Passive Pin Retention

A mechanical technique used in refreshable Braille display design where pins are held in their raised or lowered positions by a passive mechanical structure rather than by continuously powered actuators. In traditional Braille displays, each pin requires its own actuator to maintain position, driving up cost and complexity. With passive pin retention, actuators only need to set pin positions momentarily, after which a slotted or ramped mechanical device holds them in place without consuming power. This approach can dramatically reduce the number of actuators needed and consequently the cost of Braille display hardware.