Humanware
Upcoming features for Monarch
Advancing braille, tactile graphics, and accessibility technology
eBraille: the future of digital braille and tactile content
The new eBraille file standard, developed by the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) and global partners including Hu, is redefining how digital braille and tactile graphics are shared and read.
Unlike traditional BRF files, eBraille allows both braille text and tactile graphics to appear together in a single document, ensuring that layout, structure, and formatting are preserved across devices such as the Monarch.
This innovation will give students, educators, and professionals complete access to structured content including math equations, tactile diagrams, and formatted documents all in one accessible file.
The eBraille Working Group, composed of more than 40 international organizations, is establishing global best practices for tagging, metadata, and CSS formatting. These guidelines help maintain organized braille collections and ensure that developers can create software that reads and writes eBraille files consistently.
eBraille integration is currently being implemented on Monarch and will be rolled out through upcoming software updates once the file standard is finalized and officially published.
Learn more about eBraille on the APH website
Cloud storage integration
HumanWare recognizes how important it is for users to manage their documents from anywhere. The Monarch already supports local and connected storage, and future updates will introduce direct access to cloud storage platforms for even greater flexibility.
This addition will allow users to save, open, and share eBraille files, tactile graphics, and documents securely across their devices. Whether in a classroom, at home, or at work, users will be able to collaborate, back up their materials, and keep everything synchronized.
Cloud integration is part of HumanWare’s mission to simplify digital braille management while ensuring that accessibility and privacy remain at the core of every update.
Advancing math accessibility
Monarch continues to lead innovation in STEM accessibility, giving blind and low-vision users the ability to explore math through touch.
The current Monarch experience already includes MathML and LaTeX support, KeyMath, and real-time Desmos graphing allowing learners to read, create, and explore tactile math expressions and graphs in a multi-line braille format.
Ongoing development will extend LaTeX compatibility for regions where UEB and Nemeth codes are not widely used. HumanWare’s goal is to make mathematical content creation more inclusive and language-agnostic, ensuring that learners everywhere can access and share math materials with confidence.
By combining tactile precision with intuitive digital tools, Monarch empowers users to better understand relationships between equations, graphs, and data making complex STEM concepts easier to grasp through touch.
Continuous collaboration for innovation
Every new Monarch update is built on collaboration between HumanWare, the American Printing House for the Blind (APH), the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), and the broader accessibility community.
Together, these partnerships are driving the future of digital braille, tactile learning, and inclusive technology — ensuring that Monarch remains a trusted, evolving tool for education and professional empowerment.
Named one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2025, the Monarch—co-developed by HumanWare and APH—redefines braille and tactile learning for students worldwide.
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Discover HumanWare solutions for blind and low-vision users, including Monarch, the next generation of tactile learning.