2021 International Conference on Computer Communication and Informatics (ICCCI -2021), Jan.

27 – 29, 2021, Coimbatore, INDIA

Text to Braille Converting Communication Device

forthe Visual and Hearing Impaired Persons
Sruthi Ramachandran Gururaj D
Dept. of Electronics and Communication Engineering Dept. of Electronics and Communication Engineering
Rajalakshmi Institute of Technology Rajalakshmi Engineering College
Chennai, India Chennai
[email protected] [email protected]

Pallavi K N Niju Rajan

2021 International Conference on Computer Communication and Informatics (ICCCI) | 978-1-7281-5875-4/21/$31.00 ©2021 IEEE | DOI: 10.1109/ICCCI50826.2021.9402590

Dept. of Computer Science Engineering Dept. of Electronics and Communication Engineering

NMAM Institute of Technology, NITTE NMAM Institute of Technology, NITTE
Karkala, India Karkala, India
[email protected] [email protected]

Abstract— Communication plays a vital role in communication. Deaf-Blind people usually communicate by
expressing one’s feeling to another. People with vision and sign language, tadoma, tactile finger spelling, braille etc. For
hearing impairment, find it difficult to communicate with the above mentioned communication techniques, both the
one another. There are certain unique languages available speaker and the listener has to be thorough and understand the
for the deaf-blind people which includes tactile signing, language before they use for communication. Recently
Braille, moon etc. Among these methods, the most researchers have come up with communication devices that
commonly preferred means of communication is Braille. would enable any normal person to communicate with the
Braille is a system developed to assist the visually and Deaf-Blind person, without any knowledge of the sign
languages.
hearing-impaired person by creating arrangements of dots
which form letters, numbers and punctuation marks. This The most common means of communication preferred by
paper proposes a communication device model which the Deaf-blind person is Braille. Embossed paper is
converts any alphanumeric English text to its traditionally used for writing Braille characters. Braille was
corresponding Braille format that can be read by a Deaf- developed by a Frenchman named Louis Braille in 1824, who
Blind person. An abled person can send a message to a was also blind. The Braille characters are represented in
Deaf-Blind person from his mobile phone. Once the rectangular block cells with 3x2 array of raised dots which
message is received by the device, it starts converting the appear like tiny bumps. The number and arrangement of these
letters in the message to Braille format. The Braille dots is used to distinguish one charcter from another. There are
characters are displayed one by one using a Braille display three levels of encoding in English Braille. Grade 1 encoding
consisting of six vibration motors depicting the six dots in uses a letter by letter trasnsciption for basic literacy; Grade 2
encoding has added abbreavations and contractions; Grade 3
a Braille cell representation. The Deaf-Blind person can
encoding includes various non-standardized personal
feel the characters by placing their palm on the Braille
stenography.
display unit. This paper also includes a vibration band
model for the Deaf-Blind person, which acts as an
indicator for an incoming message.
Keywords - Braille display, Deaf-Blindness, GSM,
PIC microcontroller, Vibration Band, Vibration motors,
ZigBee. Figure 1. The Braille Cell Format
I. INTRODUCTION
A typical braille cell includes six raised dots arranged in a
In Today's world, communication plays a major key role in 3x2 array format with three rows, each row containing two
the life of every individual, where communication is necessary dots. The braille cell dots are numbered as shown in the figure
for understanding other individual thoughts and feelings. Deaf- 1. There are 64 combinations possible using this braille cell,
blindness is a term which is used when the person suffers from which includes nil raised dots for representing space between
both visual and hearing impairment. The condition is otherwise words in a sentence. This braille cell format can be used to
termed as dual sensory loss or dual sensory impairment. The represent a letter, number, punctuation mark or even a word in
visually and audibly impaired people have limited access to the some cases.
outside world, despite the various developments in the field of

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 2021 International Conference on Computer Communication and Informatics (ICCCI -2021), Jan. 27 – 29, 2021, Coimbatore, INDIA

