Braillecast

You might be familiar with many functions of the Canute 360 from Bristol Braille Technology, but did you know it can work seamlessly with the widely popular Duxbury Braille Translator? When connected to a Windows machine, the Canute can output Braille text in real-time using Duxbury's six-key Braille entry, or display any translated text loaded into the application. This added functionality can significantly enhance the usability of the Canute 360, particularly for those who need to quickly navigate content in a multi-line environment. If you already have Duxbury and the Canute 360, you're set to go! Join Bristol Braille Technology’s Ed Rogers and Sight and Sound Technology’s Stuart Lawler to learn not only how to set up this integration but also explore a variety of use cases. Don't miss this opportunity to maximize your Canute 360 experience!

The 40th Assistive Technology Conference from the Centre on Disabilities at California State University, Northridge took place in Anaheim, California from Monday 10 to Friday 14 March 2025, bringing together manufacturers, distributors, educators, researchers and users from all over the world. As ever, a wide variety of braille products was on show at the exhibit hall, and the conference programme featured several braille-related presentations including research on how the length of a braille display affects reading speed, reflections on 200 years of tactile literacy, and the candidate release of the new EBraille specification from the DAISY Consortium and the American Printing House for the Blind (APH). In this session, recorded on Tuesday 18 March, we were excited to be joined by the team from Double Tap, the popular technology show from Accessible Media Inc. (AMI). Steven Scott and Shaun Preece both attended CSUN for the first time this year. They told us about the braille products they saw and shared their perspectives on how CSUN compares with exhibitions like Sight Village in the UK, Sight City in Germany, and more mainstream events such as the Zero Project Conference and the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). We were also joined by Australian assistive technology expert and braille enthusiast Scott Erichsen. Scott has been at the forefront of the development of braille technology for over twenty years as a user, a private beta tester and a distributor, and told us about the new and improved products in the exhibit hall. He also shared his insights into how the braille technology industry is evolving and the part that CSUN plays in driving innovation forwards. Links Procter & Gamble Duxbury Treasure Ireland in EBraille Format Tactile Graphics Image Library (TGIL) Monarch, Mantis Q40 and TactileView from HumanWare Braille Doodle from the Touch Pad Pro Foundation, sold in the UK by Sight and Sound Technology Braille Pen 24 from Harpo Dot Pad and Dot Cell from Dot Inc. Play with Braille from Lego BrailleSense 6, BrailleSense 6 Mini and Braille eMotion from Selvas BLV (formerly Hims) Activator and Activator Pro from Help Tech, sold in the US by Dream Vision Group and in the UK by VisionAid Technologies JAWS from Vispero Optima from Access Mind Braille cells from KGS insideONE+ and insideSUPRA from insidevision b.book and b.note from Eurobraille, sold in the UK by Professional Vision Services BT Speak and BT Braille from Blazie Technologies Orbit Reader Q20, Orbit Reader Q40, Graphiti and Graphiti Plus from Orbit Research, sold in the UK by Aspire Consultancy Codex from New Haptics Blind Level Tech podcast from Aftersight Main Menu from ACB Media (American Council of the Blind) Tech Talk from RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People)

The Third Tactile Reading and Graphics Conference took place at the Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, from Monday 2 to Wednesday 4 June 2025. The event brought together over 400 participants from around the world to discuss braille, tactile graphics and much more. The host organisations were Bartiméus, Koninklijke/Royal Dutch Visio and Dedicon. In a special event on Tuesday 17 June 2025, we brought together an eclectic panel of attendees to relive the Conference and share their key takeaways. Jesse Wienholts, one of the conference "Sidekicks", from Sensotec, makers of the Tactinom Judy Dixon, President of the International Council on English Braille (ICEB) Chantelle Griffiths, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Tactile and Technology Literacy Centre The conference app was provided by Yellenge. Live audio description was provided by Condatsine. The conference was opened by Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, founder of Stichting Lezen & Schrijven. Other noteable mentions UV printed hand frame from Deutscher Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverband e.V. (DBSV) Churchill Fellowship NZ Eindhoven University of Technology research on tactile illusions Braillo and Zychem Index Braille Braille Doodle from the Touch Pad Pro Foundation, sold in the UK by Sight and Sound Technology and trialled at New College Worcester Monarch and TactileView from HumanWare The Monarch was shown with JAWS from Vispero Dot Pad X from Dot Inc. Braille On Display by Jackie Brown (STRIVE Ability) Keynote from Jonathan Mosen, Executive Director, Accessibility Excellence at the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) 200 Years of Braille Celebration from Living Braille from the Braille Working Group of the European Blind Union Amsterdam750 Eurovision Song Contest

