Lesser-known facts about the father of modern science
Braille is a writing system used by people who are visually impaired, such as people who are blind or who have low vision. Named after its creator, Louis Braille, it uses combinations of raised dots to spell out letters and punctuation. It's read with your fingertips and can be written using devices like the Perkins Brailler. People use braille all around the world, and it provides a means of literacy for all.
To learn more about this fascinating writing system, click on and check out the following gallery.
Louis Braille, who was blinded at the age of three, invented the system in 1824 while a student at the National Institute for Blind Children, in Paris.
Born in Coupvray, France, on January 4, 1809, he was blinded in one eye as a result of an accident with his father's stitching awl. Shortly after that, an infection spread to both eyes, resulting in total blindness.
An exceptional student, Braille went on to study at the Parisian institute. At that time, books were created using raised print, which was laborious to produce, and hard to read. Braille wanted books to read, and was determined to discover a new method to do so.
When he entered the institute, he first learned of a system of tangible writing using dots. It was invented many years prior by Charles Barbier, as a way for nighttime battlefield communications.
Inspired by Barbier, Braille started experimenting with the dots to create an alphabet that was easy to read with the fingertips.
At the age of 15, Braille developed a six-dot cell system. The system was first published in 1829, and a more complete elaboration came out in 1837.
Braille’s system was immediately accepted and used by his fellow students, but wider acceptance was slow. A universal braille code for the English-speaking world was only adopted in 1932.
Braille symbols are formed within units of space known as braille cells. A braille cell consists of the aforementioned six raised dots arranged in two parallel rows, each with three dots.
The dot positions are identified by numbers from one through six, and 64 combinations are possible using one or more of these six dots.
A single braille cell can be used to represent an alphabet letter, punctuation mark, number, or even a whole word.
English braille, also known as "Grade 2 braille," is the braille alphabet used for English. It consists of around 250 letters, numerals, punctuation, formatting marks, contractions, and abbreviations.
It's important to note that braille isn't a language. It’s a tactile alphabet that can be used to write almost any language. There are braille versions in French, Chinese, Arabic, and many others languages.
There are two versions of braille: contracted and uncontracted. Contracted braille is a shorthand version where common words are abbreviated.
In uncontracted braille, every word is spelled out. Most children learn uncontracted braille before they learn the contracted version.
Writing braille by hand is accomplished with a device called a slate. It consists of two metal plates hinged together to permit a sheet of paper to be inserted between them.
Some slates have a wooden base or guide board onto which the paper is clamped. The upper of the two metal plates has cell-sized windows, and under each of these are six slight pits in the braille dot pattern. A stylus is used to press the paper against the pits to form the dots.
A person writing braille goes from right to left. When the sheet is turned over, the dots face upward and are read from left to right.
Braille is also written by special machines with six keys, one for each dot in the braille cell.
The first ever braille writing machine was the Hall Braille writer. It was invented in 1892 by Frank H. Hall, superintendent of the Illinois School for the Blind. A modified form of this device is still in use today.
Today, there are even braille keyboards for computers and smartphones, making modern technology accessible for everyone.
Called the Nemeth Code, it was invented by Dr. Abraham Nemeth and can be used to transcribe math, algebra, and calculus.
While a sighted person can read 300 words per minute, some fast braille readers can go through a book at a speed of 400 words per minute.
According to the Braille Authority of North America, the name should be lowercase when writing about the braille code. And when referring to the name of Louis Braille, capitalize it.
Braille music uses the traditional six-dot cell, but has its own syntax and translations. The different characters demonstrate note name and note length, and other dynamics.
In recent years, many toy companies have made the effort to ensure that every child can play with some of the most popular toys, such as Lego.
And not only can you find children's toys with braille, but now some of the biggest classic family games, such as Monopoly and UNO, are available in braille.
Due to the advances in screen reader technology and portable devices, braille literacy has been declining in recent years.
For example, if someone has reduced sensitivity in their hands, it can be hard to press down enough to distinguish the dots.
However, for a person who is blind or who has low vision, learning braille is still important. This is because technology won't always be there to read the information for them. Learning braille is a way for them to have access and independence.
See also: Massively successful celebrities with disabilities
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Braille is a writing system used by people who are visually impaired, such as people who are blind or who have low vision. Named after its creator, Louis Braille, it uses combinations of raised dots to spell out letters and punctuation. It's read with your fingertips and can be written using devices like the Perkins Brailler. People use braille all around the world, and it provides a means of literacy for all.
To learn more about this fascinating writing system, click on and check out the following gallery.