Today we continue with our next speech.
Like several others this week, it comes from this year’s World Blindness Summit 2025. This takes place every four years and, unsurprisingly, this year’s event featured several presentations on the topic of Braille.
However, before we get to the actual speech of Frances Gentle, which deals with the possibilities of artificial intelligence, we would like to introduce you to this General Assembly in a little more detail.
By the way, you can watch the streams of all five days of the event, from which we have also transcribed some of the speeches for this theme week, at this link.
World Blindness Summit 2025
The World Blind Union (WBU) held its General Assembly this year as part of the World Blindness Summit 2025, which took place in São Paulo, Brazil, from 1–5 September 2025.
The General Assembly is the highest decision-making body of the World Blind Union. It brings together delegates from all regions of the world to present and approve resolutions and policies that shape WBU’s work for the next four years.
There, delegates also discuss and adopt constitutional amendments, elect new officers (President, Vice-Presidents, Treasurer, etc.) for the next term, and review reports on the Union’s activities, finances, and regional work.
The Assembly is held every four years, marking the beginning of a new mandate cycle for WBU leadership and strategy.
One of the most important outcomes of the 2025 General Assembly was the adoption of a resolution reaffirming Braille as the essential means of literacy, education, and inclusion for blind and partially sighted people worldwide.
The resolution calls for stronger national commitments to Braille production and training, as well as increased international cooperation on Braille research and innovation.
Overall, the 2025 resolution reinforces WBU’s global commitment to ensure that Braille remains not only a historic writing system, but a vibrant and evolving medium of literacy in the digital age.
During the São Paulo Assembly, a special plenary session titled “200 Years of the Braille System: From the Slate to the Display” celebrated two centuries of Braille’s invention and explored its modern evolution — from tactile books to digital Braille displays and accessible technology.
The session included contributions from international Braille experts, educators, and organizations promoting Braille literacy across the globe.
Recordings of the WBU General Assembly, including the Braille sessions, are available on channel: the official WBU YouTube
Speech of Frances Gentle
Good morning, everyone, and it’s a great pleasure to be here with you.
So my topic is Braille in the digital age, integrating tactile literacy with AI and assistive devices.
So we often hear the question, is Braille still relevant in today’s digital and AI era?
My answer is yes. Braille is not fading, but it is evolving.
For some of you, this presentation is the future. But for others, AI, artificial intelligence, has arrived.
And we in the blindness community need to address where does AI sit with the digital technologies and the Braille.
So before we look at how Braille integrates with technology, let me briefly define artificial intelligence, or AI.
So AI refers to massive computer systems that can perform tasks usually requiring human intelligence.
And this includes recognizing speech, translating languages, identifying images, and making predictions.
So in simple terms, AI allows the technology itself to learn, to adapt, and provide personal support.
So there’s a whole lot of ethical questions around that which we will not address today.
So when combined with assistive devices, AI has the potential to make Braille more available, more adaptable, and more powerful than ever before.
So today I will share three current technologies, screen readers with Braille displays, refreshable Braille displays, and optical character recognition linked to Braille, while also exploring how AI is already making an impact.
So then I will also look into the future.
So let us begin with screen readers plus Braille displays.
So screen readers such as JAWS and NVDA convert digital text into speech.
When paired with Braille displays, the same text can also be read tactually.
This dual access, listening and reading, supports both efficiency and literacy.
Why does this matter?
So listening is fast.
We pull out our phone, we have NVDA, for example, or JAWS, we can immediately access information.
But the ability to read and write Braille just as print ensures accuracy with spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
Braille provides access to STEM subjects, science, technology, mathematics, engineering, music notation, and it also results in better outcomes in education and employment.
With Braille, students and professionals can check details, edit documents, and proofread effectively.
Now what about AI in this space?
So AI makes voices more natural and adaptive, reducing fatigue.
Predictive typing and grammar checking now assist Braille users in real time.
And AI can help interpret coding languages and mathematics notation, ensuring correct Braille display.
So an example would be a student may use JAWS or NVDA with an Orbit reader.
So they’re listening for speed, but they’re relying on the Braille for accuracy with technical terms.
Now I want to talk about refreshable Braille displays.
So these are typically 20 to 40 cells, and I encourage you to go and visit the exhibition area because there are many of these devices available out there to review.
So refreshable Braille displays connect to smartphones, tablets, computers, making digital Braille portable and immediate.
So some examples are Focus Blue series you may be using in schools, Brilliant B1 series for professionals, Alva BC series for versatile use.
And we have enormous innovation in this space in single line and multiple line Braille displays happening at the moment.
So what’s that? Learners can carry entire Braille libraries in their pocket.
Thousands of books, articles and documents can be accessed instantly.
And I refer you to the ABC Accessible Books Consortium Global Book Service, also Benetech Bookshare, and I know RNIB, Vision Australia.
So there are many digital libraries available.
What about AI in this space?
So AI reflows and cleans digital text for smoother Braille output.
AI translation tools are improving conversion into Unified English Braille and other Braille codes worldwide.
Voice-driven AI assistants can now be linked with Braille.
For example, you could say, show me today’s news, which will come up on an AI app and then it can be converted into Braille instantly on a Braille display.
So let’s talk about Optical Character Recognition, or OCR, which converts printed text into digital text that can be displayed instantly in Braille.
Why is this significant? Teachers no longer need to manually transcribe worksheets.
Students can access the same printed materials as their classmates in real time.
So what about AI in this space?
AI has dramatically improved OCR accuracy, even for low-quality print or unusual fonts or handwriting.
AI can detect tables, headings and layouts, structuring them meaningfully for reading in Braille.
Future AI tools may also generate descriptions of images or suggest tactile graphics alongside text.
So looking ahead, what is the future for AI and Braille?
AI-driven translation could help eliminate the Braillebook famine by rapidly converting books into Braille across many languages.
Smarter assistants, AI chatbots, could output directly to Braille displays, giving blind users instant information in tactile form.
Remember, this is the future, we’re not here yet.
Inclusive classrooms, AI could automatically generate tactile diagrams or 3D printed instructions, making STEM subjects more accessible.
Personalized learning, AI could adapt the level of Braille instruction to each individual learner, slowing it down, speeding it up or suggesting exercises based on the student’s progress.
So the important point is that AI should be developed with Braille in mind.
If it is inclusive by design, AI can expand tactile literacy rather than replace it.
So in conclusion, in the digital age, Braille continues to thrive.
Screen readers and Braille displays combine speed with literacy.
Refreshable Braille displays make Braille portable and digital.
OCR bridges print and tactile access.
And AI is enriching each of these areas while opening doors to new possibilities.
So my final message, Braille is not being replaced by technology.
It is being expanded and strengthened.
With AI and assistive devices working together, tactile literacy will remain a foundation of education, independence and empowerment in the years ahead.
Thank you very much.
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