Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!princeton!phoenix.Princeton.EDU!mgflax From: mgflax@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Marshall G. Flax) Newsgroups: comp.human-factors Subject: Re: Chord Keyboards Message-ID: <11001@idunno.Princeton.EDU> Date: 21 Jun 91 01:57:15 GMT References: <1991Jun12.161454.6519@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu> <10890@idunno.Princeton.EDU> Sender: news@idunno.Princeton.EDU Organization: Princeton University Lines: 119 Nntp-Posting-Host: phoenix.princeton.edu ------------------------------------------------------------------------ For those who requested more information about Braille, here's a short description from my girlfriend (her e-mail address is at the end) who happens to be blind and is fluent with both QWERTY and Braille. [Notes are added by me. -mgf.] Please do ask her any questions you might have. [She uses a Toshiba laptop with a speech synthesizer and Kermit to connect to our school's mainframe.] ------------------------------------------------------------------ Grade One Braille, or "Beginner Braille" consists of the Braille alphabet, punctuation marks, and the capital sign. There are six dots in the Braille cell: dots 1 and 4 in the top row; dots 2 and 5 in the middle; and dots 3 and 6 on the bottom. [Note: the Braille keyboard consists of dots 3,2,1 on the left and dots 4,5,6 on the right, with a space bar below/between them.] Dot 6 in front of a letter (with no space in between) indicates that the letter is capitalized. Two dot 6's in front of a word means the entire word is capitalized. Letters a through j utilize the top four dots. [a = 1, b = 12, c = 14, d = 145, e = 15, f = 124, g = 1245, h = 125, i = 24, j = 245.] Letters k through t add dot 3 to the first ten letters respectively. u through z (with the exception of W) are the letters a through e with dots 3 and 6 added. Because Braille was invented in France, the letter W was added later, as there is no w in the French language. Because of Braille's size, it is necessary to contract it. There are (if I remember correctly) 187 contractions in Braille. For example, there are [single character] abbreviations for dipthongs: dots 1 and 6 pressed together form ch; dots 3 and 4 together is st; dots 1, 4, 5 and 6 form th. [Note: all 63 - 26 = 37 non-character codes are used as punctuation marks/dipthongs.] In addition, almost all of the letters in the alphabet are abbreviations for words [Note: this is only when they used by themselves]: b is but, c is can, do is do, k is knowledge, m is ore, p is people, etc. The words "the" and "this" have their own contractions, as do many other words: their, spirit, time, various suffixes, and so on and so forth. Context is very important, since the sign for the dipthong th is also the sign for the word "this" [when used by itself.] A semicolon is a double b in the middle of a word; a question mark is also the word "his" or an open quote. (In Braille, open and close quotes are different.) [In addition, many common words are abbreviated to a few letters -- the canonical case is braille --> brl.] This sounds much more difficult than it actually is. Once you memorize the contractions, you are able to begin reading Grade Two Braille, which is standard English Braille. Although most blind people are sticking to standard keyboards, many feel that their familiarity with Braille enables them to write more accurately and quickly utilizing a Braille computer keyboard. Before discussing a Braille computer keyboard -- several exist; the Braile 'n Speak [Blazie Engineering in Baltimore, MD] is the most popular because of its successful interaction with many programs and its relative low cost, about one thousand dollars -- I will explain the structure of the Braille writer. what many refer to as a "Braille typewriter." There are several different kinds of Braillers; the Perkins model is the most common. Regardless of model, however, the keyboard is virtually the same. There are the six keys corresponding to each dot: the pointer finger of the left hand presses dot 1, the middle finger presses dot 2, and the ring finger presses dot 3. To the left of dot 3 and slightly raised above the keyboard is the "space-down" key, which moves to the next line of a Braille page. The space bar is between the two rows of keys. The pointer finger of the right hand rests on dot 4; the middle finger on dot 5 and the ring finger on dot 6. The key on the far right, once again raised slightly above the keyboard, is the backspace key. (The Braille paper is rolled into the machine via a roller which one rolls towards oneself. The paper rolls in a bit differently than on a standard print typewriter.) The Braille 'n Speak weighs less than a pound. It has 180K of memory, a built-in Help file and voice synthesizer. It has the six Braille keys, the space bar and an on/off switch. It has ports for a disk drive the latest model comes with an external drive -- and another port for interfacing with other computers. It has a built- in clock and calculator and is compact in addition to its light weight. One chosses options and runs programs by chording Braille keys with the space bar. The space bar is always the "chord key" [i.e. the space bar doubles as an "alt" key] and, of course, some commands are entered by simply pressing a Braille letter within a menu. There is a Brade Two Braille translator option, which changes Braille text into Ascii code for storage on MS-Dos disks to be read on personal computers. The Translator is also responsible for translating Grade two abbreviations into the unabbreviated form for speech output. What are the relative advantages and disadvantages of Braille for chord keyboards? First of all, there is a widespread myth that Braille is hard to learn. This will seriously impede its acceptance. In addition, it is conceivable that the sighted will not appreciate the suggestion of using "the language of the blind" for their own use. Hopefully, as attitudes toward the blind and blindness change, such irrational reasoning will be eliminated. The greatest advantage to a Braille keyboard is its compactness. Because it requires so few keys, Braille is ideal for small, inexpensive, smart computers. The Braille 'n Speak, for example, (with or without programs, depending on what you wish it to do for you) is capable of interfacing with another computer -- IBM PC's; can run word processors on other computers, acting as a "dumb terminal"; can be used for spreadsheet work, etc. The machine is ideal for the traveling business person; it can be taken anywhere, with no inconvenience. Its rechargeable battery, after charging for sixteen hours, will run for approximately fifteen hours. It comes with an earphone, its charger and a carryng case. [It's about 4" x 7" x 1", and weighs next-to-nothing.] Any further information on chord Braille keyboards can be obtained from the National Federation of the Blind's Technology Center or Blazie Engineering, both in Baltimore. Call the NFB at 301-659-9314 and ask for the Technology Center. If you wish any further information on Braille, mail questions to cmfaltz@phoenix.princeton.edu. ---------------------------------------------------------------- marshall -- /****************************************************************************/ /* Marshall Gene Flax '89 (609)258-6739 mgflax@phoenix.Princeton.EDU */ /* c/o Jack Gelfand|Psychology Dept|Princeton University|Princeton NJ 08544 */ /****************************************************************************/