MAKING THE WORLD ACCESSIBLE, DOT BY DOT.

Grand Prix
TitleMAKING THE WORLD ACCESSIBLE, DOT BY DOT.
BrandDOT INCORPORATION
Product/ServiceDOT TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCTS
Category A03. Technological Development
Entrant SERVICEPLAN GERMANY Munich, GERMANY
Idea Creation SERVICEPLAN GERMANY Munich, GERMANY
Idea Creation 2 SERVICEPLAN KOREA Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
Idea Creation 3 CLOUDANDCO Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
Idea Creation 4 DOT INCORPORATION Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
Production NEVEREST München, GERMANY
Production 2 PAULUS.CO Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
Credits
Name Company Position
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.