I visited a local NGO for the blind to carry out the first user prototype testing, upon their invitation. The test was carried out by people with and without prior knowledge of Braille. This is what we observed:

1. When the device is attached vertically, along the length of the phone, it is a little inconvenient to grip it.
2. The placement of the keypad causes a little inconvenience in the wrist while gripping the device.
3. Stray touches to the touchscreen while typing.
4. The space key is a positive differentiator.
5. Buttons need to have a stronger actuator.

The feedback we received from the user group was very informative for us. Here are the excerpts:

1. Suggested incorporation of means of navigating the smartphone through the keypad.
2. Suggested option of switching between Braille typing and any other popular mode like T9 or QWERTY keypad for people who have recently lost their vision.

We will be looking to cover more institutions like these to get assistance on improving the prototype through more user tests.