Our Chairman, Dave Wiliams, was thrilled to have addressed the American Council of the Blind (ACB) at their 64th Annual National Conference & Convention held in Dallas, Texas. On 10 July 2025, Dave delivered the keynote speech at the annual Convention banquet to a sold out audience. He called for greater investmentt in braille as a proven literacy tool that can transform the lives of blind people around the world. He was introduced by ACB Treasurer and Master of Ceremonies, the Reverend Michael Garrett, from Missouri City, Texas. Sponsorship With thanks to Dot Inc. for sponsoring Dave's attendance. Find out more about Dot Pad X and the Raising the Dots Podcast. Dot is proud to have played its part in the Monarch, in partnership with the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) and HumanWare. Links Related to the Braillists National Braille Press (NBP) Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation Points of Light award 1982, 8 February 2023 Links Related to Braille The International Council on English Braille (ICEB) Links Related to RNIB RNIB, the Royal National Institute of Blind People RNIB Tech Talk Links Related to ACB ACB Media Braille Revival League Links Related to the World Blind Union and European Blind Union World Blind Union (WBU) European Blind Union (EBU) Living Braille, the website of the EBU Braille Working Group Links Related to Running Parkrun UK Couch to 5K (C25K) Abbott World Marathon Majors Full Text of Dave's Speech Good evening ACB President, friends, advocates, everyone here and online. Thank you for your hospitality! I am grateful for your invitation to share in ACB's “Big Dreams and Bold Ideas”, not only this week here in Dallas, but over many decades in many places far beyond your shores. It is a privilege to stand before you tonight, as someone whose life has been profoundly shaped by this movement. Let me begin with a deeply personal truth: for a long time, I resented my blindness. Like many, I struggled to accept blindness as part of my identity. Through you, I learned to think differently, to dream boldly, and to act decisively. That shift in perspective changed everything. It is why I am here tonight—to celebrate what is possible when we embrace who we are and empower others to do the same. Our blindness stories break down barriers and build bridges. They turn isolation into community, fear into action, and doubt into confidence. Together, I believe we can ignite that transformation for countless others. When I talk about blind people, I intend “blind” in the broadest sense. Whether you identify as blind, low vision, vision impaired, we are all valued in this community and our voices carry equal importance. And if you are a sighted person who works to elevate the voices of blind people, we thank you for your solidarity. Before I share how it was you in this movement who taught this northern English lad to feel differently about my blindness, becoming a passionate braille advocate and Six-star World Marathon Majors Finisher, we must extend our gratitude to our friends at Dot, who's support means I can be with you here tonight. I know many of you took the opportunity this week to get your hands on Dot Pad X, a highly versatile multiline braille and tactile display portable enough to be carried in a schoolbag. Dot's technology is disrupting the braille display industry. Using Dot Pad and the Dot Canvas app, I recently supported my sighted 16-year-old son's math revision and got to touch his signature for the first time. Dot and partners are delivering new educational and employment opportunities we could only dream of just a few years ago. Do we have any first timers here? My first ACB Convention was Birmingham, Alabama. Your Birmingham in July is a bit warmer than our Birmingham near my home in England. We simply do not have anything like these blindness conventions in the UK. I jumped in at the deep end with you. 2003 was an eventful year for ACB. General Session ran over into an extra day. As Director of ACB Radio, I was responsible for making sure ACB's membership, and listeners tuned in from offices and homes in countless countries, could hear our coverage. And while we were very well looked after by ACB's Alabama affiliate, the internet connectivity at convention that year was especially problematic and seamed to get even more challenging during the liveliest debates. My purpose then, as it is today, is to empower as many blind people as possible by increasing our access to the information and tools we need to live our best lives. A year before Birmingham, ACB Radio's founder and mentor to many of us decided to move on. I took the call. My predecessor, Jonathan Mosen, would be an impossible act for anyone to follow. But he believed in me. Long before ACB Radio, as a young blind man, I avoided the tools and skills that could have empowered me. I resisted the cane. I dismissed braille. I