RoboBraille Towards an accessible and inclusive information society

2. RoboBrailleTowards an accessible and inclusive information society Dr Lars Ballieu Christensen RoboBraille Coordinator, Synscenter Refsnæs Managing Director, Sensus ApS November, 2007 Sponsored by:

3. Statistics – Western Europe • ½-3% of the population are visually impaired (Western Europe) • 2-4% of the population are dyslexic • 36% of the population are poor readers (Denmark) • Inaccessible text affects people – educationally, vocationally and socially Sources: European Blind Union, Danish Association for the Blind, Copenhagen University, OECD

4. Braille 101 • Taktile medium • Written medium of the blind • Presented on Braille display or embossed on paper with Braille embosser (printer) • Big and slow • Full text (Grade 1) and contracted text (Grade 2) • Language dependent • 6-dot, 8-dot Braille • Two columns of either 3 or 4 dots • 26 (64) or 28 (256) combinations 1 4 1 4 2 5 2 5 3 6 3 6 7 8

5. RoboBraille • eMail based Braille translation system developed by Synscenter Refsnæs and Sensus (OPP) • Free for all non-commercial users • RoboBraille can • Translate text into and from contracted Braille in 6-dot and 8-dot Braille • Translate text into synthetic speech (mp3 files) • Produce ”visual Braille”, e.g., artwork for the pharmaceutical sector

6. RoboBraille service • User responses since August 2004: 200,000+; 500+ per day • Significant media attention • Growing user population • Hardcore Braille readers • Dyslexic and poor readers • European ambitions and beyond • Universal problem • Global potential • We need critical mass

7. Why a Robot? • Traditionally, updates are required… • Translation based on rules and exceptions • Software bugs are found and fixed • Traditionally, Braille translation is not trivial • Requires a variety of skills (Braille, contraction, character sets, memory constrains, software installation • Challenge made worse by decentralisation • Consequently: Braille is under pressure and is loosing ground

8. Enters RoboBraille • Most people can send an attachment by email • Electronic publications are widely available • Tricky procedures can be automated • It’s fast, accurate and robust • It’s always up-to-date

9. Braille by Email Send an email File Attachment HTML (.htm, .html) XML (.xml) Text (.txt, .asc) Microsoft Word (.doc) Rich Text (.rtf) RoboBraille based on Sensus Braille translation engine Imports(e.g., .asc) Converts(e.g., .doc  .txt) Translates Exports (e.g., BrailleLite, North American Computer Braille) sekspunkt@robobraille.org, sixdot@robobraille.org, brailleseipunti@robobraille.org, potbraille@robobraille.org, textoparabraille@robobraille.org ottepunkt@robobraille.org, eightdot@robobraille.org, ... fuldskrift@robobraille.org, decontract@robobraille.org, ... konverter@robobraille.org, convert@robobraille.org, ... eksport@robobraille.org, export@robobraille.org, ... filpart@robobraille.org, filepart@robobraille.org, ... Return result as attachment HTML (.htm, .html) Text (.txt) Less than a minute

10. Speech by Email Send an email File Attachment HTML (.htm, .html) Text (.txt. .asc) Microsoft Word (.doc) Rich Text (.rtf) RoboBraille translates using TTS engines Imports (e.g., .asc) Converts (e.g., .htm  .txt) Translates text-to-speech (.wav) Compresses/Encodes .wav to .mp3 tale@robobraille.org britspeech@robobraille.org usspeech@robobraille.org textoparavoz@robobraille.org audio@robobraille.org potspeech@robobraille.org parlefrancais@robobraille.org aistis2@robobraille.org Resultatet vedhæftet Link til mp3 lyd file A minute or more

11. Visual Braille by Email Send an email pharmabraille@sensus.dk or dedicated mail account Vedhæftet kontrolfil # Control file for Sensus # RoboBraille/PharmaBraille # t1=Betnovate med chinoform t2=1% + 30 mg/g t3=100 stk p=Betnovate med chinoform f=OctoBrailleMM l=da # RoboBraille based on Sensus Braille translation engine Translates text into Visual Braille Creates graphical artwork which can be used in design applications such as Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator or Quark Xpress. Return result as file attachment Less than a minute

12. eTEN RoboBraille • Transnational validation of existing service in other EU countries • 18 months duration, 1.7.2006 – 31.12.2007 • Purpose: To validate the service in five other countries: • Cyprus, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, the UK. • Commercial, technical and cultural validation • Development of sustainable business plan • Adaptation of RoboBraille to new languages • Braille and speech • Greek, English, Italian, Portuguese

13. User Responses

14. Planned activities • Address issues of current users • More countries, more languages • More document formats (pdf, scanned documents) • Formatting, Added user control • Braille Math, Braille Music, .. • Target new user groups • Dyslexic, poor readers, immigrants, ... • DAISY – Structured Talking Books • Target Institutional users • Web service on-demand (alternative to email) • RoboBraille Step-stone

15. Comments, Questions ?

16. Lars Ballieu Christensen RoboBraille.org Sensus ApS Langesvej 34 DK-3400 Hillerød Tel: +45 48 22 10 03 lbc@sensus.dk www.sensus.dk www.robobraille.org Svend Thougaard RoboBraille.org Synscenter Refsnæs Kystvejen 112 DK-4400 Kalundborg Tel: +45 59 57 02 98 sth@refsnaes.dk www.synref.dk www.robobraille.org More information