Design of A Braille Printer Based on ESP32 Microcontroller with Voice Input

Braille is a tactile phonetic alphabet system invented by Louis Braille, a blind teacher from France, in the 1800s. The Braille system was recognized as "a vital language of communication, as valid as all other languages in the world" in 2005. There are other alternatives, such as touch-based methods, to convey information that is generally obtained through sight. One of them is the use of Braille letters for reading, writing, and improving welfare by increasing insight. However, only 52 special schools in Indonesia have printers for Braille books. Limited access to Braille printing facilities in Indonesia is due to high costs. The cost of a printer machine, approximately 50 million per school, poses a challenge in providing learning facilities. This research proposes a compact and cost-effective Braille printer using an ESP32 microcontroller with both speech and mechanical switch inputs. The mechanical switch is used for typing text to be printed, while the microphone captures sound input in the form of audio, as it is easier to use. Audio input is processed using speech-to-text technology. The speech-to-text process is carried out with speech recognition, which listens to the words spoken by the user and matches them with the data in the module to execute specific commands. This Braille printer is designed to print Braille letters based on data received directly from individuals with and without disabilities. The printer accepts input in the form of speech or text, which is then sent to the processing module, the ESP32 microcontroller. Once all data is processed, the Braille printer module controls axis movements using a stepper motor. Braille prints are embossed to create raised dots on paper. Experimental results demonstrate 100% accuracy for both speech and typing inputs, along with reliable printing performance on standard HVS paper. Compared to previous solutions, the proposed design is more versatile, affordable, and portable. This study presents a practical solution for increasing access to Braille education and information.