Orbit Research
Orbit Research is a privately-held U.S. assistive-technology manufacturer (founded 1998, Wilmington, DE) that designs and sells affordable braille displays, tactile graphics devices, talking calculators, and accessible media players for blind and visually impaired individuals globally, distributing through its own site, a worldwide partner network, and institutional channels in the U.S. and India.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersWilmington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Orbit Research does
Orbit Research is a privately-held U.S. assistive-technology manufacturer founded in 1998 and headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware (Orbit Research LLC), with a manufacturing and development facility in Ahmedabad, India. The company designs and sells hardware and accessories for blind and visually impaired users, including refreshable braille displays (Orbit Reader 20/20 Plus, Q20, Q40, Slate 340/520, and the new Strata and Flow piezo-based families), tactile graphics displays (Graphiti and Graphiti Plus), accessible scientific and graphing calculators derived from Texas Instruments silicon (Orion TI-34, TI-30XS MultiView, TI-84 Plus), digital magnifiers (Orbit Magna), the iBill Talking Bank Note Reader, and the India-built Orbit Player DAISY/multimedia device. Underlying technology rests on patented Tactuator/TrueBraille mechanisms for signage-quality braille and multi-level tactile graphics, alongside newly introduced piezo braille cells, with text-to-speech delivered via licensed engines such as FonixTalk and Cerence Vocalizer and braille translation supported through libLouis, Duxbury, and Braille-Blast. Devices integrate with every major screen-reader platform (JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, TalkBack, Narrator, Supernova, ChromeVox) and with content sources including Bookshare, Sugamya Pustakalaya, Kindle, Adobe Digital Editions, and iBooks.
The company's revenue model is direct hardware sales, supplemented by accessories and extended warranties, sold through orbitresearch.com, a global network of authorized distributors, and institutional channels (notably the American Printing House for the Blind and the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing's Currency Reader Program for iBill). Pricing is deliberately affordable relative to the assistive-technology market, with most consumer SKUs under $200 (iBill at $99, Orion TI-34 at $199) and higher-priced specialty devices such as the Optima Braille Laptop and Graphiti Plus at the upper end; the company cites a one-third to one-fifth cost advantage versus competing assistive devices. Its customer base spans individual end users (students, professionals, blind/visually impaired consumers in both developed and developing markets), educators and schools serving visually impaired students (where Orion calculators are approved accommodations for high-stakes exams), and government/advocacy distribution, with the India market and VOSAP subsidy program providing additional channel reach. The company appears founder-owned and independently operated, with no disclosed outside funding, and has been led by President Venkatesh Chari for over 25 years alongside founder Dr. Gina Spagnoli.
Orbit Research firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Orbit Research
- Legal name
- Orbit Research LLC
- Website
- https://orbitresearch.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Orbit Research is a privately-held U.S. assistive-technology manufacturer (founded 1998, Wilmington, DE) that designs and sells affordable braille displays, tactile graphics devices, talking calculators, and accessible media players for blind and visually impaired individuals globally, distributing through its own site, a worldwide partner network, and institutional channels in the U.S. and India.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Orbit Research industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Assistive Technology for the Visually Impaired
- NAICS
- Computer Terminal and Other Computer Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing (334118), Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115)
- SIC
- Ophthalmic Goods (3851)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Vision Assistive Technology (Screen Readers, Braille, Magnification) (EDAKAIAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Assistive Vision & Screen Access (Screen Readers, Magnification, Braille Displays/Notetakers) (EDAFAKAD), Computer Access & Alternative Input (Switch, Eye Gaze, Head/Mouse, Keyboards) (EDAKAIAD)
Keywords
Where Orbit Research is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wilmington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Orbit Research business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hardware Product Sales: Orbit Research generates revenue primarily through the sale of assistive technology hardware products including braille displays, tactile graphic displays, talking calculators, money identifiers, and digital magnifiers. Products are sold directly and through global distribution partners.
- Accessories and Extended Warranties: Sale of accessories including carrying cases, chargers, cables, batteries, SD cards, earphones, and extended warranty plans for Orbit products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | iBill Talking Bank Note Reader - Entry level accessibility device |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | ORION TI-34 Talking Scientific Calculator |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Orbit Reader Q20 and Q40 Braille Displays |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Strata and Flow Braille Device Families |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Orbit Research product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Orbit Research designs, manufactures, and sells assistive technology hardware for blind and visually impaired individuals. Its portfolio spans refreshable braille displays (Orbit Reader, Slate, Strata, Flow families), multi-level tactile graphic displays (Graphiti), talking scientific and graphing calculators (Orion), digital magnifiers (Magna), a DAISY/media player (Orbit Player), and a banknote identifier (iBill), along with accessories and extended warranties.
