About

This tool is engineered for precision and speed, catering to professionals in accessibility design, special education, and signage manufacturing. Unlike basic character swappers, this engine implements a Grade 2 Contraction Logic, significantly reducing physical string length - a critical factor for ADA signage where space is at a premium.

The interface provides a dual-layer output: Unicode Braille for digital documentation and a Vector Tactile View that simulates the physical embossing process. This visualization renders the standard 2.5 mm inter-dot spacing, allowing designers to visually verify alignment and density before prototyping. Whether you are validating a museum placard or learning the syntax of tactile reading, this system offers immediate, high-fidelity feedback.

Formulas

Braille is not merely a font; it is a spatial code. The dimensions are standardized to ensure tactile legibility. The standard cell size follows these constraints:

Base Cell Matrix: 142536

When calculating the physical length of a Braille line L for N cells:

L = (N - 1) × d_cell + w_cell

Where d_cell is the distance between corresponding dots in adjacent cells (6.0mm) and w_cell is the width of a single cell (3.75mm).

Reference Data

Symbol / Logic	Braille Cell	Dot Matrix	Contraction (Grade 2)
a / 1	⠁	1	about (prefix)
b / 2	⠃	1-2	but
c / 3	⠉	1-4	can
d / 4	⠙	1-4-5	do
e / 5	⠑	1-5	every
f / 6	⠋	1-2-4	from
g / 7	⠛	1-2-4-5	go
h / 8	⠓	1-2-5	have
and	⠯	1-2-3-4-6	Full Cell (Sign)
for	⠿	1-2-3-4-5-6	Full Cell (Sign)
the	⠮	2-3-4-6	Common Word
with	⠾	2-3-4-5-6	Common Word
ch	⠡	1-6	Group Sign
sh	⠩	1-4-6	Group Sign
th	⠭	1-4-5-6	Group Sign
Capital Sign	⠠	6	Prefix
Number Sign	⠼	3-4-5-6	Prefix

Frequently Asked Questions

This is the primary function of Grade 2 Braille. It uses "contractions" - single characters or specific patterns - to represent common words (like "the", "and", 'for') or letter groups (like "ing", "er", 'tion'). This reduces the physical surface area required for signage and books by approximately 20-30%.

The Unicode characters and dot patterns generated follow the standard 6-dot Braille layout used in North America and Europe. However, physical ADA compliance relies on the manufacturing process (dot height, material finish, and tactile spacing). This tool provides the *design blueprint* for compliance, but the physical embosser determines the final legality.

Use the "Print Tactile Proof" button. This triggers a specially formatted print stylesheet that scales the dots to near-physical size (depending on your printer's DPI). For professional production, download the SVG and open it in CAD or vector design software (Illustrator, CorelDRAW) to drive embossers.

Yes. The engine automatically detects numbers and applies the "Number Sign" (⠼) prefix. It also maps standard currency symbols like $ and € to their respective Braille codes immediately preceding the number.

Absolutely. It adds a single Capital indicator (dot 6) before a capitalized letter. For entirely capitalized words (like acronyms), complex rules vary, but this tool generally marks the initial letter to indicate case sensitivity where critical.