Braille System Overview:The braille system, created by Louis Braille (1809-1852), is a tactile writing method for blind individuals, where letters are conveyed through raised dot patterns that can be read using touch.The Structure:Each braille unit, or "cell," consists of six dot positions arranged in a rectangle with two columns of three dots each. Dots can be raised in any of these positions. Including spaces where no dot is raised, there are 64 possible combinations (2^6). Each unique combination is identified by the positions of raised dots, numbered 1 to 3 from top to bottom on the left side and 4 to 6 on the right. For instance, the configuration of dots at positions 1, 3, and 4 signifies a cell with raised dots at the top and bottom left and the top right. This particular combination represents the letter "m" in languages using the Roman alphabet, like English and French. It also stands for "mu" in Greek and "mim" in Arabic, both of which have an "m" sound.The foundation of braille codes worldwide involves assigning these dot patterns to letters, punctuation, and other symbols. This is often guided by Louis Braille's original assignments wherever feasible, considering the wide variety of alphabets and accent marks.Since 64 characters are insufficient for all print symbols and their variations, multi-character sequences are sometimes necessary. This often involves using certain characters as "prefixes" or "indicators" to modify the meaning of subsequent cells. For example, in English, a preceding dot 6 indicates a capital letter, while otherwise, it denotes lowercase. Additionally, dots 3-4-5-6 serve as the "numeric indicator," transforming certain following letters (a through j) into digits.Additional Braille Codes:Distinct braille codes exist for various notations, including music, mathematics, computer programming, and even chess. These codes are based on linking the 64 braille characters to relevant symbols and notation elements. Current research by the International Council on English Braille (ICEB) is exploring whether some of these specialized codes, particularly for mathematics and sciences, could be integrated with the literary code into a single Unified Braille Code (UBC) for English.Louis Braille's Contribution:Louis Braille was born with normal vision but became completely blind after a childhood accident at age three, which resulted in an eye infection affecting both eyes. Excelling in his local school, he was sent at age 10 to the Royal Institution for Blind Youth in Paris. There, he encountered Charles Barbier de la Serre's system of raised dots, initially developed for soldiers to read messages in the dark. Barbier's Sonography was based on phonetics and utilized a 12-dot cell, which Braille found cumbersome.Recognizing the potential in Barbier's approach, Louis Braille refined it into the 6-dot cell system we know today, accommodating regular spelling. By age 15, he had developed this system and laid the groundwork for braille musical notation. Over 150 years later, the benefits of Braille's system remain unparalleled by modern technology, although innovations like computers complement and enhance braille.References:- "Louis Braille," published by the American Foundation for the Blind, 15 West 16th St., New York, NY 10011 (http://www.afb.org/afb/)- "Louis Braille," a fact sheet by the Royal National Institute for the Blind, London (http://www.rnib.org.uk/wesupply/fctsheet/braille.htm)- Duxbury Systems, Inc., developers of braille software for languages including English, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Hebrew (http://www.duxburysystems.com)
