Re: Around India with a Canute: the Worth Trust
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E M Rogers
Sep 20, 2017, 7:07:55 AM9/20/17
to BBT Reports, Braillists Forum
% Journal of WCMT sponsored India trip ; 7th entry \\
Around India with a Canute: the Worth Trust
% Ed Rogers, Bristol Braille Technology CIC
% 19th of September, 2017 ; from Kanthari, Trivandrum, Kerala
On the 5th of September went from Vellore to Katpadi, just 3mi North, to
visit the Worth Trust.
# Background
This meeting was the reason I'd chosen to visit Vellore in the first
place. Worth are a large company which specialise in employment for
disabled people of all stripes. They have a vocational training dept, a
plastics works (i.e. injection moulding and blow moulding), and most
interestingly the Perkins Brailler assembly line.
The Worth Trust worked on the late N Krishnaswamy's Natesan Display in
2010--11. They also continue to manufacture NK's Universal Braille Kit
(small plastic learniing devices for teaching children the basics of
Braille).
I also visited the Perkins facilities last year and heard all about
Worth's work, so had determined to finally visit, especially as the
Perkins Brailler has been a great inspiration for myself and BBT over
the years.
I met Myke, in charge of the Perkins division, in the Leipsig Braille21
conference in 2011, so got in contact with him again.
# Making the Perkins
## History
The Perkins was designed and for many decades made in the famous Perkins
School for the Blind, Watertown, just outside Boston, USA. In 1996
assembly was moved to the Worth Trust. Since then every Perkins in the
world has been assembled in Katpadi.
## The factory line
I will ask Worth before going into too much detail about assembly, so
this is just a broad overview.
The entire workforce in the Perkins Classic assembly line has
disabilities, including blindness.
Certain components are made in America still and shipped over.
A worker will add a certain element to the Brailler, check it, pass it
on to the next, who will also check the previous person's work before
adding their element.
They can produce something like 50 a day, though I have no doubt could
produce more if it was needed.
# Perkins around the world
The Braillers components are sent to Worth, then the full Braillers are
sent back to Watertown, from whence they're exported across the world.
The price of a Perkins here in India is 37,000 INR, which is about £440
(top of my head). Price in America is around $600. Price in UK is around
£650. I didn't ask if Indian Brailers are still sent back to Perkins
before being re-imported to India (unlikely, you'd hope); but in any
case Perkins are obviously able to sell at a lower rate in India.
It will come as no surprise to anyone that the Classic model is by far
the most popular. They no longr produce the plastic Next Generation, but
Smart Braillers, based off the plastic version, plus an electric screen,
are being made elsewhere in in Worth building.
The Smart Brailler costs 1.3 Lakh INR (~£1,700) in India. No idea how
this compares, as I thought they cost less than that.
# Other equipment
They in-house plastics production facilities are used for producing all
sorts:--- by no means all blindness or disability related. Every vehicle
made in India has some of their parts in it, for example.
They have made the slates and stylus' used by every organisation I've
met with on this trip. The cost of these is very low indeed in India.
Under 100 INR for a full size slate, if I recall correctly. Alas once
exported the price goes up significantly.
# Schemes for purchasing material in India
70--75% of blind children in Govt run schools.
There is Govt funding to distribute equipment to blind people free of
cost through two orgs;
- National Institute for Visually Handicapped and
- Artificial Limb Centre
The can give 12,500 (~£160) INR free of cost, without many questions
asked, for equipment. Otherwise if cost of equipment is higher, *the
manufacturer* has to apply to be allowed onto the list.
This is called the ADIP scheme.
# Lessons for manufacturing and distributing Braille technology in India
Was warned that with a certain previous product, it was the shipping ---
iterally the shipping, as opposed to air freight --- which caused a lot
of failures. Remember to test this, as its often forgotten!
Many more observations and lessons, but I will let that percolate for me
for a few weeks first, and come back to it.
# Future
With very strong connexions between our lines work, it would be vey
sensible for BBT and Worth to work together on the Canute in India at
some point.
As they are distanced from the actual use of their equipment somewhat no
obvious reasons to co-ordinate anything between the Braillists and
Worth.