The main objective of this project is to provide the deaf- cell format and it is connected to the computer system. An
blind people with a low cost portable communication device so application program loaded in the computer, takes the English
that any abled person can communicate easily with the deaf- text as input and performs different language processing,
blind person. parsing, interpreting and controlling operations to meet the
desired output of the system [6].
II. RELATED WORK The next approach by P. J. Swati Malik, et al., (2016)
Researchers have proposed several models to ease the proposes a device of E-Braille reader where the WI-FI module
communication between an abled person and a deaf-blind (ESP8266) is used for receiving the e-books and to
person. F. Ramirez-Garibay, et al., (2014) proposed a model communicate with other android devices. The received material
which uses USB keyboard to enter the message which is in turn or text is sent to STM32f407 ARM cortex microcontroller for
processed by a Raspberry Pi controller. A 16 cell refreshable processing and conversion. Servo motors are used for
Braille display is used to display the text given by the user in displaying the Braille characters. An audio playback has also
the form of Braille language, so that the disabled person can been used as output device to hear the text for the person who
sense the message. A speaker is also attached with this system, is visually impaired [7].
so that the person who is only blind can know the message by One other approach by Kaustubh Bawdekar, et al., (2016)
hearing it. A vibration motor is used as an alert system for the discusses about a model that functions by collecting the raw
deaf blind people to indicate that a message has been received text with the help of a camera. The camera sends the collected
[1]. data to the microcontroller (Raspberry Pi), which in turn
R.Shylaja, et al., (2018) in their model, have used a converts it into Braille text. This model uses a look up table for
bluetooth module (HC-05) which is interfaced with an Arduino conversion of Standard English text to Braille text. Here the
Mega microcontroller. Whenever a message is sent via solenoids acts as a Braille display from which a visually
bluetooth, present in the mobile phone to the communication impaired person can sense the braille characters [8]
device, the processor will convert the message to braille and
will send the braille pattern to the vibration motor which is III. PROPOSED WORK
arranged in braille cell format. Thus the corresponding motors
will be raised up according to the received text. A 16x2 LCD In this paper, a way to develop a low cost, portable
display is also used to display the message and a piezo buzzer communication device which converts English text and
acts as an indicator whenever a message is received [2]. numbers to its corresponding Braille format is discussed. The
proposed design consists of two parts namely Text to Braille
Sibila.R, et al., (2018) designed a software system for the converter unit and a Vibration Band. The Text to Braille
conversion of English words, numbers and special characters converter unit converts the input alphanumeric text received
into braille format. The inputs which are opened in a folder is through the GSM module to its corresponding Braille format
read and it’s corresponding braille format representation is and sends the output signals to the vibration motors to form the
assigned by MATLAB simulator by comparing the input pattern. This pattern can be sensed by the Deaf-Blind person
characters with a look up table which contains the braille and can thus interpret the message received.
pattern for all 26 English alphabets, 10 digits and some special
characters. The device stores the output text as a file, which can A. Text to Braille Converter
be printed as a Braille dots [3]. This Text to Braille converter unit consists of a GSM
Y. Saraswathi, et al., (2017) in their paper designed a module for receiving SMS, a ZigBee Transmitter unit and six
device which contains a GSM module which is interfaced with sets of relays connected to six vibration motors which forms
an Arduino UNO microcontroller. When the message is the Braille display. All the above mentioned units are
received in the GSM module from the mobile phone interfaced with a PIC 16F877A microcontroller as shown in the
corresponding braille characters will be assigned by the block diagram in figure 2.
controller and the vibration motors which is arranged in 3x2 In this model, an abled person can send an SMS from his
matrix will raised up accordingly [4]. mobile phone to the Text to Braille converter unit. The
P. G. Anuradha, et al., (2016) proposed an efficient incoming SMS is received by the GSM SIM 800C module
communication device for deaf-blind people which contains a through the SIM card placed in it. This modem comes with
QWERTY keyboard to enter the text. The keyboard is RS232 interface which can be connected to PC or
interfaced with a raspberry pi processor. Six servo motors are microcontroller thus enabling functions like Calls, Reading
used which acts as braille display unit and performs raising of SMS etc. to be performed through simple AT commands. In
the braille dots. In this manner the disabled person can sense this Text to Braille converter unit the GSM module is
the message by touching the dots [5]. connected to the UART pin of the PIC 16F877A
microcontroller.
R. Sarkar, et al., (2012) in his paper discusses about an
approach of converting the text to the braille format through a
computer application. Six stepper motors are arranged in braille

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 2021 International Conference on Computer Communication and Informatics (ICCCI -2021), Jan. 27 – 29, 2021, Coimbatore, INDIA

communication standard (IEEE 802.15.4). It has a range

coverage of 10-100 meters. In this model ZigBee 16F720A is
MOBILE POWER
PHONE SUPPLY used for sending a signal to the Vibration band whenever an
SMS is received. The transmitter part of the ZigBee is
connected to the 22nd pin of the PIC microcontroller.

