1The Boy Who Changed the World
Imagine being just 15 years old and inventing a secret code that would help millions of people for centuries! In 1824, a French teenager named Louis Braille did exactly that. Louis had lost his sight when he was very young, but he was determined to find a better way to read than the heavy, embossed letters used at the time. By simplifying a complex military system called "night writing," he created a clever grid of dots that was small enough to feel with just one fingertip. His invention was so successful that it is still used in almost every country today!
2The Secret Code of Six Dots
The magic of the Braille system lies in a tiny rectangle called a "cell." Each cell has space for exactly six dots, arranged in two columns of three. While six dots might not sound like many, they can be rearranged into 63 different combinations! These patterns represent every letter of the alphabet, as well as numbers, punctuation, and even musical notes. For example, the letter 'C' is made of the two top dots, while the letter 'L' is a vertical line of three dots on the left. It’s like a puzzle that you solve using your sense of touch.
3Writing Backwards to Read Forwards
Writing in Braille is just as fascinating as reading it! Before computers, people used a tool called a slate and stylus. To make the dots, you have to pin the paper into the slate and use the stylus to punch holes. Here is the tricky part: because you are pushing the dots through to the other side of the paper, you actually have to write everything in reverse! Once you are finished, you flip the paper over, and the raised bumps are in the correct order to be felt and read. Today, there are even special Braille computers and printers that make this process much faster.