thought these things marked me as “different” in a way I was not ready to accept. I mistakenly believed specialist skills separated me from sighted people. These days we would say “othering”. I cast those skills aside for a long time. It took me years to recognise that confidence can come from a cane or guide dog, and enjoying bedtime stories with our kids can come from braille. The voices I heard on ACB Radio via my dial-up modem—leaders like Marlaina Lieberg and Paul Edwards—challenged me to rethink what it meant to be blind. They taught me that tools like braille and the white cane do not separate us from society—they connect us to the people and world around us. Their advocacy lifted me up, and I realized I could be part of something bigger. When I took on the role of ACB Radio Director, I was terrified. Could a young man from a small town in the UK really lead an initiative that connected blind people across the globe? But I said yes. Why? Because this movement showed me the power of taking risks. And because I knew that by sharing our stories, we could empower others to do the same. One of my first tasks as ACB Radio Director was to convince Marlaina to host her own talk show. She was so humble and asked me what if nobody listened? What would we even call it? I told her I was sure everyone would listen, and the name of the show would be Marlaina. Like many of you, I miss her lots and think of her often. I also knew Paul Edwards was a natural broadcaster and must have his own show. He teamed up with Brian Charlson, and Tuesday Topics was born. You certainly kept me busy. When I was not producing audio or trying to secure sponsors, my email and phone rang 24/7. If it were not a server in California needing a reboot, it was listeners frustrated they had missed the latest episode of Main Menu, Blind Handyman or Cooking in the Dark, and would I please send it to them? I convinced our tiny team of volunteer software developers to build us a listen again on-demand service, an early form of podcasting. ACB Radio did not just stream content; it brought blind people together online, long before Zoom calls and virtual conventions became the norm. We created opportunities for storytelling, advocacy, and community that spanned continents. From broadcasting ACB conventions to global events like the World Blind Union General Assembly, we ensured that the voices of blind people could be heard. The impact did not stop there. ACB Radio became a launchpad for careers, a platform for innovation, and a catalyst for change. It inspired similar initiatives worldwide. It proved that when blind people lead, we redefine what is possible. That legacy continues today through ACB Media, and its ripple effects are felt in every corner of our community. We will never know how many blind lives this priceless service has transformed. When it was my turn to pass on the ACB Radio baton, it was to join a team working on one of the first mobile screen readers with touch support. Talks, Mobile Speak and Pocket Hal pioneered many of the concepts we now take for granted in VoiceOver on iPhone and Talkback on Android. Following the early success of ACB Radio, blind people in many nations started their own online radio stations. In 2003, the Royal National Institute of Blind People in the UK launched Europe's first station for the blind community, now known as RNIB Connect Radio. I worked at RNIB for 6 years as their Inclusive Design Ambassador. We partnered with companies like Canon, Netflix, and Sony to advance their accessibility efforts. My ACB Radio experience meant I was also invited to host around 150 episodes of RNIB's flagship technology show, Tech Talk. We were recognised by the UK radio industry and were awarded community station of the year in 2024. As well as interviewing many movers and shakers from the technology world, including accessibility leaders from Microsoft and Google, I had the incredible honour in March 2024 of recording a short interview with legendary singer songwriter Stevie Wonder. As we were introduced, I recalled the awe with which Marlaina had interviewed Ronnie Milsap years earlier. She had taught me that it is ok to feel that child-like excitement even during the moments that define our careers. After shaking Stevie's hand, I asked if he would be willing to share some messages about accessibility and inclusion with our blind brothers and sisters in the UK. I held my breath. He said let us do that now. I began recording. He asked about my recording equipment, and he playfully imitated my English accent. You should hear his Bob Dylan. As we were talking, we were forced to move due to being jostled by the crowd. Before I could grab my cane, Stevie took my arm in his and proceeded to walk us both forward. Hold the phone, I am now being sighted guided by Stevie Wonder? He said, “don't worry Dave, in a moment I'll Walk you into a wall.” My

