Switching to HID mode
In order for the Orbit Reader to be recognized and used by the computer, it needs to be put in HID or "Human Interface Device" mode. Once this mode is enabled, the reader can be used as a text input device, text reading device and more.
Connect and power on the reader
- Connect reader to Mac via a micro usb cable
- Power on the reader by holding the button on the back (next to the SD card slot)
Enable HID mode for reader
- Press buttons 2, 7, and space bar on the reader all at once to enable HID mode
- Use the diagram and GIF image below to see which buttons are which on the reader
Turn on "VoiceOver" application
Most Macs come preinstalled with an application called VoiceOver. This program is what we'll use to connect to the Orbit Reader.
- Tap command and F5 keys at the same time to enable VoiceOver
- The below pop-up will appear on the screen prompting you to enable the application
Click "Use VoiceOver" to enable the application
That's it! The device should be printing out braille according to what's on your screen or what you have selected. For example, I have a CIRCUITPY device connected (an Adafruit board running CircuitPython and presenting as a flash drive named CIRCUITPY), so I clicked on it and its name was printed to the screen reader through voice over. Try clicking around and see how the reader reacts. VoiceOver will tell you what's being printed to the reader on the screen.
Having trouble connecting?
Try opening up the application "VoiceOver Utility" on your computer.
Click the "Braille" tab, then click "Displays" to see if the computer recognizes the reader.
If the reader isn't showing up try:
- enabling HID mode again
- turning VoiceOver off then back on
Still not working?
- check to see if the "Layout" settings are the same as below
Additional Resources
On this resources page, from the Orbit Research website, download the user guide from your file format of your choice.
Feel free to use it as a reference guide.
