OpenBraille DIY Braille Embossing Machine

While most of us take being able to write with a pen or even generate images and text with inexpensive printers, things are more complicated if you need to create Braille text for the visually impaired. As embossing machines to produce raised dots on paper can costs thousands of dollars, Carlos Campos decided to instead build one himself. After his research for a DIY version came up empty, he “simply” designed his own 3D-printed version.

Instead of punching dots into a piece of paper, his device pushes out one of three pins with a servo-driven rotary mechanism, then uses a wheel on the other side to roll the dots onto it. Paper is advanced using an ink printer carriage, and the pins/wheel are actuated via a pair of stepper motors. The gadget is controlled by the same kind of method as some 3D printers — an Arduino Mega along with a RAMPS board.

It’s an interesting concept, video of which can be seen on its Facebook page, and the pin encoder assembly can be seen below. On the other hand, the project is still a work in progress, and other makers are invited to build their own and improve the design. 3D models of the printed components can be found here.