![\"\"](\"http:\/\/historyoftech.mcclurken.org\/typewriter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/classic-perkins-brailler.jpg\")
<\/a>[1]<\/a><\/p>\nThis is the Perkins Brailler, a braille based typewriter that is used for blind students at the Perkins School for the blind.\u00a0 The device’s main function is to help blind students create braille lines in order to write out written braille letters so that they can write their own papers in braille.\u00a0 The device was created in 1951 by David Abraham to assist students at the Perkins School for the Blind to assist them in their schoolwork.\u00a0 The major need for the invention came from the difficulty in writing braille by hand.\u00a0 Students would have to use either a braille machine, which was complicated, or often times fragile or use a stylus and a slate in order to emboss their words onto the paper.[2]<\/a> \u00a0This was a slow process and often could lead to injury or a mistake that would mess up the line of dots.\u00a0 To combat this, the director of the school approached Abraham with the task of creating an easier method for the students.\u00a0 The solution to the problem was answered with this device.\u00a0 While it has gone through some alterations to make it more portable and even quieter, the design relatively remains the same.\u00a0 With the Braille typewriter, the students can create up to 25 lines of braille text and has an easy paper feeding system to allow for students to quickly transition lines with a press of a key.\u00a0 In addition, the use of minimal keys optimizes the chance of confusion and mistakes.\u00a0 This typewriter retails for $795.00[3]<\/a><\/p>\n The electronic typewriter is considered one of the final evolutions of the modern typewriter.\u00a0 The devices were impressive due to the amount of innovations many of them developed in the later years of typewriter usage.\u00a0 One such evolution was the use of a daisy wheel which was a replacement for the old bar method that many older models used.[5]<\/a>\u00a0 Electronic typewriters required a standard electrical plug to power some of the features of the typewriter.\u00a0 Some models functioned essentially\u00a0as word processors as they had a digital read out that would allow the typist to correct any mistakes that they may have made before printing.\u00a0 One notable model is the Brother WP-1, a word processing unit that allowed the user to store typed pages on floppy disks.\u00a0 Other interesting features involved the use of fonts in typewriters.\u00a0 Before, there had not been any major advancements in fonts, but with the IBM Selectric typewriter, this was a new possibility.\u00a0 This particular model used a specialized type ball to generate words and it could easily be switched out to allow multiple fonts to be used for a person\u2019s manuscript, paper, or even letter.[6]<\/a>\u00a0 While the electric typewriter may not have endured as an industry past the age of computers, there are still loyal typists.\u00a0 Many authors use typewriters to this day as it brings a feeling of nostalgia and provide much less distraction as opposed to a modern computer.\u00a0 Many models are inexpensive and can be easily found at office supply stores and online retailers to this very day.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [1]<\/a>\u00a0Perkins Solutions Inc. “History of the Perkins Brailler.”\u00a0Perkins School for the Blind.\u00a0<\/em>2015. June 5. Accessed March 27, 2017. http:\/\/www.perkins.org\/assets\/downloads\/research\/history-of-brailler-11-17-09.pdf.<\/p>\n [2]<\/a>\u00a0Perkins Solutions Inc. “History of the Perkins Brailler.”\u00a0Perkins School for the Blind.\u00a0<\/em>2015. June 5. Accessed March 27, 2017. http:\/\/www.perkins.org\/assets\/downloads\/research\/history-of-brailler-11-17-09.pdf.<\/p>\n [3]<\/a>\u00a0Perkins 17<\/p>\n [4]<\/a> Hinson, Clark. \u00a0IBM Selectric 1. \u00a0<\/em>Huston, April 12. 2012<\/p>\n [5]<\/a> IBM. \u00a0The Selectric Typewriter.<\/em> 2011 March 6. Accessed March 27 , 2017. http:\/\/www-03.ibm.com\/ibm\/history\/ibm100\/us\/en\/icons\/selectric\/<\/p>\n [6]<\/a>\u00a0IBM 11<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"\"](\"http:\/\/historyoftech.mcclurken.org\/typewriter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/gibm-_5230_1442790354-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a>[4]<\/a><\/p>\n