You’re invited to pull up a chair at the Braillists’ Christmas party, where a friendly cast of characters discuss the games they play after Christmas dinner. Card games, board games, dice games and everything in between, we’ve got you covered. We discuss where to buy specially adapted games and how to adapt your own. And because it’s Christmas, the whole cast is in the same room! Grab a mince pie and a glass of mulled wine and celebrate Christmas with us. Items discussed: Indoor Games from RNIB Games from Cobolt All Things Dotty Braille Chess Association LEGO Braille Bricks Braille Superstore 64 Ounce Games Rubik's Sensory Cube Shashibo Cube Early Learning Centre Azabat Dotris Jigsaws from Falcon and Ravensburger

The latest in our occasional series showcasing historical braille shorthand codes which you might still find useful today: Braille, User-Oriented Code (BUOC) was a code written by the late Australian, Rebecca Maxwell, with the support of Australian Braille Literacy Action (ABLA), formerly the Australian Guild of Business and Professional Blind. It was last revised in 1998 and includes a number of useful devices for making braille shorter. We were delighted to be joined by Jordie Howell, a great proponent of BUOC and a contemporary of its author. Jordie introduced us to the principals of BUOC, described how some common words and phrases can be shortened and explained how we can find out more about this grass roots code. Find out more on the ICEB Shorthand Codes page During the session, two books on grade 3 were also mentioned by way of comparison. These books are also available on the above web page in BRF format, and can be obtained from NLS in the US using these catalogue numbers: BRA03950 The Braille Code A Guide to Grade Three Braille for First Year High School Students by Ruth Hayden BRA18832 Key to Grade Three Braille by Lewis Rodenberg

USB, or Universal Serial Bus, has been a feature of braille displays for over twenty years. Originally a standard for connectivity, it has evolved over time to also provide power and charging capabilities. However, if USB is supposed to be Universal, why are some chargers faster than others, and why won’t some chargers and cables work at all? On Tuesday 29 October 2024, we unravelled the answer to this far from straightforward question. Along the way, we covered: A brief history of USB Common USB connecters and how to tell the difference between them How and when the USB cable you use may impact performance What happens behind the scenes when you connect your braille display to a USB charger What to look for when buying replacement cables and chargers Whether or not a power bank is a viable solution for charging your braille display on the go Things to try if your braille display won’t charge The session was presented by Mobeen Iqbal from Taira Technology, an independent provider of bespoke and specialist hardware, software and support solutions. Mo has over fifteen years’ experience working with hardware of all shapes and sizes, from custom-built desktop and laptop computers to TV set top boxes and remote controls, and has a passion for improving the ease of use of technology for blind and partially sighted people. Links from Mo About Taira Technology Energrid Accessible Power Banks Comments in the Chat from Andrew Flatres There are trade offs with having replacements batteries. In addition most braille displays have to have a medical certification which also plays a big role on deciding a replacement battery. EU parliament has voted on a law that will require User replaceable batteries. I believe this should be in force by 2027. From a HumanWare perspective, we want to ensure products have a good life battery span and made light. An approach like the BI 20x where the battery is replaceable but held with two Phillips screw. We also have to consider battery collaboration. To respond to the medical certification, I will try and get a response from our team on this. This is a really good discussion.

