Dreaming Big with Monarch: The Creation of Multi-Line Display Sudoku

A Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist at the Oregon Commission for the Blind in Portland, Chris Cooke received a Monarch through the Monarch RISE project. Since then, she has been finding countless ways to implement the device in both her personal life and in her work with individuals preparing for employment. “I love Monarch. It is just so great to have access to this groundbreaking technology,” said Cooke. “It’s a great machine and a great project. I’m so blessed to be a part of it.”  

In her work with individuals preparing for employment, Cooke found the Monarch providing chances to connect with clients when it seemed impossible. One of her clients doesn’t speak English, and on a day without a translator present, Cooke needed to determine her client’s knowledge on print music notes. Using Monarch, she was able to display different tactile graphics of musical notes, which the client recognized immediately. Despite language barriers, Monarch was able to help form that connection. Along with using the Monarch to display things like graphics, fractions, and musical notes, Cooke began exploring more on the Monarch in her own time.  

One day, while poking around in a few of the Monarch applications, Cooke had the idea to try her own hobbies on the device. “I love playing sudoku. I have a manual board, but setting up a puzzle takes a really long time. By the time I get all the pieces out, I don’t even want to play anymore,” said Cooke. Using an AI online generator, Cooke received a simple braille sudoku puzzle and began to transfer it herself into a document on the Monarch. Cooke used UEB upper cell numbers for the numerical values and left two hyphens to mark the blank spaces needing to be solved. When solving the puzzles, she determined using Nemeth numbers would help her distinguish between the numbers in the puzzle from her own inputs to ensure easy playability.  

Cooke took her idea to an online forum through Seeing Hands, a non-profit organization providing resources and user feedback for individuals who are blind or low vision. After posting her puzzle and process idea to the Seeing Hands online suggestion list, Cooke received an email five minutes later with a collection of 250 braille sudoku puzzles designed to fit the Monarch’s display. The puzzles, each in BRF files, followed Cooke’s design for the puzzle and increased in difficulty. She was able to download these puzzles to Monarch and her phone, making them easy to share with colleagues and clients. Following feedback from other users in the group, Seeing Hands followed up with a more refined version of the braille sudoku puzzles which are designed for different size displays with firmer borders between boxes. These puzzles are available for anyone and can be downloaded from their website for free. Having the puzzles readily available to use on her device, has made Cooke more inclined to sit down and play. “I can just sit and relax,” said Cooke. 

As for using Monarch Sudoku to empower clients in achieving their individualized employment goals, “Gamifying is just another way to make learning accessible and interesting. We can mainstream the idea of braille being cool and not stigmatized, and make learners feel cool for having such an awesome device,” said Cooke. “This technology is going to keep advancing. What we have now is groundbreaking. Don’t be afraid to plumb the depths of technology. If there’s something you don’t understand, connect with a community: email lists, the HIVE. I’m just really excited about this device, and I want to open the world that I’m getting to experience to others. If I can share that excitement through puzzles, then I am all about it.” 

The contents of this blog were developed under grant #H421F240052 from the U.S. Department of Education (Department). The Department does not mandate or prescribe practices, models, or other activities described or discussed in this document. The contents of this blog may contain examples of, adaptations of, and links to resources created and maintained by another public or private organization. The Department does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. The content of this blog does not necessarily represent the policy of the Department. This publication is not intended to represent the views or policy of or be an endorsement of any views expressed, or materials provided by any Federal agency (EDGAR 75.620).