Team members L-R

Mathew Samuel
Brian Olson
Eric Rivera
Cheung Lee
Charles Moore
Hanhthao Ho

Need Analysis

The current tactile teaching aids that blind children use have limited textures and height differences and are essentially 2-dimensional. These teaching aids need to be redesigned to improve the blind children's learning process.

Redesign Proposal

Model improved versions of tactile teaching aids which incorporate greater depth and texture using Pro/ENGINEER and produce them using the stereolithography machine located in the Advanced Design and Manufacturing Laboratory.

Redesign Approach

1. Visit the Maryland School for the Blind to learn about current tactile teaching aids.
2. Determine which models could be constructed with greater depth and texture.
3. Produce several versions of each model in 3-dimensional space using Pro/ENGINEER.
4. Determine which version is the best and produce it on the stereolithography machine.
5. Make a 2-dimensional color printout of the Pro/ENGINEER model on plastic thermoform sheets.
6. Use the model as a mold to produce copies of the teaching aid to be distributed in the classroom.

Pro/ENGINEER Models

Design Considerations

The advanced design capabilities of Pro/ENGINEER make it possible to easily incorporate certain design characteristics in the tactile teaching aids which are difficult to produce manually by hand.
Converging lines - A circular point larger than surrounding points helps identify the point where multiple lines converge.


Arrows - The tips of arrows should be large and easily felt.


Braille dots - Braille dots for numbers and letters should have rounded tops so people can properly read them with their fingers. It is difficult to discern between adjacent dots when the tops are flat.

Models - 3D models help the initial understanding of concepts.


Thermoform Sheets - Color thermoform printouts of the colored solidview Pro/ENGINEER model are created to make the thermoform sheets more attractive to sighted people and to help sighted people visually refer to the model.

Conclusion

This project was extremely beneficial to both the team and the Maryland School for the Blind. It allowed team members to gain valuable Pro/ENGINEER experience. In the process we created three of the learning aids on stereolithography and gave the Maryland School for the Blind valuable tactile learning aids.

Links

American Council of the Blind

American Foundation for the Blind

Creating tactile graphics from start to finish

Creating tactile maps for the blind using a GIS

National Federation of the Blind

Dr. Zhang's homepage