDCO Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
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Idea Creation 4
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DOT INCORPORATION Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
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Production
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NEVEREST München, GERMANY
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Production 2
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PAULUS.CO Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
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Credits
| Alexander Schill |
SERVICEPLAN GROUP |
Global Chief Creative Officer |
| Eric Ju Yoon Kim |
Dot Incorporation |
CEO |
| Jae-Seong Joo |
Dot Incorporation |
CDO |
| Ki Sung |
Dot Incorporation |
CTO |
| Ahrum Choi |
Dot Incorporation |
Senior PR Marketing Manager |
| Jimin Ryu |
Dot Incorporation |
Global Partnership Manager |
| YeongKyu Yoo |
cloudandco / Dot Incorporation |
Creative Director / CCO |
| KiHwan Joo |
Dot Incorporation |
Designer |
| YoungWoo Choi |
cloudandco |
Designer |
| Nara Ok |
cloudandco |
Graphic Designer |
| Franz Roeppischer |
SERVICEPLAN GROUP |
Creative Innovation Director |
| Lorenz Langgartner |
SERVICEPLAN GROUP |
Creative Innovation Director |
| Saurabh Kakade |
SERVICEPLAN GROUP |
Art Director |
| Pedro Gropo |
SERVICEPLAN GROUP |
Art Director |
| Dennis Fritz |
SERVICEPLAN GROUP |
Senior Motion Designer |
| Hendrik Sommerfeld |
Designstube |
Editor |
| Robert Csakvari |
Neverest |
Artist VFX & Animation |
| Julie Kang |
SERVICEPLAN KOREA |
CEO |
| Yoon Seo |
SERVICEPLAN KOREA |
Copywriter |
| Jihyun Seo |
SERVICEPLAN KOREA |
Art Director |
| Yujin Ko |
SERVICEPLAN KOREA |
Senior Account Manager |
| Yerim Kim |
SERVICEPLAN KOREA |
Account Executive |
| Kathrin Guethoff |
SERVICEPLAN GERMANY |
Global Executive Director |
| Bill Yom |
SERVICEPLAN KOREA |
Executive Creative Director |
| Kyungsin Kim |
Paulus Co. Ltd |
Producer |
| Dahoon Chung |
Paulus Co. Ltd |
Director |
| Yongsang Cho |
Paulus Co. Ltd |
DOP |
| Kwak Yechan |
Paulus Co. Ltd |
Assistant Producer |
| Sungjun Bang |
Paulus Co. Ltd |
Cinematographer |
| Gunyoung Oh |
Paulus Co. Ltd |
Cinematographer |
Why is this work relevant for Innovation?
Dot Incorporation was founded in 2014 to produce innovative tactile devices. So far, the portfolio includes two released and two unreleased products, that each on their own and in different aspects are life-changing for 285 million blind and visually impaired people: From mobile communication and access to content to transport and public spaces. From reading text messages and books to visualization of graphic content.
Background
While we are all used to the benefits of modern technology in all aspects of life, from communication to entertainment and transport, the situation is very different for the 285 million blind and visually impaired people worldwide:
Only 3% of all digital text content is available in Braille, because material is expensive and translation requires human understanding, which makes it unprofitable in most cases. There is no alternative to Braille, especially when it comes to education: 90% of people who can’t read Braille are unemployed.
In 2016, Dot Incorporation set out to give the visually impaired access to mobile communication with the first Braille smartwatch. Now, we are creating access to content, with Dot Mini. The first smart media device for the visually impaired. It makes any digital context accessible through the innovative AI Dot Translation Engine based on Machine Learning.
Describe the idea
Dot Incorporation was founded in 2014 to produce innovative tactile devices.
Starting in 2014 with the Dot Smartwatch, the first Braille smart watch, which makes mobile communication possible for the visually impaired.
In 2018, Dot Mini is introduced to create access to any digital text content. Because the innovative Dot Translation Engine based on AI applies Machine Learning to understand context and translate to Grade 2 Braille, which is on average up to 50% shorter.
Dot Mini provides additional audio support, which makes consuming content much faster, effective and enjoyable. All in a device that’s multiple times smaller, more lightweight, less power consuming and cheaper than conventional devices.
Dot Public is in the first steps of being installed in the airport of Oman and millions of vending machines in Japan.
Dot Pad is in development and will bring tactile communication from reading to visualization in 2019.
What were the key dates in the development process?
2013
Start Development Core Technology
2014
Company Incorporation
First Patent Granted
2015
Dot Watch Prototype
Dot Watch Closed Beta
2016
Dot Watch Launch
Dot Mini Prototype
Cannes Lions Innovation Gold
2017
Dot Translation Engine Development
Dot Mini Closed Beta
Dot Pad Prototype
Dot Watch Consumer Marketing in USA, Asia and Europe
2018
Dot Mini Launch
Dot Pad Closed Beta
First 1000 Dot Mini units delivered to Kenya and India together with South Korean development agency KOICA
Latest Patent Granted
2019
Dot Pad Launch
Dot Public Launch
Describe the innovation/technology
All Dot devices feature Active Braille Displays with innovative (70 patents) Dot Technology, uniquely based on magnetism, which reduces size, weight, power consumption and price by up to ten times.
Dot Smartwatch is connected to the smartphone via Bluetooth and can receive any text information from any app or service, for a wide range of applications: From
Dot Mini can access digital text files from online libraries and websites, local and network storage.
Full audio support with speaker, headphones and microphone allow multisensory experiences like Karaoke and even watching movies with automatically generated text description.
Intuitive Control Elements including wheel, select and menu button and scroll buttons make interactive applications like calculation, editing and even games possible.
The Dot Translation Engine can automatically convert any digital text file into Grade 2 Braille.
Machine Learning depends largely on training. That’s why we strategically partner with big content platforms like Rakuten Kobo (global) and Yes24 (market leader in Japan) to use their huge content libraries (already more than 200,000 books), to continuously improve the Dot Translation Engine.
Describe the expectations/outcome
Over 300,000 Dot Smartwatch units sold.
First 1000 Dot Mini units are gradually being delivered to India and Kenya through Korean development agency.
40,000 Dot Mini units pre-ordered for 2018.
Partnerships with big content platforms like Rakuten Kobo and Yes24 for direct access to more than 200,000 books.
Dot Incorporation has grown from 3 people to 26, including the visually impaired, e.g. with Dot Mates, the individual customer support program.