⠠⠃⠗⠊⠌⠕⠇⠀⠠⠃⠗⠇⠀⠠⠞⠑⠡⠝⠕⠇⠕⠛⠽⠀⠠⠞⠑⠇⠀⠼⠚⠛⠊⠚⠓⠑⠋⠊⠃⠁⠙
| Bristol Braille Technology CIC | Tel: +447908 569 214 |
Around India with a Canute: the Worth Trust
% Ed Rogers, Bristol Braille Technology CIC
% 19th of September, 2017 ; from Kanthari, Trivandrum, Kerala
On the 5th of September went from Vellore to Katpadi, just 3mi North, to
visit the Worth Trust.
# Background
This meeting was the reason I'd chosen to visit Vellore in the first
place. Worth are a large company which specialise in employment for
disabled people of all stripes. They have a vocational training dept, a
plastics works (i.e. injection moulding and blow moulding), and most
interestingly the Perkins Brailler assembly line.
The Worth Trust worked on the late N Krishnaswamy's Natesan Display in
2010--11. They also continue to manufacture NK's Universal Braille Kit
(small plastic learniing devices for teaching children the basics of
Braille).
I also visited the Perkins facilities last year and heard all about
Worth's work, so had determined to finally visit, especially as the
Perkins Brailler has been a great inspiration for myself and BBT over
the years.
I met Myke, in charge of the Perkins division, in the Leipsig Braille21
conference in 2011, so got in contact with him again.
# Making the Perkins
## History
The Perkins was designed and for many decades made in the famous Perkins
School for the Blind, Watertown, just outside Boston, USA. In 1996
assembly was moved to the Worth Trust. Since then every Perkins in the
world has been assembled in Katpadi.
## The factory line
I will ask Worth before going into too much detail about assembly, so
this is just a broad overview.
The entire workforce in the Perkins Classic assembly line has
disabilities, including blindness.
Certain components are made in America still and shipped over.
A worker will add a certain element to the Brailler, check it, pass it
on to the next, who will also check the previous person's work before
adding their element.
They can produce something like 50 a day, though I have no doubt could
produce more if it was needed.
# Perkins around the world
The Braillers components are sent to Worth, then the full Braillers are
sent back to Watertown, from whence they're exported across the world.
The price of a Perkins here in India is 37,000 INR, which is about £440
(top of my head). Price in America is around $600. Price in UK is around
£650. I didn't ask if Indian Brailers are still sent back to Perkins
before being re-imported to India (unlikely, you'd hope); but in any
case Perkins are obviously able to sell at a lower rate in India.
It will come as no surprise to anyone that the Classic model is by far
the most popular. They no longr produce the plastic Next Generation, but
Smart Braillers, based off the plastic version, plus an electric screen,
are being made elsewhere in in Worth building.
The Smart Brailler costs 1.3 Lakh INR (~£1,700) in India. No idea how
this compares, as I thought they cost less than that.
# Other equipment
They in-house plastics production facilities are used for producing all
sorts:--- by no means all blindness or disability related. Every vehicle
made in India has some of their parts in it, for example.
They have made the slates and stylus' used by every organisation I've
met with on this trip. The cost of these is very low indeed in India.
Under 100 INR for a full size slate, if I recall correctly. Alas once
exported the price goes up significantly.
# Schemes for purchasing material in India
70--75% of blind children in Govt run schools.
There is Govt funding to distribute equipment to blind people free of
cost through two orgs;
- National Institute for Visually Handicapped and
- Artificial Limb Centre
The can give 12,500 (~£160) INR free of cost, without many questions
asked, for equipment. Otherwise if cost of equipment is higher, *the
manufacturer* has to apply to be allowed onto the list.
This is called the ADIP scheme.
# Lessons for manufacturing and distributing Braille technology in India
Was warned that with a certain previous product, it was the shipping ---
iterally the shipping, as opposed to air freight --- which caused a lot
of failures. Remember to test this, as its often forgotten!
Many more observations and lessons, but I will let that percolate for me
for a few weeks first, and come back to it.
# Future
With very strong connexions between our lines work, it would be vey
sensible for BBT and Worth to work together on the Canute in India at
some point.
As they are distanced from the actual use of their equipment somewhat no
obvious reasons to co-ordinate anything between the Braillists and
Worth.
⠠⠃⠗⠊⠌⠕⠇⠀⠠⠃⠗⠇⠀⠠⠞⠑⠡⠝⠕⠇⠕⠛⠽⠀⠠⠞⠑⠇⠀⠼⠚⠛⠊⠚⠓⠑⠋⠊⠃⠁⠙
| Bristol Braille Technology CIC | Tel: +447908 569 214 |
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