A Guide to Data Compression Methods

In 1829, Louis Braille, a young organist in a Paris church, blind since age 3, invented the well-known code for the blind, still in common use today all over the world and named after him. Braille himself modified his code in 1834, and there have been several modifications since. However, the basic design of this code, where each character is represented by a group of 3 x 2 dots, has remained intact. The dots are embossed on thick paper and each can be raised or flat (i. e. , present or absent).