Reading and Writing Images: Tactile Graphics
Tactile graphic images are used by individuals who are blind to obtain information that sighted people get from looking at pictures. For example, a student who is sighted in a geography class would have a difficult time learning about the different regions of the world without the use of maps. A student who is blind needs tactile maps to gain this information.
Tactile graphics are images that use raised surfaces so that a person who is visually impaired can feel them. They are used to convey non-textual information such as maps, paintings, graphs and diagrams.
Tactile graphics can be seen as a subset of accessible images. Images can be made accessible to the visually impaired in various ways, such as verbal description, sound, or haptic (tactual) feedback.
Tactile graphics are not a straight reproduction of the print graphic and does not include color or other visual additions.
When textbooks are produced in braille, they are often accompanied by tactile graphics. Most often, the transcriber produces the graphic along with the braille text. Teachers of students with visual impairment or blindness (TVIs) often produce tactile graphics to accompany classroom materials and activities. Students who are braille readers can also produce tactile graphics.
It is important to recognize that tactile graphics are not automatically meaningful to a child who is visually impaired or blind. Understanding the tactile “picture” requires that the reader develop an abstract concept about the “real” thing.
Tactile graphics need to be simple graphics that clearly represent an idea that must be represented in a spatial context. The more complex and detailed the graphic is the larger the tactile representation must be to convey the information.
In the surrounding images, see visual examples of learning about varied stuffs using variety of tactile forms.
Adapted from: Tactile Graphics by Lucia Hasty
More information available at:
Tactile Graphics Website by Lucia Hasty
Tactile Graphics for Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired by Perkins Learning
Guidelines and Standards for Tactile Graphics, 2010 by Braille Authority of North America (BANA)
TactileView: Leveling the Playing Field With Raised Images by American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
Tactile Graphics Instruction by Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
Planning and Designing Quality Tactile Graphics by American Publishing House (APH)
Tactile Graphics Image Library by American Publishing House (APH)
Tactile Pictures Pictorial Representation for the Blind 1784 - 1940 by Yvonne Eriksson, 1998
Center of Excellence in Tactile Graphics, IIT Delhi
NAB Sir Jamshedji Duggan Braille Press by National Association for the Blind (India)
Discussion of Standardization of Tactile Symbols for Students
About this Page
Tactile graphics is widely used to aid visualization for the visually impaired. While Braille itself is tactile, it is usually not considered as a form of tactile graphics as it concerns only dots.
Tactile graphics used raised lines and surface textures to communicate visual information through touch. It has, naturally, wide use in educational aids, like maps, geometry, anatomy; and day-to-day life like labeling, watch etc. Recently, advances in 3D printing technology has also made the use of tactile graphics possible for appreciation of visual arts or communication of emotions.
We present a glimpse of this very useful technology in the following sections:
Tactile Graphics Aids and Device: A wide range of low-, mid-, and high-tech aids and devices are discussed.
Tactile Graphics in India: We then take a specific look at the innovations in tactile graphics material as promoted in India. These are specifically targeted around low-cost and mass-based use. Some of them are localized for India (involving Indian languages and / or needs).
Visualizing Art by Tactile Graphics: At the cutting-edge of technology, classical are like Mona Lisa has been printed in Tactile form so that the unsighted can see it. A museum in Spain leads the way.
Tactile Emoticons: Research in Thailand has been able to show that visual and tactile perception on visible texture and surface texture can be correlated to create emotion expressions in tactile graphics in a Touch Project.
Tactile Graphics Technology: How is tactile graphics produced today from a 2D drawing to a tactile design to mass-production options? Fascinatingly emerging technology show the future.
Tactile Graphics Aids and Devices
Here we present a representative set of aids and devices that used tactile graphics. These are categorized as:
Low-Tech: These are based on simple mechanical aids, papers and models. Most of them are low cost and some of them can be built at home as well. These are used widely for educational purposes, used by students and teachers.
