The problem we kept noticing
Braille is everywhere in Japan — train handrails, elevator buttons, pill packaging, ATM panels. Most people walk past it without a second thought. We kept wondering: what would it take to make that text readable to anyone with a camera?
That's how TenjiScan started. Not as an accessibility platform, but as a focused answer to one specific question.
How it works
The core is Apple's Vision framework combined with a custom two-signal pipeline that interprets braille dot patterns. Point your camera at a surface, the app parses the dot grid and outputs Japanese or English text.
The processing happens entirely on-device. Since v4.0.0, no image is ever sent to a server. We made this a hard constraint — braille appears on personal items like medication boxes, and we didn't want users to need to trust a cloud service just to read a label.
Supported formats: JIS Japanese braille and UEB Grade 1 English braille.
What it doesn't do
Results depend on lighting and camera angle — a dimly lit surface or a sharp off-axis shot will reduce accuracy. Grade 2 contracted braille (the shorthand notation used in more advanced braille writing) isn't supported yet.
We're upfront about these limits. For everyday public signage and common packaging, it performs well. For specialized braille documents, it's not the right tool.
The model
Free to download. Removing ads is a one-time purchase — no subscription. Niixo Labs keeps things simple: one focused app, one honest price structure.
If you've ever squinted at an elevator button wondering what the dots meant, give it a try.