2. INTRODUCTION
Braille is a tactile script for reading and writing used by visually impaired people around the world.
It is not a language but instead a code that can be used for every language. It can also be used for
scientific and musical notation, mathematics and computer code.
Despite advances in assistive technology, like text-to-speech, braille remains irreplaceable as a way
for blind and visually impaired people to become literate.
Braille education is an important step to empower the visually impaired.
3. Braille code is a writing system which enables blind and
partially sighted people to read and write through touch. Braille
consists of patterns of raised dots arranged in cells of up to six
dots in a 3×2 configuration. Each cell represents a braille letter,
numeral or punctuation mark. Some frequently used words and
letter combinations also have their own single cell patterns.
4. PROBLEM STATEMENT
Of the world’s 37 million blind people, an estimated 90% live in developing countries. About 15
million of them live in India, a number that has doubled since 2007 to make it the highest number
in any country.
However, the braille literacy rate there is only 1%, far lower than the regular literacy rate of 77.7%.
6. METHODOLOGY
The ESP32 microcontroller is programmed using the Arduino IDE to control the Braille matrix. The microcontroller
receives signals from the webpage when the user clicks on a letter. Based on the input, it controls the servo motors to
form the Braille letter.
The six servo motors are arranged in a 3x2 matrix, similar to the arrangement of dots in a Braille letter. The motors
move up and down to create the raised dots that form the Braille letters. The on/off state of each motor corresponds
to a specific dot in the Braille matrix.
The webpage is designed using HTML and MIT App Inventor. It acts as the user interface for the Braille learner. The
webpage consists of buttons that represent each letter of the Braille alphabet. When the user clicks on a button, the
webpage sends a signal to the ESP32 microcontroller over Wi-Fi`.
The ESP32 Wi-Fi module receives the signal from the webpage and triggers the corresponding servo motors to
create the Braille letter. The motors move up and down based on the dot positions of the letter, as determined by the
Braille matrix.
The user can feel the raised dots on the surface of the Braille learner to read the letter. The Braille matrix resets to its
initial position after each letter is formed, so the user can form a new letter.
In summary, the wireless Braille learner uses a combination of hardware (ESP32 microcontroller and servo motors)
and software (webpage created using HTML and MIT App Inventor) to create Braille letters that can be read by touch.
It provides an efficient and innovative way for individuals who are blind or visually impaired to learn Braille.
10. ADVANTAGES
INCREASED INDEPENDENCE:
Braille literacy can greatly increase independence for individuals with vision loss. With the ability to read and write
Braille, individuals can more easily access written materials without needing assistance from others.
IMPROVED EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES:
Learning Braille can open up new employment opportunities for individuals with vision loss. Braille skills are
particularly useful in fields such as education, law, and social work.
ENHANCED COMMUNICATION:
Braille can be used to communicate with others who are visually impaired, allowing individuals to connect and
communicate in a meaningful way.
GREATER LITERACY SKILLS:
Braille literacy can help individuals with vision loss develop stronger literacy skills, including reading
comprehension and writing abilities.
11. FUTURE SCOPE
The mobile app that you are planning to create has a noble purpose, as it aims to assist visually impaired people in
learning and recalling things. The app will take audio input from the user and process the data to convert it into Braille
pattern, which will be displayed on a 3x2 matrix formation created by a Servo Motor. The app will also allow users to create
3 letter words using 3 sets of braille letter boxes.
The app is particularly helpful for blind learners who do not have anyone to explain the characters to them. Reading
braille as a new person can be challenging, and the app aims to make things easier for them. The app will use voice
recognition or Talk Back to display the Braille lipi on a phone-based app or website. However, some of the functions are yet
to be performed and solved, but the next version can be with a fully voice-recognized Android/iOS app to turn speech into
text and show the matrix of Braille.
The app has the potential to revolutionize the way visually impaired people learn and read. It can make learning and
recalling things more accessible and efficient for them. The app's voice recognition feature will allow users to speak instead
of typing or writing, which can be a challenge for some visually impaired individuals. The app's 3x2 matrix formation of
Braille pattern will also make it easier for users to recognize and memorize letters and words. Overall, the app has the
potential to improve the quality of life for visually impaired individuals and enhance their learning experience.
12. REFERENCES
Murray, I., & Pasquale, A. (2006). A portable device for the translation of braille to text. Proceedings of the 8th
International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility - Assets ’06.
doi:10.1145/1168987.1169030
Wagh, P., Prajapati, U., Shinde, M., Salunke, P., Chaskar, V., Telavane, S., & Yadav, V. (2016). E-Braille-a self-
learning Braille device. 2016 Twenty Second National Conference on Communication (NCC).
doi:10.1109/ncc.2016.756116
S. S. D. Kameswari, D. Harika, and D. K. Sahu, “Braille keyboard for blind people,” Int. J. Recent Technol. Eng.,
vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 156–159, 2019.
Technol. Eng., vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 156–159, 2019.
https://hackaday.com/2017/09/20/hackaday-prize-entry-molbed-braille-display/
https://forum.arduino.cc/t/esp32-compilation-error/948350
https://www.electronicshub.org/esp32-pinout/
http://ai2.appinventor.mit.edu/#6707980354322432
