A system for converting print into braille

Abstract

This paper describes a method for converting text into braille, in the form in which it is stored as in a computer. The system has been designed to be configurable for a wide range of languages and character sets, and uses a predominantly table driven method to achieve this. The algorithm is explained in the context of the conversion of text into Standard English Braille (British), and the tables for this transformation are given. Particular importance has been attached to enabling braille specialists, who are not experts in computer algorithms, to be able to modify the system for either slight modifications to an existing braille code translator, or for producing a braille code translator for a new language.