Joining the Dots

Reproduced by kind permission The Economist Newspaper Limited, London (1 February 2014)

New technology could save the writing system for the blind.

For Lesley Palgrave, a psychotherapist, relearning to read was slow. She took up Braille, which represents letters as embossed dots, when her sight faded 15 years ago. But telling the dots apart was a strain. Braille books are unwieldy; the final “Harry Potter” is a foot tall. Readers with refreshable text cost £3,000 ($5,000) or more. Today she makes do with audio books for leisure, and text-to-speech programs and huge computer fonts for work.

Those who master Braille can reap big benefits. Blind children struggle to learn spelling and grammar without it. Calculations and musical scores are easier to hold at the fingertips than in the head. Even so, more blind people are deciding not to bother. In the 1950s half of blind American children learned




Now technology is offering Braille a shot at reinvention. Sumit Dagar, an Indian designer, is working on a smartphone for the blind. The National Braille Press, an American charity, has developed a prototype Braille tablet. Both emboss Braille

by using an alloy that changes shape according to temperature.


© The Economist Newspaper Limited, London (1 February 2014)