Punjabi University develops breakthrough tech to convert Gurmukhi script into Braille for visually impaired
Babushahi Bureau
Patiala (Punjab), July 6, 2025: In a major step toward inclusive digital accessibility, Punjabi University has developed a pioneering technology that converts Punjabi (Gurmukhi script) into Braille, enabling visually impaired individuals to read in their native language.
The research was led by Dr. Charanjeev Singh Saroya from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, under the guidance of Dr. Kawaljit Singh.
The newly developed system boasts several key features including automatic Gurmukhi-to-Braille conversion, an automatic font converter, large-scale corpus development, and text-to-speech capabilities.
Highlighting its significance, Dr. Kawaljit Singh stated that the project aims to empower the visually impaired by providing them seamless access to Punjabi language content. “This is not just a technological innovation but a meaningful contribution to social upliftment and digital equity,” he said.
Dr. Charanjeev Singh explained that the system supports both Grade-1 and Grade-2 Braille conversion with high accuracy rates—99.9% and 99.7% respectively. It accepts Unicode-based text input and can export Braille output in BRF or plain text format, compatible with screen readers and Braille printers.
To support this, a comprehensive Punjabi language data corpus was created, consisting of 12.7 million words, 49 million letters, and millions of language model pairs—critical for future advancements in machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), and linguistic research.
Another key component of the project is an ASCII-to-Unicode automatic font converter developed in collaboration with Dr. Rajwinder Singh of the Punjabi Department. This module accurately detects and converts various non-standard fonts to Unicode with 99.8% precision, making legacy texts accessible and usable.
Punjabi University Vice Chancellor Dr. Jagdeep Singh commended the research team, emphasizing its wider impact: “This innovation holds immense value not just technologically but socially. It bridges gaps in access and inclusivity and sets a path for similar breakthroughs in other regional languages.”
The university believes this project could serve as a model for developing Braille technologies in additional Indian languages, further advancing accessibility and social integration.