Braille translator

A braille translator is a software program that translates a script into braille cells, and sends it to a braille embosser, which produces a hard copy in braille script of the original text. Basically only the script is transformed, not the language.

Description

For the purposes of this article, the word "inkprint" means text prepared for reading by the eye, whether actually printed, displayed on a screen, or stored in a computer. The word "braille" means text prepared for reading by the finger, whether actually brailled, displayed on an electronic braille device, or stored in a computer.

Braille-translation software (or embedded hardware) converts inkprint into braille or braille into inkprint. The usual circumstance is that someone has inkprint in a word processor file or at an internet URL, and they want braille. The braille could be sent to a braille embosser to produce physical braille or be sent to an electronic braille notetaker. Another circumstance is that someone has braille in an electronic braille notetaker that they want produced in inkprint to be shared with someone who does not read braille.

Braille-translation software is usually classified as Assistive Technology, since the action of the software provides braille for a blind person. Braille translators can be run by persons with or without sight.

A braille translator can run on a smart phone, on a personal computer, on a network server, or (historically) on larger mini-computers or mainframes of larger institutions.

Some languages use uncontracted braille, where each letter uses a specific braille character. Uncontracted braille requires manipulation of capitalization, emphasis, numbers, and punctuation. Some languages use contracted braille, where the rules for various contractions (braille abbreviations) are quite complex.

For example, in contracted English braille, the inkprint word think (5 letters) is rendered in braille as 3 characters: ⠹⠔⠅(th)(in)k. The use or non-use of these braille contractions is related to word pronunciation, For example, the "th" sign is used in the word "think", but not in the word "pothole". Unless properly programmed, a computer might make a mistake that no person would make, such as using the contraction for "mother" in the word "chemotherapy".

The most difficult part of producing braille is making the decision of when to use and when not to use braille contractions. When people make these decisions, it is braille transcription, when computers make these decisions, it is braille translation.

History

The first practical application of computer translation and production of braille used mainframe computers at the American Printing House for the Blind of Louisville, KY.

During the 1960s, there was an M.I.T. Project to automate the production of braille. Robert Mann wrote and supervised software for braille translation called "DOTSYS," while another group created an embossing device which became known as the "M.I.T. Braillemboss.". Eventually, MIT out-sourced the software work to MITRE Corp. of Bedford MA. The MITRE Corporation team of Robert Gildea, Jonathan Millen, Reid Gerhart and Joseph Sullivan (now president of Duxbury Systems) developed DOTSYS III, the first braille translator written in a portable programming language. DOTSYS III was developed for the Atlanta Public Schools as a public domain program.

At the first International Workshop on Computerized Braille Production, held in Muenster, Germany, March 1973, many braille-translation projects from around the world were described.

External links

• Duxbury Systems (Duxbury DBT, supports over 130 languages and math)
• Blista-Brailletec GmbH (German braille production software)
• Computer Application Specialties Company (American braille transcription software)
• Dancing Dots braille music production software)
• Liblouis (open-source braille translator)
• Robobraille (web and e-mail based braille software)
• Translator from English, Russian and Esperanto to Braille online
• Translator from Polish to Braille online (with mathematical, physical, chemical, musical notations, mirror reflection braille)
• Online Braille translator for multiple languages (including Grade 2 translations)