BrailleTree

This article is for sighted people who wish to learn Grade 1 Braille and spread this method to the blind.
3D models are available as teaching aid to the blind at Thingiverse and NIH 3D-PE .
If you are unfamiliar with Braille please see the FAQ Page .

Braille is a different typographic representation of the alphabet for the visually impaired. Unfortunately, it has a tremendously low literacy rate, and few are even aware of that (learn more). To the uninitiated, Braille may seem bewildering and in fact, it is recognized that "[...] the dots are assigned in no obvious order" .

However, Braille as I see it is beautifully divided and organized by defining features. The Alphabet is easily distinguishable from punctuation, end marks from internal punctuation, and even small from large punctuation. This system will enable you to memorize Grade 1 Braille in minutes and spread awareness in the process.

Braille In 1 Minute:

BrailleTree Interactive:

Braille Letters

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BrailleTree Explained:

Despite its age, Grade 1 Braille (G1) is still recognized as a random mapping of Alphanumerics to cells. On the contrary, lies an organization that procedurally generates Braille with only a polydactyl handful of rules. However, before getting started, it's important to clarify that this is a mnemonic aid; you will be able to encode and decipher G1 Braille, but fluency is a matter of practice & rote memorization.

0. Generating the Tree

1. Assigning Columns

2. Assigning Dots to Columns

3. Reserve Punctuation

4. Assignment Order

5. Alphanumeric Sets

Generating the Tree:

This structure is a ternary tree- meaning each node in the structure has 3 branches. It also has a depth of 2, denoting this branching process occurs twice off the root node. The tree will branch to the right as it best relates to Braille. To cover the entirety of Alphanumerics, there will be 4 such structures.

Generating the Tree

Assigning Columns

Our first step in generating Braille is to assign cell columns by way of depth.

The root (depth 0) has no columns
depth 1 adds the first column of dots (1-3)
depth 2 adds the second column to the prior nodes cell.

In this way, as you scan Braille cells one column at a time you move forward one branch in the tree.

Assigning Dots to Columns

Braille is separated into repeating sets, distinguished by the last dot of each column. For this reason, this structure only assigns the top 2 dots in a column. Given our rightward projection, a branch upward corresponds to the top dot of the given column, horizontal is the first two dots, and downward is the bottom dot of the first two. This lends itself to the saying "Top-2-Bottom".

Reserve Punctuation

The lowest global node at each depth is reserved for punctuation. This will leave to nodes left for Alphanumerics. This placement makes distinguishing the two very easy - as punctuation never occupy dots 1 or 4 while Alphanumerics must. We won't assign punctuation just yet, as they are unsorted and require a little more effort (click more to see).

Assignment Order

Alphanumeric sets are assigned globally, in depth order- from the top most branch toward the bottom, then to the next depth [Top-to-Bottom, Left-to-Right].

Alphanumeric Sets

Sets are identified either through a modifier (numbers) or the presence of dots 3 & 6.

[A - J] Is filled in the absence of 3&6
[1 - 9+0] Is identical to [A-J], but the string of #'s will be preceded by a number modifier.
K-T adds dot 3 to the cells.
[U, V, X, Y, Z] (u - Z minus w) adds dots 3&6 to each cell. Words [And, For, Of, The, With] fill the remaining spaces. They are in alphabetical order.

Punctuation:

Gotchas and More:

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