Report on Experiences about Modern Printing Techniques under Consideration of Traditional Methods.

 

Introduction 

The framework of this report has been defined with precision. Modern techniques are obviously the utilisation of data processing and electronics, and traditional methods are the embossing of sheets of paper or plastic. However, we will recall some characteristics of the traditional techniques and, at the end, we will mention briefly the non-traditional methods, such as the elimina tion of braille paper and the utilisation of the normal method of printing embossed characters for the production of braille. According to traditional techniques, the cooperation of a non-blind person is used. This person should have, according to his abilities, the knowledge of grade 1 braille, contracted braille, braille music or mathematical notations. The instruments used are the LOUIS BRAILLE writing frame or slate, the 6 key braille writer and the stereo typing machines. These latter permit the embossing of aluminium plates, indispensable for the press printing of a large number of copies on paper, or occasionally on plastic.

This demands a specialisation on the part of the ps transcriber whose actual production is very small. It is estimated in fact, that a transcriber will not produce more than 600 words per hour and, since this work is tiring [ and demands great attention, the daily production should approximate 4,000 words. Consequently, it is necessary to point out that this P procedure is not valuable or economic unless the trans criber is a non-paid volunteer. SB| pi It becomes very expensive if it is necessary to pay the transcriber, even more so when the transcriber pro duces only one copy at a time, which explains the enormous amount of time required for a given transcription and the interest of trial experiments in various countries, notably in Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany and in France, in the utilisation of data processing. The computer program replaces the individual knowledge of the braille transcriber. 

The Production Process of Braille using Modern Techniques

In order to fully understand the interest of modern techniques, the development of experiments, and the progress which can still be made, we will study the production process of braille which includes 4 steps: data collection, data processing, stocking and distribution of processed data, and finally the presentation of this data on braille paper. With the exception of the first step, all of the others can be automatic, the reliability of the equipment used eliminating possible errors. 

(a) Data collection or the feeding into the computer of the text to be transcribed into braille. In general, starting from the document to be fed into the computer, punched cards are made.

The control of the cards should be carried out with care in order to eliminate practically all error. In the different countries where experiments of this kind have been performed, it is undeniable that the problem of the accuracy 6f the cards is the most important one so as it is for normal printers. Will it be necessary to use the method which con sists of typing the document on a typewriter, equipped with a given type of characters, verifying and correcting as required the typed text, and then having it read by an electronic eye producing a punched or magnetic tape, which will then be inputted into the computer? In certain cases, apparently very limited, the col lection of the data can be carried out using punched tapes, magnetic tapes of the discs used by normal printers in their composition process. This solution would be advantageous since a document already transcribed on a data carrier is available and permits its direct input into the computer; however, this last solution poses certain juridical problems because of the use of punched or magnetic tapes, where that which is recorded on the tape belongs to the publisher, while the tape itself belongs to the printer.

(b) Data processing, that is, processing in the computer. It is necessary to draft a program which processes the data to output, be it grade 1 braille, which is simple since there is a one-to-one relation between the ink print character and the braille character, or braille according to the system of contractions of the language of the country concerned. It is, in fact, deceptive to think that it is possible to have one day an identical contraction code for all languages. In the three countries mentioned above, the programs have been completed. In France in particular, a team of data processing P experts from the SABATIER University in Toulouse has com pleted a program with total reliability for the contracted p code of the French language, despite its complexity. This program has been checked with the very greatest care and should be considered reliable. As regards musical transcriptions, the problem is much more complex and experiments are in progress, particularly in France. With regard to the transcription of mathematics, of detailed mathematical notations, there do not yet exist to our knowledge any complete programs. If the setting up of a program is expensive, it is done once and for all and the cost of its setting up can be made up for over a very long period of utilisation. Keeping in mind that this type of program requires a very large computer, it seems desirable to centralise the data processing instead of dispersing it which would be expensive. 

(c) The stocking of the processed data and its distribution; It is no doubt possible to adapt at the output of the computer a braille printer, such as IBM has done and in this way to have directly available a copy on paper, but it seems preferable, at the output of the computer, to stock the data on punched tapes, magnetic tapes or discs. The copy obtained at the output of the computer can then be reproduced, as many copies as desired, on simple automated machines, and at a relatively low cost. This would allow in particular the supplying of materials to libraries, schools and associations which would be able to produce the actual braille volumes as needed. As has been mentioned above there are no doubt advantages to the centralisation of data processing. It seems, on the other hand more interesting to decentralise the embossing on braille paper itself, stocking locally the punched or magnetic tapes which take up much less space than the braille books. The production of the actual braille volumes would be performed on request. This is the solution that seems to have been adopted in Denmark.

(d) The embossing on paper of the braille text. In this area, the experiments vary according to whether it is a case of the printing of one copy at a time or of a large number of copies. We have mentioned above the braille printer developed by IBM. In France, the SAGEM Company has modified a traditional teletype machine to permit the printing of braille paper instead of typing the text in "black and white". This machine prints the paper at the speed of 15 characters per second. It can be connected to a computer to form an actual computer terminal or be controlled by a punched tape. As regards emission, it can be controlled either by the normal teletype keyboard or by 6 specialised keys corresponding to the 6 points of the braille character. This machine, which is now operational installed in libraries and schools, would permit either the production of braille copies upon request or the production of a punched tape for the internal needs of a given school or library. It is also possible to modify the traditional stereo typing machines so that they are controlled by punched tapes and produce in this way the metallic plates, which permit the press printing of large quantities. The question, which can be raised, is if it is better to modify the controls of the traditional stereotyping machine or to develop a machine similar to the SAGEM teletype machine, but permitting the printing of  aluminium plates. This quick review of the 4 steps in the braille pro duction process shows that if the second and third steps -m of the process are, already, completed and operational, I research should be pursued in order to reduce the cost of the first step, data collection, and to find the most ( adequate system for the fourth step: be it greatly decentralised with the use of machines like the SAGEM machine in the various production centres, or centralised in a few important printing houses equipped with stereoP typing machines, controlled by punched tapes, magnetic tapes or discs. 

Conclusion 

 We would not like to conclude without saying a few words about the non-traditional methods and, in particular, about the Digicassette machines, which use a braille display by electronic means. Studied in particular in France by the VALENTIN HAUY Association with the collaboration of the ELINFA Company, this type of machine permits magnetic stocking of more p than 150,000 braille characters on one single side of a C.90 cassette tape. An interface linking the Digicassettes with the computers has already been developed. And thus it is possible to obtain texts recorded on cassette tapes starting from the elements of the second or third step of the above mentioned production process. We would like to point out that the same display system has permitted the adaptation of calculators, making it possible in this way for the blind to perform com plex calculations, which, up to now, have been barred. Finally, one last word about a technique concerning which research is in progress in order to obtain a method by which the printing of braille might be produced using the traditional method of normal printers, who wish to obtain a slight embossing. This technique of embossing until now as regards braille, poses difficult problems, because the relief to be obtained is significantly greater than that used in normal printing. 

This report has been purposefully limited to the general principles, without mentioning all of the experi ments which have been performed in a number of European countires and, I will be pleased to make any further clarifications for the participants of the Conference. I thank you Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen for your attention.