There is a common delusion that Braille is a language but in reality it is a tactile writing system. And, surprisingly, it can be used to write any language. This system contains small rectangular bars or units that contain noticeable bumps known as raised dots.

In Braille, The quantity and position or order of the dots plays a vital role in differentiating one character from another. On this International Braille Day, let us know more such facts about braille.

Some Lesser Known Facts About Braille

via: medium

• Braille was discovered by French Army in the year 1819. The soldiers produced a secret military code for the purpose of communicating without speaking. This code was named as ‘night writing’ because it was usually used in the dark. At the age of 15, Louis Braille learned about this special military cryptography and created a simpler and functional version of Braille alphabet. The Braille System was first published in 1829.
• There is a special typewriter, known as Braillewriter, which consists of only six keys of the Braille code, a space bar, a line space key and a backspace. These six keys of the Braillewriter, are specifically numbered in correspondence with the dots in a Braille cell.
• A competition, known as, Braille Challenge, is held every year at the Los Angeles Braille Institute for visually impaired students. Many students of US and Canada participate in this competition to test their knowledge and skills in. It also encourages them to learn more.
• Braille was traditionally written on decorative and designed thick papers. But, with modernization and advancement of technology, users can read computer display and other electronic screens as well by using refreshable braille displays.
• There is an unique braille code to write mathematics. It is known as the Nemeth code, named after its inventor, Abraham Nemeth. With the use of this code, students can write everything, from simple mathematics calculations to the compound ones.
• Interestingly, there are specific Braille Codes for writing chemistry and music as well.
• In India, many Railway coaches have been designed with Braille-embedded symbols to assist visually challenged individuals to find their berth no. and other information.

Also Read: Prashant Gade: A Real-Life Superhero For Specially Abled People

Some Famous Books Which Have Been Translated In Braille

There are a lot of fiction and non-fiction books available for every age group in Braille. Some of the famous books which are also available in Braille are listed below:-

• Braille Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta
• Braille Quran
• Braille Bible
• The Alchemist
• Twilight
• Harry Potter
• And Then There Were None

With time, Braille is being accepted internationally providing great opportunities to differently abled people as well. But still a lot of misconceptions about the system remain same which can only be changed by spreading awareness. What are your thoughts about learning Braille to support visually challenged people? Let us know.