Mid-Tech: These device often use use more of technology, often use advanced material, and many of them can be used for creating tactile graphic contents as well. These are usually more expensive than the low-tech aids, however, they for use by advanced individual users.
High-Tech: These are mostly for mass production, depend on advanced technology and material, and often are expensive. Few high-tech aids are for individual use.
Low-Tech Aids and Devices
These clear, blank self-adhesive labels, available from APH, can be brailled and used to label graphics. The labels are available in a variety of sizes.
Provides heavy raised lines to guide in handwriting
Feel 'n Peel Sheets: Carousel of Textures
This collection of textures, available through APH, contains an assortment of sheet in a variety of textures and colors.
Bold Line Letter-Writing Paper
This paper has bold, black lines printed on paper without a margin
This Graphic Art tape is available through APH but can also be purchased commercially. It can be used to insert tactile lines on graphs, mark hand positions on embossed clock faces, illustrate geometric figures in math, create diagrams and show features on a map.
Tactile sheets each containing four embossed braille clock faces
This paper, available through APH, contains tactile colored sheets that can be cut and applied to other surfaces. See the list of suggestions on the Art page for more suggestions of materials that can be used.
Low-Relief Embossed Graph Sheets
These graph sheets are designed to help teachers and transcribers make charts and graphs
This two-volume set of thermoformed tactile graphics gives a comprehensive overview of the body. Includes the skeletal, muscular, nervous, and endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems. Each tactual diagram has braille and print labels accompanied by a brief braille description. A print version of each brailled text is contained in the included Instructional Text.
Picture Maker Geometric Textured Shapes
Use in combination with the diagramming strips and shapes included in the original kit. Can also be used with APH’s ALL-IN-ONE Board.Two puzzle frames with smooth and bumpy textured shapes are included. For optimal tactile and visual contrast, sort the red, smooth puzzle pieces into the bumpy, yellow puzzle frame and the bumpy, yellow puzzle pieces into the smooth, red puzzle frame.
A fun, squishy, tactile introduction to human anatomy.
Cast organs in different colors and arrange them in a transparent plastic torso!
Mix up colorful slime mixtures and pour them into the included molds to make some of the human body's major organs: the heart, lungs, kidneys, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, and liver.
Stamp a brain out of putty!
Pretend to be a doctor by experimenting with a safe plastic scalpel for a fun, mushy, hands-on learning experience!
Presented by Punam Devi, GSSS Bapoli, Panipat
Set of thermoformed raised-line drawings depicting geometry concepts, figures, and relationships. Graphics are larger and easier for students to measure than those in braille textbooks.
Kit includes 26 white plastic thermoform sheets measuring 8 1/2 x 11 inches. 52 drawings total. Includes two specially adapted protractors, a teacher’s guide in print and braille, and a storage binder.
Partial and Tactile Calendar System with Sharon Stelzer
In this Teachable Moment, Sharon Stelzer demonstrates a full-day calendar system that she developed for a 14 year old student. Sharon talks about how the student demonstrated readiness to transition from a half day (morning or afternoon) calendar to a full day system and how the calendar system was constructed to meet the student's needs.
The Tactile Book Builder Kit contains a wide selection of materials enabling users to quickly custom-make books of many kinds—firsthand experience storybooks, concept books, simple texture books, informational books, alphabet books, adaptations of print books, and more!
This video stresses the importance of introducing books and print (braille) to children with visual impairment as early as you would for a sighted child.
Mid-Tech Aids and Devices
This kit, available through APH, provides supplemental tools to be used with the original Crafty Graphics: Stencil Embossing Kit.
Crafty Graphics, Stencil Embossing Kit
This kit, available from APH, can be used to create embossed graphics. The kit contains stencils, embossing tools, and other items needed to create tactile graphics by dry pressure embossing. Use a light source, such as the APH lightbox, to place underneath sheets to be embossed.
