Electronic braille system. Close-up of a blind person reading braille from a row of 44 piezoelectric braille cells. This system, an Alva 544 Satellite, utilizes computer technology to scan printed text and translate it electronically. The text is then displayed as raised braille dots. Braille consists of a sequence of cells, each of which contains a pattern of raised dots that can be sensed by touch through the fingers. Different patterns of dots represent letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and several short words.