History
Help Tech - for more than 25 years
Help Tech can look back on a successful company history since 1974. The product range has been constantly expanded and today includes a wide range of aids for blind and severely visually impaired people.
2019
25th company of Help Tech anniversary (formerly Handy Tech Elektronik GmbH)
2017
Handy Tech Elektronik GmbH now renamed to Help Tech GmbH. Marc Züfle (B.A.) was acquired as the second managing director.
2016
Presentation of the OrCam, the smart mini-camera, which discretely reads text as well as recognizes objects and persons.
2015
Active Star the shining star amongst Braille displays. Active Star is the universal access terminal for blind computer users.
2014
20 years Handy Tech, 20 years of innovation for the visually impaired, 40 years Braille technology from the home team.
2012
Rounding up the portfolio with the Basic Braille
2011
Introduction of the Active Braille with patented ATC Technology
2009
The reading solution iRead was the first pure software product introduced by Handy Tech.
2008
The company’s head quarters in Horb, Germany, were extended by adding a level to the main building.
2007
Opening of a branch office in Lueneburg in the north of Germany, close to Hamburg.
2006
Introduction of the Modular Evolution, the world’s first Braille display with implemented Handy Tech invention ATC (Active Tactile Control).It is the ideal Braille display for professional workplaces.
2005
Easy Braille, a super compact Braille display as well as Sophie, the reading system with a natural sounding voice, and Sophie Pro an extended Version of the Sophie, were introduced.
2004
The Handy Tech Braille systems Braille Wave, Braille Star 40 and Braillino have been equipped with wireless Bluetooth technology.
2003
Handy Tech introduced its compact Braille Note Taker, the Braillino.
2002
Opening of a branch office in Stuttgart, in the South of Germany.
The Braille Star 40, the ideal Braille system for combined use with a Laptop and the Braille Star 80, Handy Tech’s Braille system for professional work places, ideal for blind telephone operators, were introduced.
2001
With Graphic Window Professional (GWP), Handy Tech presented the first access to computer graphics for blind computer users.
2000
The main building of Handy Tech’s head quarters in Horb Germany was refurbished and extended by an annex.
1999
Opening of a branch office in Marburg.
Handy Tech presented the first Braille system with note taking capability, the Braille Wave.
1997
The quality management system of Handy Tech was certified for DIN EN ISO 9001.
Introduction of the Bookworm, the world’s first electronic book reader for blind users.
1996
Opening of a branch office in Cologne.
1995
Handy Tech Braille display in combination with a screen reader makes Microsoft Windows accessible for blind users.
1994
The company changed its name to Handy Tech Elektronik GmbH. Starting with 8 team members, Dipl.-Ing. Siegfried Kipke takes on as owner and CEO.
Handy Tech becomes a strategic partner of Siemens, the future technology partner Unify GmbH & Co. KG.
Dipl.-Ing. Schönherr -inventor of the world's first Braille module
The foundation stone was laid in 1974 by Dipl.-Ing. Klaus Peter Schönherr in Horb-Nordstetten. With the invention of the world's first Braille module by company founder Klaus Peter Schönherr in 1975, computer systems were made accessible to the blind for the first time. This invention was the prerequisite for the development of Braille displays, which are still our core competence today. Schönherr was awarded the Louis Braille Prize in 1980 for the invention of Braille module technology, which enables the dynamic tactile display of Braille.
When Schönherr was killed in a car accident in 1981, the German Institute for the Blind (Blista) in Marburg initially continued to run the company as a non-profit production facility under the name EHG. The production facility for Braille displays remained in Horb. In 1990, the company was renamed Blista EHG GmbH.