Reading aloud is a skill that is both terrifying and liberating. Adding braille to the mix presents unique challenges that can often get in the way of recognising significant progress. Along with reading speed and fluency, the one question we hear most often is: “How can I improve my ability to read aloud?” Building on the topics from her popular masterclass, Revitalise Your Braille Reading Technique, Chantelle Griffiths returns to uncover some of the mystery and magic of reading aloud and to share some tips and tricks to help. In this masterclass we explored: How a six-year-old Chantelle connected the dots between elephants, cats and reading aloud, and the one word she learned that can help you, too. What reading aloud is not, and why “not” helps a lot! The surprising visual analogy that can improve your reading exponentially, if you choose to see it. The three infuriating words that everyone hates to hear but loves to experience. How moving on is not giving up, but levelling up. The capital B mindset that resets your brain and your reading practice every time. And so much more. Why not bring along some familiar reading material, electronic or hardcopy, and try some of what you learn with us in real time. Whether you’re new to reading aloud or you just want a fresh perspective, there’s something here for everyone.

We are excited to announce the launch of a new eBook! Whether you’re new to braille or you’ve been using braille technology for decades, choosing your braille display can be daunting. They’re so expensive, there’s so much to consider, and just when you thought you’d investigated all your options, you come across another one you hadn’t heard of before! Braille On Display has been helping prospective users choose the braille display which best meets their individual needs since 2016, and to celebrate National Braille Week and World Sight Day, we are delighted to unveil the third edition of this comprehensive compendium. At a special launch event on Thursday 10 October, we heard first hand from its author, Jackie Brown, about what this publication has to offer and what has been added in this brand new edition. Jackie was joined by Jonathan Mosen, an esteemed ambassador from the assistive technology industry, who added his own commentary on the book, and we heard from Braillists Chairman Dave Williams and Trustee Stuart Lawler. We also revealed details of how you can obtain your own copy of the book, and there was a meet and greet session with Jackie towards the end of the event.

Braille Screen Input has been overhauled! iOS and iPad OS 18, released on Monday 16 September, include the biggest refresh of Braille Screen Input since the feature was first introduced in iOS 8. Although you can, for the most part, still use Braille Screen Input as you always have done, the new functionality in Apple's latest flagship operating systems is a source of much excitement throughout the blind community and will almost certainly take your Braille Screen Input experience to the next level. Join us in this episode as Matthew Horspool talks us through what's new. Summary of New Features New gestures for entering and exiting: double tap the far edges of the screen with two fingers to enter. To exit, pinch outwards or inwards, or perform a two finger scrub. BSI is also still available in the rotor and if this is enabled, the rotor gesture still works to exit, but it does not work if BSI is removed from the rotor. You can now braille a for sign. There are keyboard clicks and haptics during text entry, the same as those for the QWERTY on-screen keyboard. When searching for apps on the home screen, you can now use grade 2. You now have access to a Braille Item Chooser from within Braille Screen Input. It works in a similar way to searching for apps on the home screen, but functions within apps. You can now enter Braille Screen Input automatically when encountering a text field. Braille Screen Input now uses the Braille Table options in Settings, Accessibility, VoiceOver, Braille to determine whether input is contracted, uncontracted etc. Swipe up with two fingers to change braille table. There is a new Command Mode, accessible via a three finger swipe left or right from within Braille Screen Input, or a tripple tap with two fingers at the far edges of the screen from elsewhere. Gestures in Command Mode are akin to braille display commands with the space bar held down, e.g. type the letter h in Command Mode to go to the home screen. You can also move the cursor and perform text selection with one finger and two finger swipe gestures. When using the Braille Item Chooser or searching for apps on the home screen using Braille Screen Input, you can opt to remain in Command Mode when swiping right with two fingers rather than exiting Braille Screen Input altogether. When in Command Mode, if the setting to enter Braille Screen Input when encountering a text box is enabled, VoiceOver will automatically switch from Command Mode to Braille Entry Mode when a text box is encountered. There are new sounds for entering and exiting Braille Screen Input, calibrating the dots and changing between Command Mode and Braille Entry Mode. There is now a setting to determine whether translated text appears on the screen whilst Braille Screen Input is active. All Braille Screen Input gesture assignments, plus the assignments for entering Braille Screen Input, can be customised. Braille Screen Input now supports Japanese braille. N.B. if the master toggle for VoiceOver sounds is switched off in Settings, Accessibility, VoiceOver, Sounds and Haptics, the new Braille Screen Input sounds will not play. Supported Devices iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, 2024 iPad Pro (M4), 2024 iPad Air (M2), 2024 iPad Pro 11-inch 5th generation, 2024 iPad Air 6th generation, 2024 iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, 2023 iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, 2022 iPad Pro 12.9-inch 6th generation, 2022 iPad Pro 11-inch 4th generation, 2022 iPad Air 5th generation, 2022 iPad 10th generation, 2022 iPhone SE 3rd generation, 2022 iPhone 13, 13 mini, 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max, 2021 iPad Pro 12.9-inch 5th generation, 2021 iPad Pro 11-inch 3rd generation, 2021 iPad 9th generation, 2021 iPad mini 6th generation, 2021 iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max, 2020 iPad Pro 12.9-inch 4th generation, 2020 iPad Pro 11-inch 2nd generation, 2020 iPad Air 4th generation, 2020 iPad 8th generation, 2020 iPhone SE 2nd generation, 2020 iPad 7th generation, 2019 iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, 2019 iPad Air 3rd generation, 2019 iPad mini 5th generation, 2019 iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation, 2018 iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation, 2018 iPhone XS, XS Max and XR, 2018 Apple Support Articles Type braille directly on the iPhone screen with VoiceOver Type braille directly on the iPad screen with VoiceOver Common Braille commands for VoiceOver on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch Customize VoiceOver gestures and keyboard shortcuts on iPhone Customize VoiceOver gestures and keyboard shortcuts on iPad

