Product Development

Braille documents scanned and shared

Key Achievements

Tech for goodBraille scannerDigital transformationAssistive tech

“We appreciate your support in developing this application. The adjustable scanning timeout is a fantastic feature — it allows us to scan multiple pages that can’t be fed through the automatic document feeder.”

Michal Tkáčik, head coordinator of the Braille Authority of Slovakia

Client

DotSight is a software solution specifically designed for processing documents written in braille. This tool efficiently scans braille documents, enabling their digital preservation and further processing.

Case study

The need

The customer was seeking a solution to preserve and digitize documents written in braille, which are often only available in physical form. Existing tools did not provide a reliable way to scan and recognize double-sided braille documents. They needed a tool that could handle this complexity and provide access to a wider audience. The goal was to create a solution that could support future preservation and improve accessibility for the visually impaired.

Core issue

The main challenge was recognizing braille on both sides of a paper, where raised dots on one side appear as indentations on the other. Conventional scanning tools were not effective at telling these apart. Additionally, the application had to work with a wide variety of printers and scanners to ensure broad compatibility. Accessibility was key: the interface needed to be screen-reader friendly and usable by people with varying degrees of visual impairment. Ensuring precise recognition in variable scanning conditions added complexity to the technical design.

Our solution

We built a desktop application that allows users to scan documents using physical scanners or import existing scanned images. Recognition settings were optimized by fine-tuning contrast and brightness to capture the 3D nature of braille dots. The interface was developed with full screen reader compatibility and simple visual design for partially sighted users.