Creating Collage Tactile Graphics on YouTube
The Swail Dot Inverter, available from APH, allows the user to construct simple diagrams, graphs, maps, etc. by embossing a series of single dots. Braille paper is placed on top of the rubber pad. The special sylus allows dots to be embossed upwards by puncturing the paper on the down stroke and then pulling the dot upwards on the up stroke. USE CAUTION as the stylus is VERY sharp!
DRAFTSMAN Tactile Drawing Board
The DRAFTSMAN, available through APH, is used in combination with special film and a stylus to create instant raised-line drawings. It can be used to create simple raised-line graphics. The board has a plastic frame that encases a double-layered rubber surface. Clamp a sheet of included drawing film onto the board and use the stylus or a ballpoint pen to quickly draw a raised image.
The Tactile Graphics Kit, available from APH, allows teachers to create custom tactile graphics. It allows you to create raised-line masters on heavy -gauge aluminum that can be reproduced using a vacuum-form machine. It includes a braille slate and stylus, braille eraser, rubber embossing pad, ruler, and foil sheets.
The inTACT Eraser is a battery operated eraser specifically designed for tactile drawing. It allows the user to erase mistakes and can also be used to create dashed lines. The eraser works like a miniature iron, heating the flat tip to approximately 180 degrees. It flattens tactile drawings quickly and erases them tactually. This eraser can be used in tandem with the inTACT Sketchpad or it can be used with the APH Draftsman.
The inTACT Sketchpad is a great alternative to the Draftsman. It is particularly beneficial for students to use and create their own tactual graphics due to its ease of use. When the cover is lifted, there is a recessed area to place the drawing sheet on. Magnet strips completely cover the perimeter of the board creating a secure closing when the lid is lowered.
High-Tech Aids and Devices
It is a simple, fast method of creating tactile maps and graphics. Print onto specialty paper through a standard printer or copy machine. Next, run the paper through the Swell-Form graphics Machine. The heat reacts to the black ink and swells, creating a tactile image.
This creates tactile and talking maps, tailored to the needs of blind people, like the ones developed by LightHouse. Audio-tactile technology allows the maps to maintain a clean design and provide easily changeable information.
Referred in Infra in Mobility
Picture in a Flash Tactile Graphic Maker (PIAF)
PIAF is a simple and fast way to prepare tactile graphics. It makes raised line drawings on special paper, called capsule or swell paper. Users can draw, print or photocopy pictures onto the swell paper and pass it through the PIAF. The heat causes the lines to swell as it reacts to the carbon in the ink, and then the drawing can be read with the fingers.
A Thermoform Machine is the most accurate way to reproduce braille text and tactile graphics. To use, place a master copy or mold onto the machine, then place a sheet of specialized plastic material, Brailon, on top of it and close the clamp. Once the clamp has been engaged, slide the heating element to the front and wait a few seconds. When it is removed, there will be a tactual graphic of the master copy.
Material Extrusion (FDM): Material is selectively dispensed through a nozzle or orifice
Vat Polymerization (SLA & DLP): Liquid photopolymer in a vat is selectively cured by UV light
Powder Bed Fusion (SLS, DMLS & SLM): A high-energy source selectively fuses powder particles
Material Jetting (MJ): Droplets of material are selectively deposited and cured
Binder Jetting (BJ): Liquid bonding agent selectively binds regions of a powder bed
Direct Energy Deposition (LENS, LBMD): A high-energy source fuses material as it is deposited
Sheet Lamination (LOM, UAM): Sheets of material are bonded and formed layer-by-layer
Tactile Graphics in India
The Centre of Excellence in Tactile Graphics (COETG), set up as part of the ASSISTECH group at IIT Delhi, aims at empowering the persons with visual impairment by providing access to figures and diagrams in a meaningful and comprehensible tactile form.
The centre has developed technology for producing high-quality yet very affordable tactile diagrams using 3-D printing for mold making and thermoforming for actual production of tactile diagrams. ASSISTECH is also working on using the latest image processing and machine learning techniques for automating production of tactile diagrams meeting applicable International guidelines.
