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Hi everyone,
I am working on an inclusive project for my workplace, where we are developing accessible door signs for our Makerspace. The goal is to ensure that people with visual impairments and blindness can perceive which room is in front of them through both tactile and audio feedback.
The door signs will:
• Feature tactile lettering (Braille and raised text).
• Include a button that, when pressed, reads out the room information.
I am looking for a small but high-quality speaker that can be embedded in the door signs. It should provide clear and understandable speech output while remaining as compact as possible.
If you have any recommendations for suitable speakers, modules, or alternative solutions, I would greatly appreciate your input.
Thanks in advance for your support.
BlindMaker
Posted : 11/03/2025 10:37 pm
Lowest cost one that comes to mind is by DFRobot (there are a couple of others). This board is about the size of a postage stamp and fits onto a standard 2.54mm (1/10th inch) pin pitch, runs from 5V and has a small but mighty class D audio amp.
It was designed for applications like this. I used one in a 1:1 "Proton Pack" where it drove a 4" driver without any extra help. The final design did use a larger speaker/amp but that's LOUD.
If you want to try one, stick with Amazon or DFRobot itself as there are a LOT of bad copies floating around. Most (and perhaps all) have a red LED whereas the real DFRobot ones that I've used all have a blue power LED. The copies are not 100% software compatible and while a little cheaper, are a nightmare to work with.
Both the DFRobot and the cheaper ones can be programmed to work with an Arduino but are also fitted with some input logic that can make a sound by pressing a button(s). The original chip was intended for small toys, sound boards and the like.
Take everything I say with a pinch of salt, I might be wrong and it's a very *expensive* way to learn!
Posted : 12/03/2025 12:33 pm