Braille in the 20th & 21st Century
I read. I write. I am.
Explore the evolution of Braille over the past century – from its classical form to its modern applications in education, technology and digital communication.
At its core are three key developments: the ongoing refinement of Braille to meet new reading and writing needs; the creation of 8-Point Computer Braille, which enables the use of electronic devices; and Braille shorthand, a system of abbreviations that makes reading and writing significantly more efficient.
Together, these exhibits illustrate how adaptable and forward-looking Braille remains – a living system that continues to evolve with technological and social change, ensuring access to knowledge and information for all.
20th century
- 1904 Final version of a German shorthand system - Braille shorthand
- 1907 First ‘mathematics and chemistry script for the blind’
- 1910 Development of the first German braille strip writer by Oskar Picht in Berlin
- 1916 Standardised English braille in America
- 1916 Founding of the Marburg Institute for the Blind, the first secondary school for the blind in the German-speaking world
- 1926 A chess notation system for blind people is developed.
- 1929 Introduction of the international Braille music notation system in Paris
- 1943 Introduction of the ‘standard shorthand for the blind’
- 1951 David Abraham invents a typewriter for the blind, the Perkins Brailler. This is built at the Perkins School for the Blind and successfully marketed worldwide.
- 1961 Introduction of a shorthand system for negotiations based on the 8-point system.
- 1968 Introduction of automatic dot printing using computers.
- 1971 Reform of the shorthand system of 1904.
- 1972 - 1977 Development of an electromechanical braille display (braille module) for the PC
- 1980 First use of automatic embossing machines
- 1980 - 1986 The 8-dot Eurobraille writing system/computer braille is developed.
- 1998 Adaptation to new German spelling and consideration of computer fonts
21st Century
- 2001 8-dot braille rejected as first writing system for schoolchildren.
- 2005 Additions to German braille shorthand, current version from 2005
Computer Braille is a modification of Braille for use on computers. Instead of the usual six dots, it has two additional dots to represent special characters. When computers were introduced, it became necessary to change the number of characters in Braille so that each computer character corresponded to a single Braille character. With the increase to eight Braille dots, a total of 28 = 256 different characters were possible, as with the 8-bit code of a computer. Two additional dots were added below the six usual dots to this 8-dot Braille, known as computer Braille.
The Braille display, or Braille line for short, is a computer output device for blind people that displays characters in Braille. Each Braille dot is controlled by a plunger in such a way that Braille characters are created. Users can feel the changing characters with their fingertips. They are usually controlled by screen readers, which read characters in selected areas of the screen and display them in computer Braille. This allows blind people to use most standard software and work independently on a computer.
The most important characters
Figure: 8-dot computer Braille – the most important characters
Source: Book Braille for the sighted. A learning, reading and exercise book; ISBN 978-3-7562-2763-1 Published by BoD, Norderstedt. (c) 2023, Andreas Mütsch. www.muetsch-online.de.
Braille shorthand is the standard form of Braille used for books and printed materials. It was developed around 1900 and introduced in Germany by 1904. Compared to full Braille, texts can be shortened by approximately 30 to 40 per cent through the application of extensive abbreviation rules. This reduction saves considerable amounts of paper, as well as volume and weight in printed books. Sound groups, syllables and entire words are shortened to reduce the number of characters required.
Forms of Abbreviation
- Sound Group Abbreviations
In sound group abbreviations, frequently occurring letter combinations, syllables or word stems in the German language are replaced by letters, symbols or combinations of these. Commonly used letter groups are substituted by rarely used letters (such as X, Y, Q and the standalone C) or by punctuation and special signs. These sound symbols must not lead to confusion and are therefore not permitted in every position within a word – for instance, sometimes not at the beginning or the end.Frequent prefixes and suffixes are replaced by single- or double-cell Braille signs.
Illustration 1: Braille Shorthand – Sound Group Abbreviations
Illustration 2: Braille Shorthand – Prefix and Suffix Abbreviations
- Single-Cell Abbreviations
Single-cell abbreviations refer to meanings that are assigned to individual letters or special symbols.
Some of these stand-alone single-cell abbreviations are already used in full Braille, so they should be familiar to experienced readers.
Illustration 3: Braille Shorthand – Single-Cell Abbreviations
- Double-Cell Abbreviations
Frequently used words in the German language are represented by two Braille cells.
These double-cell combinations are also employed to abbreviate common word stems, meaning that they can be combined with prefixes and suffixes to form complete words.
Illustration 4: Braille Shorthand – Double-Cell Abbreviations