CoETG has incubated two successful startups (see below):
Further, Centre For Rehabilitation Engineering And Assistive Technology (CREATE), An Interdisciplinary assistive technology research center at IIT Madras, has created Tactograph - Tactile graphics printer.
Raised Line Foundation
Raised Lines Foundation (RLF), a Section 8 company incubated at IIT Delhi, started in 2015 under Centre of Excellence in Tactile Graphics (CoETG), to develop end to end solutions for tactile diagrams in affordable and scalable manner.
Golden Shine Guitar Self-Learning Manual
This guitar learning manual aids students in learning guitar chords with the help of tactile graphics. Golden Shine Cultural Welfare Trust supports to enable the visually impaired student to learn and play guitar.
Ashoka University Tactile Site Plan
Independent access, when visiting a wide variety of buildings and venue is a concern for many visually impaired people. Tactile map is one of the solution, contribute to support independent living and to a more inclusive environment. It allows independent choices to be made about where to go and what to do within an area or building. In this project we are working with Ashoka University to enable visually impaired people to engage with a campus environment more independently
Economics for Senior Secondary Stage
This manual contains selected topics in Economics for senior secondary stage with focus on students with visual impairment and hearing impairment in inclusive setting. The manual is designed to facilitate understanding amongst teachers to teach Economics at senior secondary level to all students including VI and HI.
A tactile atlas containing 22 tactile maps with the description in text + Braille.
RLF joined hands with DAG for the conversion of various artworks into tactile for their exhibition at Red Fort and Varanasi. These artworks were painted in 18th Century by famous artists of the time.
The above painting is of M F Pithawalla, an unidentified Parsi lady as the Braille inscriptions below depict
Tactile Books from RLF
TouchVision
TOUCHVISION - Enabling Inclusive Education
TouchVision started as an M. Tech project at IIT Delhi in 2015. Further research and development is supported by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology through CoETG, IIT Delhi initiative.
The team comprises of experts with prior experience in assistive technologies for visually impaired people at ASSISTECH, IIT Delhi.
Our vision is to contribute to Development with All, for All agenda for inclusive development by speeding up the inclusion of persons with visual impairment in education ecosystem.
Multisensory Learning
Augments audio with tactile diagram to enhance understanding for children with visual impairment
User Centric Design
Audio instructions and talkback compatible application interface for user assistance. Tactile graphics design as per international guidelines.
Image Processing
Mobile app tracks finger movement over tactile graphic and provides audio label and description
Works with Any Tangible Object
For storybooks, flash cards, counting games, alphabet learning games and many more
Interactive Tactile Graphics
Kids wear pointer ring to listen to audio label and description of tactile diagram. Supports multi-layer description through gestures for individualized learning
Beyond Braille
Beyond Braille is one-of-a-kind tactile picture series designed for the visually impaired community. This series comes as a breakthrough research to explore pictures like never before.
These tactile picture braille books and resources include storybooks, menu cards, manuals, maps, greetings, packaging, signage, calendars, and everything visual. The designs are contemplated for the visually impaired, be it any age or levels of ability.
It offers a range of:
Beyond Braille was founded in 2014 by Nupur Agarwal, a creative visualize from Surat.
nupur@beyondbraille.com, +91 81414 11879
Tactograph: Low-Cost Plain Paper Tactile Graphics Printer
Centre For Rehabilitation Engineering And Assistive Technology (CREATE), An Interdisciplinary assistive technology research center at IIT Madras, has created Tactograph - Tactile graphics printer.
Visually impaired people face many challenges and difficulties in their daily life. One of the best ways to help in their life is by educating them. For their knowledge source, they are mainly depending on feeling things. As a solution Braille system was introduced however children joining primary school feel this difficult in learning. The combination of tactile graphical shapes, they can study with better understanding. Tactile based materials are the best way of knowledge for visually impaired. Tactile printing techniques like thermal embossing, UV curing adhesive are developed as a solution. The main disadvantage of this type of printing is that they require special type of papers for printing which makes this type of printing higher cost per paper and none of this techniques use previously printed Braille books for reprinting graphical shapes. We have designed a special Tactograph printer with low cost and easily refillable fluid cartridge system. With this printer, shapes have been created on any A4 sheet which will give interactive reading experience for visually impaired.