PIC
16F877A ZIGBEE
µC TX
(16F720A)

GSM
MODULE
(SIM 800C) BRAILLE
DISPLAY
(3x2 array)

Figure 2. Block Diagram of Text to Braille Converter

PIC 16F877A microcontroller is used in this Text to Braille Figure 4. Text to Braille Converter Prototype Model
converter for processing and execution. Whenever an SMS is
received in the GSM module, it is forwarded to the PIC The prototype model of Text to Braille converter is as
microcontroller for further processing and conversion. Each shown in the figure 4. Plug-in adapter is used for power supply.
character in the text message received will be converted to its The board and components require 5V supply which is
corresponding braille format and these pattern will be sent to provided by a step down transformer.
the Braille Display unit. As soon as an SMS is received, the
PIC microcontroller also triggers the ZigBee transmitter B. Vibration Band
module to send a signal to the Vibration Band.
This project includes a vibration wrist band for the Deaf-
Blind person, which acts as an indicator whenever a message is
received for the user in the Text to Braille converter kit.
Whenever a message arrives, the band starts to vibrate for a
few seconds as an indication for the deaf-blind that a message
has been received. The vibration wrist band contains a ZigBee
receiver unit and a vibration motor as shown in the block
diagram in figure 5.

POWER
SUPPLY

Figure 3. Braille Display Unit

A Braille Display unit interfaced with the PIC ZIGBEE RX VIBRATION

microcontroller consists of six vibration motors arranged in a (16F720) MOTOR
3x2 array as shown in figure 3. The motors are indicated by
numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and it can be observed that the display
follows the format of a typical Braille cell shown in figure 1. Figure 5. Block Diagram of Vibration Band
Any visually impaired person can recognize the pattern of a
braille character by placing their palm on top of the braille The ZigBee receiver on receiving the signal from the Text
display unit and by feeling the vibration pattern of the motors. to Braille converter unit will trigger the vibration motor for a
Each of the motors are connected to the processor through a short duration which will indicate the deaf-blind person of the
relay. Whenever a relay receives supply, it forms a closed incoming message. The vibration motor is connected to the
circuit which in turn will make the corresponding vibration ZigBee receiver through a relay. The vibration band is
motor to produce vibration. connected to a battery for power supply. A 5V voltage
regulator provides the regulated voltage to the components in
A ZigBee transmitter is interfaced with the PIC the vibration band. The vibration band prototype is as shown in
microcontroller for connecting the Text to Braille converter figure 6.
unit with the Vibration band. ZigBee is a short range

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 2021 International Conference on Computer Communication and Informatics (ICCCI -2021), Jan. 27 – 29, 2021, Coimbatore, INDIA

at the same time. Each of braille characters will be displayed in

the braille display unit with a 1 second delay between them for
the convenience of the user to understand the text better. The
vibration motor is set to vibrate for a period of 2 seconds for
each character representation. The visually impaired person can
place his/her palm on the braille display unit and can recognize
the character by feeling the vibration of the corresponding
motors.

V. RESULT AND DISCUSSION

The designed model was tested by sending messages from a
mobile phone and the vibration pattern produced by the Braille
display unit were verified with respect to universal braille code
Figure 6. Vibration Band Prototype Model
format. For example, consider a text “GOOD” being sent from
a mobile phone as SMS to the GSM module in the Text to
IV. METHODOLOGY Braille converter device as shown in figure 8. There is a
specific format to be followed while sending a text. The
If The Text to Braille conversion procedure starts when a
message should start with an asterisk (*) symbol and must with
message has been received by the GSM module in the a hash (#) symbol. It is to indicate the starting and ending of
converter kit from any abled person’s mobile phone. The the message which will aid the processor in understanding
message received is sent to the microcontroller, where the text from which character it should start the conversion process and
to braille conversion part takes place. The microcontroller also where the conversion process has to stop.
sends a signal to the ZigBee transmitter in the device whenever
a message is received. This in turn will transmit a signal
wirelessly to the ZigBee receiver unit in the vibration wrist
band. On receiving the signal the ZigBee receiver triggers the
vibration motor for a short duration to indicate the wearer of
the incoming message.
Figure 8. Message sent from a mobile phone
The PIC microcontroller has been programmed to convert
the incoming alphanumeric text message to its equivalent Thus the message ‘GOOD’ sent from the mobile phone will
braille text. Each character in the received message is assigned be received in the GSM module of the Text to Braille converter
with its corresponding braille pattern as per the universal device. This will trigger the vibration band to indicate the deaf-
braille code format shown in the figure 7. From the blind person of the incoming message. The microcontroller on
microcontroller, the braille pattern for the characters in the receiving the text message will defragment the entire message
received message are sent one after the other, with a small into individual letters. Each of these letters are assigned its
amount of delay in between, to the vibration motors, which is unique braille pattern with reference to the universal braille
arranged in the format of 3x2 matrix in the Braille display unit. code format and is sent to the braille display unit one by one
The motors will be triggered according to the braille pattern with a small delay in between. The corresponding vibration
assigned for the character being represented. motors in the braille display unit starts vibrating according to
the letter being represented.

