A Text-to-braille script converter using tesseract-based optical character recognition implemented in raspberry Pi

• Main Author: de Luna, Robert G.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2016
• Subjects: Engineering
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/5141
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study “A Text-to-Braille Script Converter Using Tesseract-Based Optical Character Recognition Implemented in Raspberry Pi” is a braille platform capable of allowing the visually impaired to access digital information in Braille. The study was based on the existing “Text-to-Speech Production System”. Unfortunately, the existing system however has a major drawback when the blind also has hearing impairment or misinterprets the meaning of what he/she heard. What the blind need is an active reading and better retention of information. The proponent found it necessary to generate a reading aid module especially made for the blind which converts printed text into Braille scripts without the need to produce lots of Braille pages. This also speeds up the learning process for the blind since creating different braille pages is a time consuming process plus the fact that flexibility is not given to the user. The system is composed of two main parts: the image scanner and the braille platform. The image scanner captures the printed document and performs a series of pre-processing algorithms and optical character recognition through the program uploaded in a Raspberry Pi. This will allow the system to interpret the printed characters and give its corresponding ASCII equivalent to the microcontroller in the braille platform. The braille platform will be the one to dictate the rise and fall movement of the braille cells based on the corresponding ASCII input received by the microcontroller.