Product overview
Orbit Research offers a comprehensive portfolio of assistive technology products for blind and visually impaired individuals. The product line spans blindness products including multiple braille display families (Strata with piezo technology, Flow, Orbit Reader series with TrueBraille), multi-line braille devices (Orbit Slate), tactile graphic displays (Graphiti family), braille notetakers (Orbit Speak, Orbit Writer), accessible calculators (Orion TI-84 Plus, TI-30XS), and the iBill banknote reader. For low vision, the Orbit Magna digital magnifier family provides portable magnification. The company also offers the Orbit Player DAISY/media player with multilingual support for India. Key differentiating technologies include patented TrueBraille (signage-quality piezo braille), Tactuator multi-level actuators for tactile graphics, and AccessMind BrailleUI software. Products work with all major screen readers (JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, TalkBack) across Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Chrome OS platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Orbit Reader: Family of refreshable braille displays including Orbit Reader 20, 20 Plus, 40, Q20, and Q40 models
- Orbit Slate
- Orbit Flow
- Strata
- Graphiti
- Orion
- Orbit Magna
- Orbit Speak
- Orbit Writer
- Orbit Chat
- Orbit Teacher
- Optima
- Orbit Player
- iBill
Products and services
- Orbit Strata Family Family of refreshable braille displays using piezo braille technology, including Strata 40 (portable 40-cell display), Strata 40 Pro (multimodal system with braille, speech, audio, and online services), and Strata 20 Pro (compact multimodal system).
- Orbit Flow 40 Compact 40-cell braille display with piezo braille cells, ergonomic thumb keys for navigation, and USB plug-and-play connectivity for use with computers and mobile devices.
- Orbit Reader Q40 40-cell refreshable braille display with integrated full-sized QWERTY keyboard, TrueBraille technology, multi-device connectivity, and built-in applications including book reader, editor, clock, calendar, and calculator.
- Orbit Reader Q20 20-cell refreshable braille display with integrated full-sized QWERTY keyboard, TrueBraille technology, multi-device connectivity, and built-in applications.
- Orbit Reader 20 Plus Enhanced 20-cell refreshable braille display with onboard braille translation in 40+ languages, clock with alarms, calendar, and calculator; works standalone or connected via Bluetooth/USB.
- Orbit Reader 20 Entry-level 20-cell refreshable braille display offering book reader, editor, and connectivity to smartphones and computers via Bluetooth or USB.
- Orbit Slate 520 World's first multi-line refreshable braille display with 20 rows of braille cells, enabling access to spatially arranged information for blind users.
- Orbit Slate 340 Multi-line refreshable braille display with multiple rows of braille cells for reading and interacting with larger amounts of braille content.
- Orbit Speak Modern speech-based braille notetaker that combines speech output with braille input for blind users.
- Orbit Writer Handheld braille input device with Perkins-style keyboard for writing braille; connects to smartphones via Bluetooth.
- Graphiti Plus Interactive tactile graphic and braille display combining 2400-pin multi-level tactile graphics (40x60 arrangement) with a 40-cell TrueBraille line, Perkins-style keyboard, HDMI input, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB, and onboard Linux-based applications.
- Graphiti World's first affordable refreshable tactile graphics display enabling blind users to experience and interact with graphics in three dimensions using patented Tactuator multi-level actuator technology.
- Optima Braille Laptop Computer Modular, upgradable braille laptop computer built on the Framework ecosystem with Intel Core i5/i7 processors, choice of TrueBraille or piezo braille, Windows 11 with NVDA and AccessMind BrailleUI pre-installed.
- Orbit Player India's first locally made DAISY and media player with multilingual TTS, supporting DAISY, EPUB, DOCX, PDF, BRL, BRF, TXT, MP3, WAV, and FLAC formats; connects to online libraries including Sugamya Pustakalaya and Bookshare.
- iBill Talking Banknote Reader Compact pager-sized banknote identifier that announces US currency denominations via voice, tone, or vibration with better than 99.9% accuracy in any orientation.
- Orion TI-84 Plus Talking graphing calculator based on the Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus, designed to bring STEM education within reach of blind and visually impaired students.
Quantifiable outcome
- iBill achieves better than 99.9% accuracy in banknote identification
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Orbit Research
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Orbit Research technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration15 records
AI capability4 records
Feature5 records
Orbit Research partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- AccessMindcoreJoint development partnership with AccessMind for the Optima Braille Laptop Computer. AccessMind, founded by Orbit Research and a team including Adi Kushnir and Avi Mann, integrates the Framework ecosystem into the Optima product, bringing mainstream laptop performance and flexibility to assistive technology.
- Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP)majorBEP selected iBill Talking Bank Note Reader for the U.S. Currency Reader Program. Through this government program, the iBill device is distributed at no cost to eligible blind and visually impaired persons in the United States.
- American Printing House for the Blind (APH)corePartnership with APH for distribution of Orion calculators and other products. APH serves as the official supplier of educational materials for visually impaired students in the U.S. and also developed and distributes the Orion TI-84 Plus and TI-30XS talking calculators.
- Texas InstrumentscoreLong-standing partnership with Texas Instruments to create accessible versions of TI calculators. Based on popular TI calculators (TI-34, TI-84 Plus, TI-30XS MultiView), Orbit creates talking versions that enable visually impaired students to use the same technology as their classmates.
- Transforming Braille GroupcorePartnership to produce low-cost, affordable refreshable braille displays. This collaboration enabled the introduction of the world's most affordable refreshable braille display (Orbit Reader 20) to make braille technology accessible to users in developing countries.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Orbit Research competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Enhanced Vision / Optelec: Manufacturer of low-vision magnifiers and CCTVs serving the same low-vision segment as Orbit's Magna 3/4/5 digital magnifiers, with comparable product positioning in consumer and clinical channels.
- HIMS Inc. Korean manufacturer of braille displays (BrailleSense, BrailleEDGE), notetakers, and digital magnifiers—directly comparable to Orbit Reader, Orbit Speak, and Orbit Magna product families in features, pricing tier, and target segments.
- Vispero (Freedom Scientific): Owner of JAWS screen reader and Focus braille displays, serving the same blind/visually impaired professional and educational customer base as Orbit, with overlapping integrations (Orbit Reader works with JAWS).
- HumanWare: Canadian manufacturer of braille displays (Brailliant series), notetakers, and low-vision magnifiers serving blind and visually impaired users globally—directly competing with Orbit Reader, Orbit Speak, and Orbit Magna product families.
- ViewPlus: U.S. manufacturer of tactile graphics embossers and the IVEO touchpad system for tactile graphics—comparable to Orbit's Graphiti tactile graphic display line and the broader accessible STEM/education segment.
Regional players
- Eurobraille: French manufacturer of braille displays and notetakers (Esys, Clio, Eurobook lines) targeting the European market with comparable product features to Orbit Reader and Orbit Speak—regional rather than U.S.-centric competitor.
- Nippon Telesoft: Japanese manufacturer of braille displays (KGS) and accessible devices primarily serving the Japanese market—comparable technology category but with geographically distinct customer base and piezo-braille focus.
Emerging players
- Index Braille: Swedish manufacturer specializing in braille embossers and basic braille displays; serves overlapping educational and accessibility customers but with narrower product scope than Orbit Research's diversified portfolio.
Broad incumbents
- Perkins School for the Blind: Historic U.S. institution developing accessible learning tools and braille education products (including the SMART Brailler); overlapping mission and customer base with Orbit's education-focused Orbit Reader and Orbit Teacher products.
- American Printing House for the Blind (APH): Largest U.S. nonprofit supplier of educational materials for the blind; a distribution partner of Orbit's Orion calculators but also a broader incumbent in accessible education products with overlapping mission-driven customer base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Orbit Research social profiles
Digital presenceOrbit Research financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Orbit Research leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Orbit Research funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Orbit Research M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Orbit Research
What does Orbit Research do?
Orbit Research designs, manufactures, and sells assistive technology hardware for blind and visually impaired individuals. Its portfolio spans refreshable braille displays (Orbit Reader, Slate, Strata, Flow families), multi-level tactile graphic displays (Graphiti), talking scientific and graphing calculators (Orion), digital magnifiers (Magna), a DAISY/media player (Orbit Player), and a banknote identifier (iBill), along with accessories and extended warranties.
Is Orbit Research a public or private company?
Orbit Research is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Orbit Research founded?
Orbit Research was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Orbit Research based?
Orbit Research is headquartered in Wilmington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Orbit Research make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Hardware Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are accessories and Extended Warranties.
Who are Orbit Research's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Enhanced Vision / Optelec, HIMS Inc., Vispero (Freedom Scientific), HumanWare and ViewPlus. Regional players are Eurobraille and Nippon Telesoft. Index Braille is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Perkins School for the Blind and American Printing House for the Blind (APH).
Does Orbit Research have an API?
No public API is recorded for Orbit Research.
What industry is Orbit Research in?
Orbit Research's product category is Assistive Technology for the Visually Impaired. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAKAIAF, Vision Assistive Technology (Screen Readers, Braille, Magnification), with a secondary code of EDAFAKAD, Assistive Vision & Screen Access (Screen Readers, Magnification, Braille Displays/Notetakers). Its NAICS code is 334118 and its SIC code is 3851.