- Interested in printing your own braille- this Instructables guide has a great DIY tutorial or you can watch the video above
- TouchSee is a useful application you can also try that converts text to braille- and then lets you get it 3D printed
- The biggest advantage of 3D printing braille is that 3D printers are better than traditional Braille embossers because they can easily customize the shapes and arrangement of the dots
- By transforming embossed dots graphics drawing software into CAD data, you’re able to totally customize the dot shapes and sizes
- The way one study did it, they used Ed12scad- it’s drawing software utilized to design embossed dots graphics for the ESA 721 embosser, which is capable of punching out three different dot sizes
- Some findings from the study include- the 3D printed braille was not inferior to traditional braille in terms of their expressive features, but the surface smoothes was inferior to traditional paper braille
Braille is a system of raised dots that allow blind people to read. It has been around for over 150 years but it can be difficult and time-consuming for the individual person, which means there are many blind people who do not know how to read Braille.
3D printing can help make Braille more accessible by creating raised dots that are easier to read and feel.
There are many benefits of 3d printed braille. One benefit is that it can be used to create customized braille for people with different needs. Another benefit is that it can be used to create braille signs for public places, such as schools and businesses.
This can help make sure that everyone has access to the same information, regardless of their ability to see.
3D printed braille can be created using a variety of different materials, including plastic, metal, and even paper. This means that it can be created to fit any budget and need.
3D Printers For the Blind
There are even 3D printers that are made for blind people, which can help to make the technology even more accessible.
3D printed braille is a great way to make information more accessible for everyone. It can be used to create customized materials, to prototype products, and to create educational materials. This technology can help to make the world a more inclusive place for everyone.
What is a 3d printed braille?
A 3d printed braille is a tangible object that can be seen and read by a person who is blind or has low vision. 3d printed braille is changing the way people who are deafblind access information in books, magazines, or homework assignments.
3D printed braille objects are created with a 3-dimensional printer and additive manufacturing technologies that emboss, extrude, sinter, laser-cut, or fuse together layers of plastic, and paper sheets including various textured materials like tree bark cloth and sandpaper to form the letters of the alphabet in raised relief.
Braille is a system of raised dots that you can read with your fingers. Braille is used by people who are blind or have low vision. Not all braille looks the same, however, and some braille codes use more than 6 dots in one symbol, while others may use just 3 or 4.
3d printed braille brings high tech to literacy for the blind and visually impaired. This braille code has been created by embedding plastic into a transparent plastic film. This film is then sliced into a plastic pattern, which is then molded and printed on a wide range of project materials (plastic, paper, wood, etc).
What are the benefits of 3d printed braille?
1. Braille is a tactile and non-visual way of reading
It is advisable to develop all the skills in braille before learning to read or write in another language. This is because braille is like reading one’s fingers instead of eyes. It involves the movement of your hands, eyes, and brain naturally as opposed to learning other languages by reading from books. In exploring the movement and language of your hands, you will develop your knowledge of both languages.
2. Braille is ‘language-independent’
Because braille is based on tactile rather than visual communication, it can easily be learned and used anywhere in the world. There are no geographical boundaries to such a system of communication. This means that blind children can learn braille in the same place where their sighted peers learn English or math. Braille thus remains a cross-cultural bridge between peoples, languages, and structures of thought.
3. Braille is a short-hand
It is interesting to know that even with 23 letters, the alphabet, and no punctuation or space, the English language can be expressed in just 64 braille cells.
3d printed braille is the first technology of its kind that is created to share information, knowledge, and educational content to visually impaired students in the world. Moreover, this technology could potentially help people with learning difficulties like dyslexia. What remains to be seen, though, is whether or not it will be adopted widely.
4. 3D printed braille can be made anywhere in the world
As this method is not dependent on expensive machinery, not only can you learn braille in your home country, but you can also make it while on vacation or a business trip. If you have a laptop and printer, you can pretty much make braille wherever you are. This means that if there is no braille translation available for where you are traveling, you could print it out yourself.
5. 3D printed braille provides instantaneous translation to the user
Thanks to 3d printed braille’s small size, you don’t have to wait for it to arrive in the mail. This technology allows you to translate anything into braille instantly, including street signs and restaurant menus signboards. The fastest speed of production is 30 seconds per page.
6. 3D printed braille is very durable
3d printed braille is made of very high-quality material and is extremely durable, even more than paper. The plastic can withstand water and doesn’t degrade easily. It also can withstand heat at temperatures of 100 �C without melting. This makes it suitable for outdoor use as well as indoor use because it will not fade or crack in the sun. This technology is also made of recycled and sustainable materials.
7. 3d printed braille has a variety of uses
Thanks to the versatility of this technology, you can make specialized materials to suit different needs. For example, you can make special textbooks, notebooks, and file folders for people who have limited vision or have dyslexia. This technology is also useful for visually impaired people who want to make personalized items such as picture frames and mirrors. Also, the plastic film that is used in this technology can be cut into any shape or design that a user wants.
Setbacks
1. 3D printed braille doesn’t always work well on a touch screen and is not as user-friendly as traditional braille
While 3d printed braille is easier to read than traditional braille, it’s still a more complex type of communication. As such, not many apps can use this technology yet and those that do are usually only accessible by users who have the appropriate equipment and software.
2. 3d printed braille can be time-consuming
As technology advances, we want more instant gratification and a faster turnaround time. Unfortunately, this is not the way that 3d printed braille works. While you can get initial results in just 30 seconds per page, the process of actually making the technology produce those results can take up to 12 hours since it starts with printing the braille patterns and then fusing them to your material with heat.
3. 3d printed braille isn’t appropriate for everyone
Some people just aren’t comfortable with the tactile communication system or don’t feel that it fits their lifestyle. This technology is not really for everyone, but those who are willing to get used to the process will have the advantage of being able to communicate in any language and visually impaired students everywhere.
Future expectations
In the next few years, we expect to see braille printers being used in most schools and universities, making it easier for students with disabilities to have the same materials as their sighted peers. In addition, we expect to see more easy-to-use translation apps on cell phones and other mobile devices. In addition to the translation of a written text into braille, we may also soon be able to use this technology to translate speech into braille.
3d printed braille is a great innovation in technology, but like any other new invention, it has some limitations. The world of technology moves very quickly and new things come out all the time. Over time, this technology will become more useful and accessible to a wider range of people.
Hello, my name’s Rush Chapman. I’m a 3D printing enthusiast. I started this site to help people choose 3D printing projects and select the best 3D printer for your needs, whether you’re a hobbyist or a pro!
