1-In 1821, Charles Barbier, a Captain in the French Artillery, created a tactile, dot-based military code that could be read in the dark. French soldiers used it to communicate at night without speaking or using candles. 15-year-old French schoolboy Louis Braille learned about the code, and eventually developed the more usable, streamlined version of the braille alphabet we know today.
2-Braille takes up more space than the traditional alphabet, so braille books are much larger than their print counterparts. “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” is sixteen volumes in Braille, and “Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary” is 72 volumes.
3-Braille Is not Universal, there are different braille systems for different languages. In fact, there is a braille language for many of the languages spoken today. While the move toward braille uniformity, known as Unified English Braille (UEB), has led to many correspondences between the alphabets, the languages themselves are still distinct and unique.
4-While a sighted person can read 300 words per minute, some fast braille readers can whip through a book at a speed of 400 words per minute. The key to reading braille so quickly is a light touch – and using both hands (one hand reads while the other is poised to start on the next line).
5-There’s a number of children’s toys that feature braille. In recent years, toy companies have made strides in ensuring every child can play some of the biggest classic family games, such as braille Uno, braille and low vision Monopoly, braille LEGO and even the Rubik’s Cube.