How To Read Braille

People who cannot see are a great disadvantage in our world

, which is primarily based on sight. Road signs, street lights, and more can't be seen by blind people and so they must adjust. This is why blind people make use of walking canes and seeing eye dogs to help them maneuver around our world. It's not just getting around that they get help with. Blind people can also read. They just have to learn how to read Braille first.

Braille

Louis Braille, a Frenchman who was also blind, created Braille in 1821. Each Braille character, also called a cell, is comprised of six dot positions. These are arranged in a rectangle that contains two columns of three dots. Depending on which dots are raised and which ones aren't, a person who can read Braille will be able to determine what letter, or punctuation mark, that cell represents.

When Braille first came out, it was used in books to help blind people finally read. The most famous case of a blind person learning how to read was the case of Helen Keller. But we have made many advances in technology since Helen Keller's time. For instance, Braille is used in many different applications. One of those applications allows blind individuals to tell Braille time. That's right, it's a Braille wrist watch.

Braille Wrist Watch

The first watch that was designed for the blind was created in Switzerland at the turn of the twentieth century. It was an analog watch where the numbers were all replaced by Braille dots. When these watches were first invented, they didn't have glass covers. That allowed the person to rub their fingers over the watch to tell what time it was. This soon became annoying to many people who used to the watch because moving the fingers over the face like that tended to damage the delicate components.

To remedy this, the glass cover was added but it could be flipped open anytime the person wanted to read Braille time.

Present Day Watches

The Braille watches of today are more advanced than the watches of yesteryear. The current watches are mostly digital and they have a line of Braille dots that represent the numbers. The dots will change as the time goes on, and all the person needs to do is rub his/her fingers over the Braille dots.

Then there are the talking watches. Technically, it's not necessary to learn how to read Braille with these talking watches. Either the person can push a button or they can set the watch to tell them the time at certain times during the day.

With such innovations in Braille technology, and Braille watches, it's easier than ever for the visually impaired to live life to the fullest. Now they will be able to tell time, whether it's Braille time or it's from a watch that speaks to them, no matter where they are. These watches are just one example of the many innovations that have helped the visually impaired maneuver through our sight dominated society with little problems. And more are being developed every day.

by: Jacque Crook

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