How Braille was invented | Moments of Vision 9 - Jessica Oreck

Summary

During the Napoleonic Wars, Captain Charles Barbier invented 'night writing', a coded message system using poked holes in paper to communicate without light. Despite military disinterest, Barbier's method was later adapted by Louis Braille at the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris. Braille refined it into a six-dot cell alphabet, creating a system now used globally for over 130 languages by the visually impaired.

Takeaways

• ⚔️ The Napoleonic Wars posed a significant challenge for secure communication due to the risk of revealing positions.
• 🌙 Captain Charles Barbier invented a method of communication by poking holes in paper to create a coded message that could be read in the dark.
• 👤 Barbier's 'night writing' was not adopted by the military but was later recognized by the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris.
• 👶 Louis Braille, a teenager at the institute, took Barbier's idea and developed it further.
• 🔠 Braille improved upon Barbier's system by creating an organized alphabet that fits into a standardized six-dot cell.
• 📈 Louis Braille spent several years refining the system to make it more accessible and user-friendly.
• 🌐 Braille's system eventually became widely accepted and is now the universal system for writing for the blind.
• 🌐 Braille has been adapted for over 130 languages, showing its versatility and global impact.
• 🎓 The story of Braille highlights the importance of innovation and the impact one person can have on accessibility for others.
• 📚 The development of Braille demonstrates how a solution designed for one context can find broader applications and benefits.

Q & A

What was the issue with sending written communications during the Napoleonic Wars?

During the Napoleonic Wars, sending written communications to the front lines was risky because lighting a candle to read the messages could give away the soldiers' positions to the enemy.

Who was Captain Charles Barbier and what was his contribution?

Captain Charles Barbier was a French army officer who invented a coded message system using a series of holes poked into a sheet of paper, which could be read by fingertip in the dark, thus avoiding the need for light.

What was the name of the communication method Captain Barbier developed?

Captain Barbier's communication method was called 'night writing' because it allowed messages to be read in the dark.

Why did Barbier's night writing not gain recognition from the military?

The script does not specify why Barbier's night writing was not acknowledged by the military, but it could be due to various factors such as the complexity of the system, lack of understanding of its potential, or the military's preference for other methods of communication.

What was the connection between Barbier's night writing and the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris?

Barbier approached the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris in 1821, hoping they would find a use for his night writing system as a communication method for the blind.

Who was Louis Braille and what did he do with Barbier's night writing?

Louis Braille was a young student at the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris who took Barbier's night writing and improved upon it, creating a standardized alphabet that could be read using a six-dot cell.

How did Louis Braille improve Barbier's night writing system?

Louis Braille organized an alphabet that fit into a six-dot standardized cell, making it more systematic and easier to read, which was a significant improvement over Barbier's original method.

What is the significance of the six-dot cell in Braille's system?

The six-dot cell is the fundamental unit of Braille's system, allowing for the representation of letters, numbers, punctuation, and even musical notation, making it a comprehensive writing system for the blind.

How widely is Braille used today?

Braille is the universally accepted system of writing for the blind and has been adapted for more than 130 languages worldwide.

What does the term 'universally accepted' imply about Braille's system?

The term 'universally accepted' implies that Braille's system is recognized and used globally as the standard method of reading and writing for people who are blind or visually impaired.

What is the significance of Braille's adaptation for over 130 languages?

The adaptation of Braille for over 130 languages signifies its versatility and widespread utility, enabling people who are blind or visually impaired from various linguistic backgrounds to read and write in their native languages.