WO2019207209A1

WO2019207209A1 - Braille teaching aid

Info

Publication number: WO2019207209A1
Application number: PCT/FI2019/050342
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tarja Pelkonen; Tero Tuomainen
Original assignee: Näkövammaisten liitto ry
Priority date: 2018-04-27
Filing date: 2019-04-29
Publication date: 2019-10-31
Also published as: FI12112U1

Abstract

The invention relates to a braille teaching aid (100), which comprises an adhesive film (101), on the first side of which a braille character set (102) has been arranged and the second side of which has an adhesive surface (103). The invention additionally relates to a mobility aid (200).

Description

Braille teaching aid

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a braille teaching aid according to the preamble of the inde- pendent claim presented below. The invention also relates to a mobility aid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Braille is a globally used embossed writing system, with the aid of which a visually impaired person can read and write. Braille is based on utilizing the sense of touch and it is read with the fingertips. Braille most often uses a six-dot system, where different combinations of dots can form 63 different dot characters, such as letters, numbers and punctuation marks. Braille can be produced with a braille slate and a stylus, with a mechanic or elec- tronic braille typewriter, with a dot printer attachable to a computer and a dot printing press. Braille ability significantly advances a visually impaired person’s ability to manage independently and improves his ability to function. Therefore, it is vitally important that a visually impaired person studies braille and thereafter actively maintains his braille ability. Versatile training of the sense of touch is an important part of studying braille and maintaining braille ability. Versatile braille material and different teaching aids are available for studying braille and maintaining braille ability. A problem with known braille teaching aids is that they are poorly suited for independent study of braille at any time and place.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to reduce or even completely eliminate the above-mentioned problems and flaws, which appear in the prior art.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a braille teaching aid, which makes possible independent study of braille at any time and place. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a braille teaching aid, which is small, light and easy to bring with you. It is additionally an object of the present invention to provide a braille teaching aid, which is easy and quick to manufacture. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a mobility aid, which makes possible easy study of braille and maintaining of braille ability.

The above-mentioned disadvantages can be reduced or even completely elimi- nated, and the above-defined objects are attained with the present invention, which is characterised in what is defined in the characterising part of the independent claim presented further below.

Some embodiments according to the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims presented further below.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A typical braille teaching aid according to the invention comprises an adhesive film, on the first side of which a braille character set has been arranged and the second side of which has an adhesive surface.

The adhesive film can be manufactured from any material suited for the purpose, such as for example plastic or paper. The adhesive film is advantageously rectan- gular in shape and its adhesive surface uses water-diluted glue. The size and colour of the adhesive film can be selected case by case.

The braille character set on the adhesive film comprises dot characters. Advanta- geously, the braille character set comprises the dot characters necessary for stud- ying braille and maintaining braille ability. The dot characters are advantageously implemented utilizing the six-dot system, in which system the dots of each dot char- acter are grouped as a rectangular raised pattern. The base and the side opposite the base of this rectangle are both formed from two dots, while the vertical sides are formed from three dots. 63 different dot characters can be formed with different dot combinations. In the six-dot system, the height of the used dot is 0.53 mm and the diameter is 1 .5 mm. The length of the dot character (rectangle) formed from the dots is 6.5-7 mm and the width is 4 mm and the distance between the dot characters is 2.29 mm. Advantageously, the braille character set comprises the alphabet and a numeral sign. The braille character set can also comprise punctuation marks. Ad- vantageously, the braille character set comprises at least one identifying mark, for example a six-dot pattern, with the aid of which the reading direction of the braille character set can be identified. The dot characters on the adhesive film are advan- tageously arranged in rows and columns. The braille teaching aid according to the invention can be used separately or as attached by the adhesive surface on the second surface of the adhesive film to a desired object, for example to an aid facilitating the mobility of a visually impaired person.

An advantage of a typical braille teaching aid according to the invention is that it makes possible independent study of braille at any time and place. An advantage of the braille teaching aid is also that it is small, light and easy to bring with you. An advantage of the braille teaching aid is additionally that it is easy and quick to man- ufacture. A significant advantage of the braille teaching aid is also that it can be attached to an aid facilitating the mobility of a visually impaired person, whereby it is always and easily reached.

According to an embodiment of the invention the adhesive film is manufactured from a transparent material. The use of transparent material in the adhesive film is ad- vantageous in situations where the adhesive film is attached to an object. Thus, the adhesive film does not really stand out from the object it is attached to.

According to an embodiment of the invention the braille teaching aid comprises a detachable backing paper protecting the adhesive surface. The purpose of the back- ing paper is to prevent the adhesive surface from getting dirty and thus ensure that the adhesive film can after the detachment of the backing paper well be attached to a desired object. The backing paper also makes possible the use of the adhesive film without attaching the adhesive film to anything.

