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Status: Draft
What is PEF?
PEF is a document type that represents braille pages in digital form, accurately and unambiguously; regardless of language, location, embosser settings, braille code and computer environment. It can be used for braille embossing and archiving anywhere in the world, no matter where nor how it was produced. PEF allows new features to be added such as ink overlay or tactile graphics, thus enabling a completely automatic production of advanced braille books.
Why is PEF necessary?
PEF brings a number of things to braille production:
- Metadata. A PEF file provides information about its contents.
- A braille publishing standard. The PEF file format defines what it is and how it should be used in a publicly available standard.
- A proper file format for braille. Having a proper file format means, among other things, that file integrity can be tested to detect errors.
- World wide file sharing. Because PEF is specified and the braille representation unambiguous, it can be shared with anyone in the world. For example, braille music is very expensive to produce, but the braille code used in musical notation is the same all over the world. With PEF, this material can be shared in electronic form with anyone.
- Archive safety. Because PEF is specified and the braille representation unambiguous, it can safely be archived for the future.
- Economy. Publishing and republishing of braille can be achieved quickly and easily because files can be shared across the world, without any worry about embosser settings. Users can become publishers and providers can share resources and reduce costs.
How will it benefit?
- Anyone who wants to send braille in digital form to someone else, but especially for languages other than English.
- Production facilities. Separating braille editing from printing will be easier, which could reduce cost.
- Organizations working with securing documents for the future. Braille from the past could be scanned to PEF and secured for the future.
