{"id":4143,"date":"2021-03-26T00:52:56","date_gmt":"2021-03-26T00:52:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/volksswitch.org\/?page_id=4143"},"modified":"2026-01-08T09:23:30","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T16:23:30","slug":"bliss-tactile-symbols","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/volksswitch.org\/index.php\/volks-devices\/bliss-tactile-symbols\/","title":{"rendered":"Bliss Tactile Symbols"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Tactile symbols help individuals who are blind or visually impaired and may also have complex communication disabilities to express themselves.<\/p>\n

Note that his work was inspired by the 3D tactile symbols created by Project Core<\/a> at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.\u00a0 While their tactile symbols are certainly “tactile”, they are largely opaque, often with no clear relationship between the raised shape and its referent.<\/em><\/p>\n

Why Blissymbols?<\/h2>\n

Blissymbolics, originally created by Charles Bliss in 1947, is a conceptual<\/a>, constructed<\/a>, international<\/a>, ideographic<\/a>, generative<\/a> language. Though Blissymbols have traditionally been used in written form, they are uniquely positioned for use as a tactile language:<\/p>\n

“Due to their simplicity, [features like] edges, outlines, and kinesthetic feedback are optimized in raised-line renderings of Blissymbols, which may facilitate recognition of tactile Blissymbols. In short, the conformational characteristics of Blissymbols results in stimuli that have minimal complexity (or low potential cognitive load) and when rendered as raised-lines have characteristics that may increase the efficiency of perceptual\/cognitive processes involved in communication with tactile symbols.”<\/em><\/span>

The potential for developing a tactile communication system based on Blissymbolics<\/a><\/span>,<\/a><\/span> Mick D. Isaacson & Lyle L. Lloyd, Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 2015; 18(1): 47\u201358<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

More on Blissymbols<\/h4>\n

For a quick overview (or more in-depth) of Blissymbols, see the links below.<\/p>\n