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Braille question regarding measurements. (self.Blind)
submitted by MadPoet440
Hi, I'm a sighted person and I don't read braille (adequately, anyway), but I want to make 3D printed objects with braille labels. I'm just getting started in this, and my plan is to print some samples to have braille readers test. But I figured I would hit up reddit for some initial thoughts.
My questions are about the comfortable size ranges for reading braille. Is bigger always better? Putting aside the finding of a label on an object (a separate issue), are smaller dimensions fine for very short reading? Are there certain dimensions in braille that affect legibility more than others? Which dimensions can I play with and which ones shouldn't I?
From my research, the typical ranges of braille dimensions are:
1) Dot Base Diameter is 1.4 to 1.6 mm
2) Dot height is .5 to .9mm
3) Distance between two dots in the same cell is 2.3 to 2.5mm
4) Distance between corresponding dots in adjacent cells is 6.1 to 7.6mm
5) Distance between corresponding dots from one cell directly below is 10.0 to 10.2 mm
As an analogy from my own sighted reading, comfortable is 12 point font. 14 point is too big. 8 is fine for footnotes. Less than 6 is for important notices of medical side effects on prescription bottles that no one can or does read, but can work on coins, jewelry, game tokens and one word type situations. Different spacing between lines is flexible, but variable spacing between letters and words is not so flexible and can look really weird.
Aside from a "government standard" answer about braille, I want to know how actual braille readers feel. Every tenth of a millimeter makes a difference from a production standpoint, but I want dimensions that a braille reader would find comfortable and appropriate as well.
My questions are about the comfortable size ranges for reading braille. Is bigger always better? Putting aside the finding of a label on an object (a separate issue), are smaller dimensions fine for very short reading? Are there certain dimensions in braille that affect legibility more than others? Which dimensions can I play with and which ones shouldn't I?
From my research, the typical ranges of braille dimensions are:
1) Dot Base Diameter is 1.4 to 1.6 mm
2) Dot height is .5 to .9mm
3) Distance between two dots in the same cell is 2.3 to 2.5mm
4) Distance between corresponding dots in adjacent cells is 6.1 to 7.6mm
5) Distance between corresponding dots from one cell directly below is 10.0 to 10.2 mm
As an analogy from my own sighted reading, comfortable is 12 point font. 14 point is too big. 8 is fine for footnotes. Less than 6 is for important notices of medical side effects on prescription bottles that no one can or does read, but can work on coins, jewelry, game tokens and one word type situations. Different spacing between lines is flexible, but variable spacing between letters and words is not so flexible and can look really weird.
Aside from a "government standard" answer about braille, I want to know how actual braille readers feel. Every tenth of a millimeter makes a difference from a production standpoint, but I want dimensions that a braille reader would find comfortable and appropriate as well.
CloudyBeep 2 points 2y ago
I don't think a braille reader will notice unless you go outside these ranges, so perhaps go for the absolute minimum distances and see if you get complaints after testing it on braille readers of various skill levels.
FaerilyRowanwind 1 points 2y ago
Bigger is not always better. Follow the standard for Braille. It’s how Braille is written and how people learn to read Braille. They don’t have varying sizes so messing with it can affect whether or not it can be read. It matters for tracking and such as well. If it’s too close it’ll affect meaning. If it’s too far away it’ll affect meaning and a reader could get lost or miss it. I highly recommend you see about working with someone certified on Braille for your project to help with this part.
MadPoet440 [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Thanks. While I was hoping for some room for play, I won't try bother with any iterations outside those margins.
The biggest variation is in #4, where I found a 1.5 mm difference in standards. That's a huge difference from a design and production standpoint. So I'll do a set of iterations at 6.1, 6.6, 7.1, and 7.6 mm and see which one goes over the best.
And the plan is to present these to teachers for blind students and ultimately their students. Just kicking things around in the prototype phase at the moment.
The biggest variation is in #4, where I found a 1.5 mm difference in standards. That's a huge difference from a design and production standpoint. So I'll do a set of iterations at 6.1, 6.6, 7.1, and 7.6 mm and see which one goes over the best.
And the plan is to present these to teachers for blind students and ultimately their students. Just kicking things around in the prototype phase at the moment.
FaerilyRowanwind 1 points 2y ago
I am a teacher for blind students if you need a test subject 😊
MadPoet440 [OP] 1 points 2y ago
I appreciate that. This is a brave new world for me. I don't even personally know any blind people. But I've got a couple ideas I want to develop specifically for the blind, so I appreciate anyone willing to help. Right now, it's early, so I don't have anything but questions yet.
FaerilyRowanwind 1 points 2y ago
I’m willing to answer and I also have blind adult friends and students who would probably like to answer too
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