The Braillists Foundation prides itself on being a grass roots organisation; led by braille users, for braille users and, by extension, by blind people, for blind people. The Tactile and Technology Literacy Centre, based in Auckland, New Zealand, has a similar mission to the Braillists, and we find out more about them in this episode.

We start this episode in conversation with Maria Stevens, Chair of the Braille Authority of New Zealand Aotearoa Trust. We find out more about the work of BANZAT, the standards it has created and how it is helping to promote braille across New Zealand. We also discover more about the relationship between BANZAT and the Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities. Afterwards, we catch up with Chantelle Griffiths, a familiar voice to many Braillecast listeners. She is also a BANZAT trustee and responsible for a new and exciting course to train blind people to become braille transcribers.

Last time on Braillecast, we heard from Ben Clare about the challenges facing Pacific Island countries in terms of access to braille, and Ben's experiences of visiting those countries to deliver training. One of the larger Pacific Island countries is Samoa, and thanks to a substantial fundraising effort, the Samoa Blind Persons Association were able to send three observers to the eighth General Assembly of the International Council on English Braille, which took place in neighbouring New Zealand at the end of May. One of those observers was Ari Hazelman, who works as the Disability Inclusive Coordinator at the Association. He spent a few extra days in New Zealand after the General Assembly to find out more about blindness services there, and during a rare break in his busy schedule, he generously agreed to be interviewed for Braillecast.

Australia and New Zealand are the two most well-known countries in the Pacific Region, the area between Australia and Hawaii. The region also includes many other countries including Fiji and Samoa. Many of these countries are on small, remote islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are difficult and expensive to reach, with total populations often of 100,000 or fewer, and ensuring access to braille is very difficult. Over the next two episodes of Braillecast, we will be finding out more about braille provision in Pacific Island countries. This episode will discuss the challenges they face and the international intervention which is assisting them, and in the next episode, we will hear from a representative from the Samoa Blind Persons Association about the work they are doing to overcome these challenges. Ben Clare, from Australia, has had a career delivering blindness education in Pacific Island countries for over twenty years. He is President of the Pacific Region of the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI), where he also represents South Pacific Educators in Visual Impairment (SPEVI). Prior to this, he spent two years in the Solomon Islands delivering braille training and establishing a Solomon Islands Government Blind Service through The Australian Volunteers Program. His first visit to the Pacific Islands, in 2004, was to deliver screen reader training at a school in Papua New Guinea, through a partnership with the School for the Blind in Sydney. He set off with just a couple of laptops and demo versions of JAWS. This interview was recorded during the Annual Conference of the Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities.

