A Braille display with a system for processing characters and recognising text from a photograph has been developed by Krakow University of Technology (PK) students Bartłomiej Szostak and Hubert Orlicki. 

Using artificial intelligence, the device will allow books to be translated into Braille on an ongoing basis and can also be used by blind people to learn the language. 

A low-cost prototype of the device is already being developed so that it can reach a wider range of users. The problem of accessing literary works and textbooks affects a huge number of visually impaired people. It is estimated that only 1 % of books worldwide have been translated into Braille.

The device designed by PK students includes a camera that collects a real-time image of the text to be translated. With the support of algorithms including artificial intelligence (AI), it then displays an array of tabs that translate the image into Braille. The translated text is displayed from left to right on the Braille display, taking into account the relevant rules.