Evan Starnes sits down with Alex Russomanno, CEO of New Haptics, to unpack the Codex—a 4‑line x 32‑cell, multi‑line braille display powered by pneumatic actuation, a full‑surface touch interface (double‑tap to route the cursor), and mechanical Perkins keys built for daily work. They trace the journey from the early “Holy Braille” research to a desktop‑class device with an external pump, Linux under the hood, and a growing software layer. We cover emerging screen‑reader integrations (JAWS/NVDA/Narrator; VoiceOver expected later), onboard apps (including a Wordle‑style game), durability testing aimed at 5–7 years of heavy use, and a target price just under $10,000. Plus, BLT’s “sandwich of the week” and what’s next for multi‑line workflows.

Contact Info

Guest — Alex Russomanno (New Haptics)

Website: https://www.newhaptics.com

Contact: Use the site’s contact form (messages route to Alex)

Aftersight / Blind Level Tech

Email: [email protected]

Voicemail: (720) 712‑8856

Chapter Markers

00:15 Intro & CSUN context: first hands‑on with Codex

01:05 Meet Alex—Michigan roots & “Holy Braille” origins

03:50 Early pneumatic prototypes (2015) → lessons learned

07:10 Naming the Codex—literacy meets tech

08:10 Hardware tour: 4x32, 8‑dot cells, line select keys, touch surface

10:05 Double‑tap cursor routing; keeping full braille real estate

11:35 Desktop design: external pump & the “white‑noise” hum

13:55 Mechanical Perkins keys & haptics philosophy

14:55 Use cases & screen‑reader roadmap (JAWS/NVDA/Narrator; VO later)

16:35 Onboard apps/games; update approach

18:10 Under the hood: Linux base + custom UX layer

19:40 Biggest challenge: dot feel & long‑term reliability

22:50 No top film: how Codex protects mechanics differently

24:55 Pricing & form factor decisions (why 4 lines; 8‑dot)

26:20 Community co‑design & honest feedback

27:30 BLT “Sandwich of the Week”

28:50 What’s next for New Haptics

31:00 “Design with dignity, then iterate”

31:30 Where to find Codex & trade shows

33:10 Listener CTAs & outro