Tactile printing has always been both a blessing and a challenge for blind people worldwide. In the past, there was no Software that allowed blind individuals to independently create tactile graphics. In 2009, I brought my experience with digital graphics into Biblos and programmed the first tactile graphics environment fully accessible to blind users.

Touching well-made tactile drawings can be a very educational experience. Creating them abstractly using vector instructions opens new perspectives and develops skills that enhance the cognitive processes of blind individuals, enabling them to master shapes, spaces, and dimensions.

Having spent half my life sighted and the other half blind, I couldn't deny myself the pleasure of creating tactile graphics. Therefore, the tactile graphics environment in Biblos has been fully accessible from the very beginning, based on an interpreter and a vector graphics language I designed myself.

The Braille printer market is very diverse. There are some truly poor-quality printers and others that are sufficiently usable for various purposes. By studying their features, I realized that the best ones are produced by Index Braille, a Swedish company. These printers are excellent for Braille and also have a graphics mode that I could integrate with Biblos.

Let's close the window on the past and step into the present of Biblos tactile graphics. I hope to share my knowledge of these Index printers and help you understand why they are preferable to others.

Tactile printing with Index printers is a process that involves embossing raised dots onto the paper's surface. This is achieved by pressing the paper between a raised punch and a recessed die. The punch on these printers is of the emboss type: it raises the tactile dots relative to the paper surface. In Italian, the term "emboss" translates to "goffratura," a term from the printing industry. The diameter of the dots produced by Index printers is 1.8 mm. The embossing creates flat reliefs, meaning all the dots are of the same height, and the process is inkless since the printers do not support dual ink/Braille printing modes. Visually, the raised dots are barely noticeable; their quality can only be assessed by touch. The distance between dots can go as low as 0.5 mm, allowing for a very linear tactile resolution.

Index printers for home use come in two models: Basic-D and Everest-D. The first uses continuous feed paper, while the second uses single sheets. The Braille and tactile graphics capabilities are identical for both; the difference lies in the type of paper used. For my purposes, I would always choose the single-sheet printer because:

- I can use standard A4 sheets with higher grammage.

- The sheets are easily bound and collated.

- I can also print on A3 sheets in booklet format (four pages per sheet).

- With a few tricks, I can perform dual ink/tactile printing.

Up to version 3 of Index printers (before 2011), there were three modes for printing tactile graphics: 2.5 mm, 2.0 mm, and 1.6 mm. The minimum achievable distance was 1.6 mm, and the tactile graphics shapes were fairly regular.

Starting from version 4, a new printing mode was introduced, reducing the dot distance to 0.5 mm. Using this mode, the lines become very smooth and regular to the touch. For printing tactile graphics, this mode is truly extraordinary. However, there's one issue: using standard paper (at least 160 gsm), the tightly spaced dots can tear the paper. Therefore, if you want to use this mode, it's advisable to print on laminated cardstock. Otherwise, you can always opt for the 2.0 mm or 1.5 mm modes, which put less stress on the paper.

How can I help you understand these parameters? Imagine you have two dots with a distance of 2.5 mm between them. From the start of one dot to the start of the next, the distance is 2.5 mm. Each dot has a diameter of 1.8 mm. This leaves 0.7 mm of paper between the end of one dot and the start of the next. I just described the distances and dimensions of Braille dots.

Now imagine reducing the distance from the start of one dot to the start of the next. It shrinks to 0.5 mm. Since the dot diameter is 1.8 mm, the dots overlap, but the regularity of the lines they form becomes very high. The images gain quality, and the finger feels smooth lines. However, this puts stress on the paper, which tears due to the lack of space between the dots. That's why special cardstock is needed, capable of absorbing the punches' pressure and lifting without tearing. Laminated cardstock, available on the market, is perfect for this purpose. It costs more than regular paper but delivers excellent results.

One related aspect is the type of printer. For continuous-feed printers, finding laminated cardstock is extremely difficult. On the other hand, for the Everest-D, which uses single sheets, it's much easier, as reams of this paper can be found in local stationery shops or Online office supply stores.

Here's the downside: these printers are very expensive. Forget the costs you know for laser or inkjet printers. Forgotten? Good. Today, the Basic-D version 5 costs $3,695, while the Everest-D version 5 costs $4,395. I just checked these prices on the Index Braille website.

I completely agree with you: these printers are too expensive! Unfortunately, if you consider cheaper alternatives, I would only mislead you. You might save up to €1,000, but the rest would be wasted money. For instance, you could buy a printer like the EmBraille by View Plus, which costs around €2,000, but it would be nearly useless: barely functional for Braille and practically worthless for tactile graphics.

With other brands and models at the same price as Index, you will never find the same quality. Professional-grade printers might excel in graphics or Braille, but not both. That's why I always recommend Index Braille, based on facts and experience.

Do you know how to print in ink and tactile on the same sheet? It's a bit of a tinkerer's job, but it's possible. First, print the ink portion using a laser printer. Then use the same sheet in the Braille printer. This is one advantage of using single sheets. Remember, a Braille cell horizontally measures 5.0 mm, with a 1.0 mm space between cells.

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