Braille isn’t just for books! It can also be found on household products and signs; in restaurants, museums and theatres; and your personal and confidential documents can also be sent to you in braille. So how do you find it? Who do you ask? And if you think the braille you’ve found could be improved, how do you make your case without upsetting people? In this special event for World Braille Day, we were joined by a panel of braille advocates to explore these questions and more. We examined when companies are legally required to provide braille, discussed how to encourage the provision of braille and considered how best to respond when braille is not available. On the panel: Connor Scott-Gardner (@catchthesewords) Paul Hopkins (@vipodcasting) Siobhan Meade (@blindgirlvlogs)

Do you need an easy way to identify your shampoo from your hair removal cream? Do you want to avoid accidentally feeding dog food to your dinner guests—again? Does your granddaughter complain that you’ve covered up the print label on her favourite midnight snack with your “special dots”? Our sense of touch can give us much more information about our environment than we may think. Naturally, there’s braille, but how else can we use this powerful tactile sense to make things easier at home and further afield? In this Masterclass, Matthew Horspool and Chantelle Griffiths joined forces to take you on a tactile journey to help you master your sense of touch for the simple, yet powerful purpose of identification and marking. They covered: How everyday office stationery can save your sanity when travelling. How a simple rubber band can turn nightmare neighbours into amicable allies. How to use braille in fun and creative ways, even if you’re not yet a confident braillist. Why you need to own hair ties, even if you have no hair to tie. How texture and orientation work together to create a customisable system for identification that anyone can use. And so much more! Whether you’re newer to sight loss or blind since birth, there’s something here for everyone. Join us to learn how to level up your tactile marking skills, and create unforgettable experiences for yourself and others, for all the right reasons.

This session, presented by Saima Akhtar, is designed to give you a Whistlestop tour of the fundamentals of Arabic braille. Rest assured, it’s not nearly as complicated as you think. By the end of the session, you will have more insight into the following areas: The origins of Arabic braille Common misconceptions around the structure and layout of Arabic braille How the Arabic alphabet is constructed (here we will tackle the puzzling conundrum surrounding how to identify consonants and vowels) Next steps for anybody looking to learn more after the session Please note, it will be much easier to follow along if you have a grasp of grade one English braille as Saima will refer to similarities between English and Arabic braille throughout the session.

Many braille displays include an SD or Micro SD card slot. However, when it comes to purchasing a suitable card, there are so many options! Which is best, and which work with your braille display? In this session, we were joined by friend of the Braillists Ben Mustill-Rose to help make sense of them. He covered: Technical terms – SD, Micro SD, SD HC, SD XC and card classes How much capacity you need Card readers and adapters Avoiding poor quality cards Unpacking and setting up your new card, including formatting and write protection

According to its website, “BrailleBlaster™ is a braille transcription program developed by the American Printing House for the Blind to help transcribers provide blind students with braille textbooks on the first day of class.” It uses markup from source documents to automate formatting, and provides “tools to make advanced tasks quicker and easier.” Although it is “Designed primarily for editing textbooks that meet the specifications published by the Braille Authority of North America,” the adoption of Unified English Braile in most English-speaking countries makes it suitable for use in a wide variety of applications in many parts of the world. It is free of charge and compatible with virtually all braille embossers. On Tuesday 20 February 2024, we were delighted to be joined by two representatives from APH to introduce us to BrailleBlaster and demonstrate some of its features: Willow Free is the Tactile Technology Product Manager and based in the United States Michael Whapples is the Lead Developer of BrailleBlaster and based in the United Kingdom

Sometimes, you just need a BRF file with no fuss, even though you know it might have the occasional error or won’t be formatted quite as you’d like. RoboBraille is one solution to this problem. It works with a large variety of file formats including PDF, Microsoft Word and plain text, and converts them to braille within a matter of minutes. Best of all, it’s entirely online, so you don’t need to install anything. You can use it on computers even if you don’t have admin rights, smartphones, tablets and even braille notetakers. Join us in this episode to find out: When is fully automated translation appropriate (and when is it not)? Translating files through the robobraille.org website Translating files by emailing RoboBraille How to evaluate the output Where to find help