According to an embodiment of the invention the dot characters of the braille char- acter set are arranged in three rows. The rows are arranged underneath each other, so that the dot characters form columns. The rows are advantageously arranged in the direction of the longer side of the adhesive film. The dot characters are advan- tageously arranged in rows so that the longer sides of the dot characters are in the direction of the shorter side of the adhesive film. There are advantageously the same number of dot characters in each row. The dot characters can represent let- ters, numbers, punctuation marks and/or identifying marks. Advantageously, the dot characters comprise the alphabet and a numeral sign. Advantageously, the first dot character of each row is an identifying mark, for example a six-dot pattern, with the aid of which the reading direction of the row can be identified. The number of col- umns on the adhesive film depends on the number of dot characters. According to an embodiment of the invention, each row comprises 8-12 dot charac- ters. If the braille character set contains the alphabet and a numeral sign and iden- tifying marks, each row comprises 1 1 dot characters. Thus, the first row has in a row an identifying mark and the letters a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i and j, the second row has in a row an identifying mark and the letters k, I, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, and t, and the third row in turn has in a row an identifying mark and the letters u, v, x, y, z, a, a, o and w and a numeral sign.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the length of the adhesive film is 120- 180 mm and the width is 30-60 mm. The length of the adhesive film is advanta- geously 130-170 mm and very advantageously 140-160 mm. The width of the ad- hesive film is advantageously 35-55 mm and very advantageously 40-50 mm. Ac- cording to an advantageous embodiment of the invention the length of the adhesive film is 150 mm and the width is 45 mm, whereby it fits especially well to be attached in a vertical position on a white cane used by a visually impaired person. The thick- ness of the adhesive film can be for example 50-500 pm.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the braille character set is made by 3D printing.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the braille character set is made with a braille typewriter.

The invention also relates to an aid facilitating mobility of a visually impaired person. A typical mobility aid according to the invention comprises a tubular part, to which a braille teaching aid according to the invention has been attached. An advantage of the braille teaching aid attached to the mobility aid is that the braille teaching aid is always and easily reached and thus makes possible easily occurring braille study and maintenance of braille ability.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the mobility aid is a white cane. The braille teaching aid is advantageously attached to the upper part of the white cane. The white cane has, as the name says, a white colour and its surface is usually reflective. A visually impaired person can with the aid of the white cane feel out if their path is unhindered and on the other hand express to the environment that the vision of the cane user is not normal.

The white cane can comprise a handle in the first end of the cane and a round or drop-like tip in the second end. The white cane can be collapsible. Advantageously, the collapsible white cane comprises an odd number of tubular parts, so that the tip of the folded cane ends up on the other side than the handle, and thus the tip, which has been against the ground, does not make the hands dirty. The white cane is typically manufactured from aluminium or carbon fibre.

The embodiments and advantages mentioned in this text relate, where applicable, to each of the braille teaching aids as well as the mobility aids according to the invention, even if this is not always specifically mentioned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the following the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the embodiments presented as examples and the enclosed figures, in which

Figures 1A-1 Bshow a braille teaching aid according to an embodiment of the inven- tion, and

Figure 2 shows a mobility aid according to an embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Figures 1A and 1 B show a braille teaching aid according to an embodiment of the invention shown from different sides. The braille teaching aid 100 comprises an ad- hesive film 101 , on the first side of which there is a braille character set 102 and on the second side of which there is an adhesive surface 103. The adhesive film 101 is rectangular and it is manufactured from a transparent plastic.

The braille character set 102 on the first side of the adhesive film 101 comprises 33 dot characters 104, which are arranged in three rows. Each row comprises 1 1 dot characters 104. The top row has in a row an identifying mark and the letters a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i and j. The middle row has in a row an identifying mark and the letters k, I, m, n, o, p, q, r, s and t. The bottom row in turn has in a row an identifying mark and the letters u, v, x, y, z, a, a, o and w and a numeral sign. The dot characters 104 are implemented utilizing the six-dot system, in which system the dots of each dot character 104 are grouped as a rectangular raised pattern.

The braille teaching aid 100 comprises a detachable backing paper 105 protecting the adhesive surface 103. The purpose of the backing paper 105 is to prevent the adhesive surface 103 from getting dirty and thus ensure that the braille teaching aid 100 can after the detachment of the backing paper 105 well be attached to a desired object. The backing paper 105 also makes possible the use of the braille teaching aid 100 without attaching it to anything. Figure 2 shows a mobility aid according to an embodiment of the invention. The mobility aid shown in Figure 2 is a white cane 200 facilitating the mobility of a visually impaired person. The white cane 200 comprises a tubular part (pipe) 201 , in the first end of which there is a handle 202 and in the second end a round tip 203. In the upper end of the tubular part 201 , below the handle 202, has been attached the braille teaching aid 100, so that the longer side of the adhesive film 101 is in the direction of the tubular part 201.

It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that the invention is not limited merely to the above-described examples, but the invention may vary within the scope of the claims presented below. The dependent claims present some possible embodi- ments of the invention, and they are as such not to be considered to restrict the protective scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A braille teaching aid (100), characterized in that the braille teaching aid (100) comprises an adhesive film (101 ), on the first side of which a braille character set (102) has been arranged and the second side of which has an adhesive surface (103).

2. The braille teaching aid (100) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the ad- hesive film (101 ) is manufactured from a transparent material.

3. The braille teaching aid (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the braille teaching aid (100) comprises a detachable backing paper (105) protecting the adhesive surface (103).

4. The braille teaching aid (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dot characters (104) of the braille character set (102) are arranged in three rows.

5. The braille teaching aid (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that each row comprises 8-12 dot characters (104).

6. The braille teaching aid (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the length of the adhesive film (101 ) is 120-180 mm and the width is 30-60 mm.

7. The braille teaching aid (100) according to any of the preceding claims, charac- terized in that the braille character set (102) is made by 3D printing.

8. The braille teaching aid (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the braille character set (102) is made with a braille typewriter.

9. A mobility aid (200), which comprises a tubular part (201 ), characterized in that a braille teaching aid (100) according to any of the preceding claims has been at- tached to the tubular part (201 ).

10. The mobility aid according to claim 9, characterized in that the mobility aid is a white cane (200).