Cragside Blog

Voice recognition software has improved rapidly over the last couple of years.  Gone are the days of spending weeks training the package to your voice, now the initial enrolment takes only a few minutes.

Combine this with high quality microphones, some of which utilize Bluetooth and DECT technology, and you have a efficient system fro producing text.

Dictation can be direct into pacakges such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Outlook and some web browsers.  In addition, the PC can be controlled by voice commands to launch applications.

In the current version (version 10), you can even say commands such as “search google for elephants” or “search ebay for mini” and it will launch the appropriate application and carry out the search.

Once you have a good set of voice files (and this doesn’t take too long these days), you can dictate at around 100 to 120 words per minute, which is much faster than most of us can type.  Typically, a good touch typist will average around 60 words per minute.

Whether you have problems using a keyboard or just a slow typist, packages such as Dragon Naturally Speaking are worth a serious look.

Software packages such as Braille Maker Professional provide a user-friendly and quick way to produce high quality Braille direct from a word processing package such as Microsoft Word.

From a single document a user can produce standard print, large print, Braille and Moon, and with the addition of a package such as EasyConvertor, DAISY and MP3 format can be produced.

In its most basic mode of operation, Braille Maker is accessed from the FIle Menu in Word (or Ribbon in Office 2007).  The document is then translated into Braille and the user is given the option to either print the file to the Braille embosser, or to edit the Braille.

Other features include European language Braille including French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian and Welsh.  The language can easily be changed within the Word document, so a mixture of langauges can be used.  The same is true for Grade 1 or Grade 2 Braille.

For more information, please email info@cragside.com

Braille was invented by a Frenchman, Louis Braille

Image of Louis Braille - 1809 to 1852

Louis Braille (1809 - 1852)

The system was perfected around 1825 and the first Braille book was published in 1827.
The tactile symbols are based on a six dot pattern similar to the six on dice.  The various combinations of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 dot patterns make up the signs of the Braille system.

This is a sample of Braille

Moon was devised by Dr William Moon LLD (1818 - 1894)

Image of Dr William Moon - 1818 to 1894

Dr William Moon LLD (1818 - 1894)

This system of tactile reading was based on simplified alphabetic characters, and is considered to be much easier to learn than Braille.  It is often used by people who lose their sight in later life because of this fact.

The process of producing Moon was not straightforward, and Braille became most popular because of the ease with which it could be produced, either by machine or by hand.

Today, many Braille embossers can produce ‘dotty Moon’, or the Moon characters can be printed onto swell paper and then passed through a Zy-Fuse or similar machine.

This is a sample of Moon

Braille Maker Professional supports European language Braille as used in UK schools. Languages include French Braille, German Braille, Spanish Braille, Italian Braille, Welsh Braille and Russian Braille
LIsten to this information on our PhoneBlog or Phlog

We have just put together some instructions on setting up an Index version III embosser onto a network.  Any of our customers who have purchased an Index Braille Embosser from us, or a copy of Braille Maker are welcome to a copy.  Please email or call us with your serial number and we can email a copy back to you.

To hear this information on Ipadio please click

Emboss Braille onto cut sheets of A4 using the Index Everest Braille embosser.