How Does Braille Read?
Braille is typically viewed in physical form, as with paper books written in braille, paper documents created in braille, and braille signs or public signs. Additionally, it can be viewed on a refreshable braille monitor that can be used independently or in combination with a computer or smartphone. Refreshable braille displays use a sequence of pins that rise and descend to create braille characters to translate what is visibly displayed on a computer or smartphone screen into braille. Currently, physical braille versions of more than 1% of all printed texts are available.
The quickest braille readers use two palms and a light touch, though reading braille with one hand is also feasible. The brain processes braille at a higher level, understanding words one digraph, root, or suffix at a time, even though the finger can only recognize one braille character at a time. The visual brain is where most of the thinking happens.