Braille assigns a special pattern of dots to each letter that can be felt with the sense of touch. This braille is an indispensable means for non-sighted people to get information and to cope with everyday life. Braille, also called Braille, still works today as it did 155 years ago when it was invented by Louis Braille.
A little history
Louis Braille was born near Paris in January 1809. As a child, he injured his eyes so badly while playing that he became blind. His father sent his son to Paris, to a school for the blind. Being a very bright child, Louis soon tried to find a way to read again as a blind person. To do this, he came up with the idea of pressing dots into a solid cardboard box. By varying the number and arrangement of the punches, he eventually managed to represent each letter in a pattern.
Despite initial rejection, Louis Braille continued to develop his system and by 1825, at the age of 16, had completed his braille: That of six raised dots, allowing 64 dot combinations. Louis Braille fought all his life for his script to be used. He did not live to see the worldwide use of the braille he developed, but the recognition in his native France made Braille a famous man. In 1850, braille was officially introduced for teaching in French schools for the blind. Louis Braille died of a lung ailment in Paris in 1852.
How does the system work?
All the letters of our alphabet are represented in Braille by a six-dot system. The basic form of the system consists of two vertical rows of 3 dots each. Variations are now possible within this grid: from one to six dots, sometimes left or right, top, middle or bottom. The letters of the braille consist of a combination of these dots: For example, a dot in the top left column means “a”. An additional dot in the middle of the left column means a “b”.
In total, 64 different combinations are possible with Braille, i.e. letters enough for all European alphabets. In the meantime, Braille has been extended to eight dots; this means that all computer characters can now also be reproduced.
Braille – a “gateway” to the world
With the help of Braille, blind people can read so fast that they achieve very great success in the annual reading competition of the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels without any bonus. But writing is much more for blind people: even in the age of computer and media technology, it is the most important medium for information and education, but also for the independent management of one’s own life.
