---
title: "Braille Tool"
url: "https://help.manageartworks.com/en/article/braille-tool"
language: "en"
last_updated: "2025-10-26T04:55:31.083Z"
---

# Braille Tool

Braille is a tactile reading and writing system used by individuals who are blind or visually impaired. The **Braille** tool in *ManageArtworks Proofing* enables users to automatically **detect, decode, and translate** Braille content embedded within artwork files.  
This feature supports **regulatory proofing** processes and ensures compliance with recognized industry standards such as the **Marburg Medium Standard**.

## Supported Standards and Languages

### Braille Standard: Marburg Medium

The tool supports the **Marburg Medium** Braille standard — the specification most commonly used in the **pharmaceutical and packaging industries**. This ensures that the translated Braille output adheres to **widely accepted industry norms** and maintains consistency across regulatory markets.

### ISO Standard Compliance

The **ISO 17351:2013** standard incorporates the Marburg Medium specification for Braille used on pharmaceutical packaging.  
It serves as the international successor to the **European Committee for Standardization (CEN)** norm **EN 15823** and defines the **precise dot dimensions and spacing** required to ensure tactile readability for visually impaired individuals.

### Supported Languages

-   The system supports Braille translation in multiple languages.
-   Users must **select the appropriate language** before initiating translation to ensure accurate results.

**Supported languages include:**  
English, French, Dutch, Greek, German, Arabic, Austrian, Belgian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Cypriot, Czech, Danish, Estonian, Finnish, Hungarian, Icelandic, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Liechtenstein, Lithuanian, Luxembourgish, Maltese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Ukrainian, and UK English.

### Supports Any Orientation

-   The tool supports Braille translation regardless of its **orientation**.
-   Whether the Braille text is **horizontal, vertical, or rotated at any angle**, the system can accurately interpret the dot patterns, provided the user **marks the correct region** for processing.

### Works on Both Vector and Scanned Files

-   The Braille tool functions seamlessly with both **vector-based** and **scanned (raster)** artwork files. 
-   However, in both cases, **manual region selection** is required for successful Braille detection and translation.

## Best Practices

To ensure accurate **detection and translation** of Braille within the *ManageArtworks Proofing* module, it is essential to follow these best practices when preparing Braille elements in artwork files.  
Because the tool is sensitive to the **formatting, colour, and structure** of Braille dots, any deviation from these guidelines can result in **missed or incorrect translations**.

### 01\. Use Solid, Filled Dots

-   All Braille dots must be created using **100% solid fills** with no outlines, strokes, or hollow shapes.
-   Avoid applying visual effects such as **gradients, shadows, or blurs**, as these can distort dot recognition.
-   Use clean, fully filled circles that align with the **Marburg Medium standard** to ensure accurate detection and decoding.

### 02\. Assign a Unique and Consistent Colour

-   Assign all Braille elements a **unique, solid colour** that is not shared with any other graphical components in the artwork.
-   Reusing the same colour for other objects may **confuse the detection algorithm**, leading to incomplete or inaccurate translations.
-   Maintaining a distinct and consistent colour allows the system to **isolate and interpret** the Braille content effectively.

### 03\. Maintain Left-to-Right Alignment

-   Regardless of the artwork language — including **right-to-left (RTL)** languages like Arabic or Hebrew — Braille content must always be **laid out from left to right**.
-   This is a universal Braille formatting rule.
-   Incorrect alignment can cause **misinterpretation of dot patterns** and produce invalid results during verification.

### 04\. Use a Dedicated Layer for Braille

-   Always place Braille dots on a **separate, dedicated layer** in your artwork file.
-   Avoid combining Braille elements with other design objects such as **logos, text, or backgrounds** on the same layer.
-   This separation helps the system **identify the Braille region accurately** and simplifies the detection and translation workflow.

### 05\. Avoid Transparency and Visual Effects

-   Do not apply **transparency, opacity adjustments, or blending modes** to Braille dots.
-   Even slight transparency can make dots appear **faint or irregular**, reducing detection accuracy.
-   Use **fully opaque fills** to maintain clarity, contrast, and consistency across all Braille regions.