Braille Book Project Portal Page

*)　The original English portal pages, which were translated from the Japanese portal page(archived), can be accessed at this URL.

The IPNS Braille Project develops accessible educational materials that enable people with visual impairments to explore modern physics, including research on the origins of the universe and matter. By combining braille translation and tactile graphics, the project seeks to make advanced scientific concepts available to a broader and more diverse audience.
This portal provides information about the English edition of the project materials and access to downloadable resources.

The IPNS Braille Project was launched in 2022 under the leadership of Professor Naohito Saito, Director of IPNS.

The project aims to share research on particle physics, cosmology, and the origins of matter with a wider audience, including people with visual impairments. Through accessible formats such as braille publications and tactile graphics, the project promotes inclusive access to modern scientific knowledge.

As part of this initiative, we prepared an English version of a tactile graphics booklet based on the book:
The Origins of the Universe and Matter: Understanding the “Invisible World.”

The braille translation and tactile graphics were developed in collaboration with colleagues led by Associate Professor Manabi Miyagi at the Research and Support Center for Higher Education for People with Disabilities (R&S Center) at Tsukuba University of Technology.

• Development of braille educational materials on modern physics
• Creation of tactile graphics representing complex scientific concepts
• International collaboration with researchers and accessibility experts
• Distribution of accessible learning materials free of charge

The Kodansha Bluebacks series was written in part to help readers, including those with visual impairments, understand the frontiers of modern fundamental physics.
For the Japanese edition, a braille translation of the first draft was produced and evaluated by visually impaired reviewers. Their feedback allowed us to revise expressions that relied too heavily on visual descriptions and improve the accessibility of the text.
For the English edition, however, it proved difficult to secure collaborators in the English-speaking community who could assist with a comparable review process. As a result, we regret that we were unable to produce a full English braille edition.

Nevertheless, the tactile graphics developed for the Japanese edition received very positive feedback.

We therefore decided to prepare an English version of the tactile graphics so that they can be used together with the translated text.

Because tactile graphics are meaningful only when used alongside the main text, the main body of the book is also distributed in PDF format.

In preparing the English tactile graphics, the original Japanese tactile graphics were reviewed by collaborators in Europe and the United States. Their comments and suggestions provided valuable insights into improving clarity and accessibility.
Several of these recommendations have been incorporated into the English version.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the following colleagues for reviewing the Japanese tactile graphics and providing invaluable feedback:
• Professor Benoit Blossier
Laboratoire de Physique des 2 Infinis Irène Joliot-Curie, France

• Director Kate Meredith
Geneva Lake Astrophysics and STEAM Education Organization, USA

• Dr. Olivia Smithmier-Bohn
Geneva Lake Astrophysics and STEAM Education Organization, USA

• Professor Cristina Lazzeroni
the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom

• Professor Nicolas Bonne
the University of Portsmouth’s Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, United Kingdom

Their expertise and thoughtful suggestions significantly contributed to the development of the English tactile graphics.

In the tactile graphics edition, the text is translated into braille, and the figures are converted into tactile graphics.

The provided PDF files can be printed using devices that support tactile graphics production for visually impaired users, including:
• tactile image printers
• 3D copying machines
• other tactile graphics printing systems
These materials are intended for use in accessible science education and outreach activities.

 

Furthermore, in response to the positive reception of the tactile graphics collection, we commissioned a team at the Research and Support Center for Higher Education for the Hearing and Visually Impaired at Tsukuba University of Technology to produce an English version of the tactile graphics collection.

The tactile graphics collection only has meaning when accompanied by the content of the Blue Backs book. Therefore, the authors responsible for each chapter translated the content into English, and with the permission of Kodansha, we have decided to distribute it free of charge as a PDF equipped with text-to-speech functionality so that visually impaired individuals can also access the content.

Below are the repositories of Tsukuba University of Technology and the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), where the English-translated PDF of the Blue Backs book and the English version of the tactile graphics collection are available:

[English-translated Blue Backs PDF files]

Tsukuba University of Technology Repository
KEK Repository

[English tactile graphics collection PDF files]

Tsukuba University of Technology Repository
KEK Repository

(*) The KEK repository is currently undergoing a system update as of April 22nd, 2026. A new link will be posted on this page once the update is complete.

 

Using royalties from the Blue Backs book, 50 copies of the English tactile graphics collection were printed and donated to organizations supporting visually impaired individuals, as well as to universities and research institutions around the world.

With this, the Institute of Particle and Nuclear Studies Braille Book Project has fulfilled its role and has now been completed. We sincerely thank everyone for your support and cooperation.

Braille Book Project Editorial Committee
Institute of Particle and Nuclear Studies（IPNS)
High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK)

(Last updated: April 22nd, 2026)