Peter Claridge-Bowler
What is the Mantis?
The Mantis is a braille display developed and produced by Humanware. It is
known as a hybrid braille display as it doesn't come with your normal
Perkins-style keyboard. In fact it comes with a full laptop keyboard, so it
combines functionality of a full keyboard as well as a refreshable braille
display. So, on the top of the unit, it has your full keyboard and attached
at the bottom it has 40 cells of high-quality braille. It also has a SD card
reader that can allow you access to external files and documents as well as
books that have been preloaded onto the SD card.
But that's not just it, Mantis also comes with several internal
applications, for example: it comes with a File Manager, word creator,
braille editor, library, partial online services, and a few other bits as
well.
What's in the box?
So, when you first open the box, you are greeted with a print and braille
copy of the warranty, as well as both a braille and print copy of the quick
start guide (which I suggest that you read). Next you'll come to the unit
itself, the Mantis. The device comes in a simple plastic case. Although this
case is okay for just around the house, I do suggest that you also buy the
leather carry case for it as that comes with a cover and pouch to store the
cable. Under that you'll find a USB-A to USB-C cable, as well as several
different adaptors for charging the unit via the mains power.
Description of the unit
So, the basic layout of the Mantis Q40. When you take the display out of the
box the unit will be face up, with a full laptop keyboard facing towards you
and just below that you will find the 40 cell refreshable braille display.
The front panel is where you can find the Humanware signature thumb keys,
while on the left hand panel of the device you'll find the USB-C charging
port and the power/sleep button. The back panel is where you will locate the
SD card reader.
What apps does it offer and what can the device do?
Well for starters it's great for creating and managing files/documents. It
comes with built-in real time braille translation, so if you type something
in a braille file and want to transfer that file to the computer directly
from the Mantis, you can simply remove the SD card, and put that into your
computer.
It'll load that file up as a word document or whatever file type that you
have picked in that situation.
It comes with a built-in braille editor as well, so you can create files
that can be used and shared between other braille displays and note takers
as well as braille embossers. This feature also adds several different
options for accessing information. The Mantis also has a built-in library
function which can both utilise the partial online services that the unit
has access to and as well as being able to read books directly from a SD
card.
It also comes with a couple of online services, such as Bookshare and the
NFB newsletter (NFB isn't an available application outside of the USA). It
comes with a basic calculator, so you can perform basic equations, but its
big mainstay is the Bookshare function giving you access to thousands upon
thousands of braille books directly at your fingers.
I've been using this device for several years and have read countless
amounts of books through both uploading them to the device via SD card or
download from Bookshare bookie directly. It is also a huge plus the amount
of braille cells it comes with as well as the quality of the braille cells.
Using it as a braille display
Using the Mantis as a braille display makes accessing your computer a
breeze, with its full keyboard you no longer must try and remember any
braille keystrokes to do simple tasks/functions on the computer. You no
longer must be switching between your braille display to reach over to your
laptop/computer keyboard to be accessing your computer. It allows you to
perform all the computer's functions as well as all the functions of the
screen reader all while giving you access to reading all the information you
want in braille. It is just fundamentally a laptop keyboard with refreshable
braille on it, just with several added extras.
My final thoughts
My thoughts on the device is that it is the perfect hybrid of a braille
display and a full qwerty keyboard, the perfect interface for accessing a
computer and mobile device. But then the amazing access to Bookshare, and
being able to create and transfer files on the in-built systems of the
device.
So overall it's a grand product with a lot to offer.
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