Figure 7. Universal Braille Code Format

Figure 9. Braille Display unit vibrating for the letter ‘D’
Consider for example, if the pattern of character ‘a’ is to be
represented using this braille display, the motor indicated by Consider for the letter ‘D” in the message ‘GOOD’. The
the number 1 will start vibrating. Similarly for character ‘b’, braille pattern as per the universal braille code format for the
the motors indicated by the numbers 1 and 2 will start vibrating letter ‘D’ is such that the dots in position 1, 4, 5 will be raised

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 2021 International Conference on Computer Communication and Informatics (ICCCI -2021), Jan. 27 – 29, 2021, Coimbatore, INDIA

and the dots in the position 2, 3, 6 are not raised. Therefore the Visually Impaired People,” Int. J. Comput. Appl., vol. 60, no. 9, pp.
vibration motors indicated by the number 1, 4, 5 in the braille 1–5, 2012, doi: 10.5120/9717-3073.
[7] P. J. Swati Malik, “Low Cost Portable E-Braille Device for Blind
display unit start vibrating, whereas the vibration motors and Visually Impaired Persons,” Int. J. Innov. Res. Comput.
indicated by the numbers 2, 3, 6 will remain idle as shown in Commun. Eng. (An ISO Certif. Organ., vol. 3297, no. 6, pp. 11449–
the figure 9. 11455, 2016, doi: 10.15680/IJIRCCE.2016.
[8] K. Bawdekar, A. Kumar, and R. Das, “Text To Braille Converter,”
Int. J. Electron. Commun. Eng. Technol., vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 54–61,
2016, [Online]. Available:
http://www.iaeme.com/IJECET/index.asp%5Cnhttp://www.iaeme.c
om/IJECET/issues.asp%5Cnwww.jifactor.com%5Cnhttp://www.iae
me.com/IJECET/issues.asp?JType=IJECET&VType=7&IType=4.

Figure 10. LCD display showing the message received by the

GSM module.

An LCD display is present in the Text to Braille converter

kit as an additional display for testing purposes. The message
which is received in the GSM module will also be displayed in
the LCD display as shown in the figure 10.

VI. CONCLUSION
This proposed model of Text to Braille converting
communication device will help any abled person to
communicate with a deaf-blind person with ease. It is made
portable and the cost is also in an affordable range comparing
to the other communication devices currently present in the
market. The future scope of the project involves developing a
Braille to Text converter and interfacing it along with this Text
to Braille converter unit, so that it becomes a standalone device
performing two-way communication between the deaf-blind
people and non-disabled people.

REFERENCES

[1] F. Ramirez-Garibay, C. M. Olivarria, A. F. E. Aguilera, and J. C.

Huegel, “MyVox - Device for the communication between people:
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10.1109/GHTC.2014.6970330.
[2] R. Shylaja, R. L. Prasanna, M. Madhavi, and K. U. Rani, “Text to
Braille Converter,” vol. 7, no. 5, pp. 6–9, 2018.
[3] R. Sibila, S. S. K, and B. Sowmya, “Text To Braille Conversion
Using Matlab,” vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 1–8, 2018.
[4] Y. S. Saraswathi, S. Garg, S. Kulkarni, B. Kiran, and S. M. S. Read,
“Advanced Braille System-Communication Device for Blind-Deaf
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V4I657.pdf.
[5] P.G.Anuradha and K.Devibalan, “a Low Cost Portable
Communication Device for the,” Int. J. Ind. Electron. Electr. Eng.,
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[6] R. Sarkar and S. Das, “Analysis of Different Braille Devices for
Implementing a Cost-effective and Portable Braille System for the

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