We designed Tactograph a tactile printer based on fluid in a replaceable cartridge. This can print any tactile shapes on a normal paper. We have implemented this technique with a 2 dimensional axis controlled mechanism having a fluid extruder with replaceable cartridge. This replaceable cartridge feature makes it easier to refill the fluid. We have achieved tactile image of average height 4mm on a A4 sheet with ±1mm tolerance in width of tactile shapes.
Tactograph Print Sample 1
Tactograph Print Sample 2
Tactograph
The world's first complete atlas for the blind was published in the United States in 1837. It used raised letters of the alphabet instead of braille, since the latter, created in 1825, was not in popular use at the time. Named the Atlas of the United States Printed for the Use of the Blind, it was created for children and published in Boston. Samuel G. How, founder of the New England Institute for the Education of the Blind (now known as Perkins), created the volume with the help of John C. Cray and Samuel P. Ruggles.
First map in the atlas, of Maine, with dotted lines showing the border with Canada and New Hampshire. Numbers and letters indicate towns, rivers and lakes, and numbers 6 through 9 and 44 through 47 show longitude from Washington D.C. and latitude. The map shows a scale of 50 miles.
Source: David Rumsey Map Collection
Braille Tactile Atlas of India
The Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Dr. Harsh Vardhan released the Special Edition of Atlas for Visually Impaired (India) in English Braille. The Braille Atlas has been prepared by National Atlas and Thematic Mapping Organization (NATMO) under Department of Science & Technology.
NATMO has recently walked ahead to prepare Braille atlases for visually impaired persons. NATMOs long effort from metallic tactile maps to silk-screen printing technology to prepare a full volume of atlas is perhaps unique in the World.
The Minister expressed happiness at the production of these Atlases. He said these atlases will be distributed to various schools across the country for educating the students with visual challenges. Efforts are being made to make these atlases more cost effective than the current price of Rs.600/- per atlas with 20 maps now.
About 20 maps on different themes of physical, socio-economic and cultural aspects such as river system, natural vegetation, Metropolitan cities, Roads and Railways, Food crops and cash crops have been incorporated in the atlas with write-ups on every map as ready reference.
Key Facts
In the Braille Atlas, maps are raised and embossed with simple point and lines symbols to facilitate users to realize the location and area coverage easily in terms of distinguishable shapes and textures. The legend and reference is placed on the map in Braille script to navigate the map.
It is made using indigenously developed silk-screen painting technology. The legend and reference is also placed on map in Braille script to navigate map.
About 20 maps on different themes of physical, socio-economic and cultural aspects of the country have been incorporated in it.
The Atlas will be distributed free of cost to various schools across the country for educating the students with visual challenges.
It was awarded National award for S&T intervention in empowering the physically challenged by the Prime Minister in January, 2017 at the Indian Science Congress held in Tirupati.
Sources
World's first Braille Atlas for visually impaired persons released in New Delhi, GKToday, 2017
NATMO Prepared Braille Atlas for Visually Impaired, GIS Resources, 2017
Braille atlas to give new vision to students to study maps, ToI, 2017
Created in 2017, it uses raised lines and the Braille system to empower visually challenged Indians with 84 detail-rich pages, Outlook Traveler, 2020
Braille Atlas Release and Study
Release by Union Minister
Press Conference
Visualizing Art by Tactile Graphics
Blind People Can Finally "See" Art through Touch in this Museum of Madrid
The Museum of Prado, located in Madrid, is one of the most famous art galleries in Europe. In 2015, it released exhibits that allow the blind to enjoy some of Western art’s greatest masterpieces by recreating them in textured 3d paintings that allow the paintings to be viewed when touched.
These 3D copies of the paintings, developed with help from experts who are also visually impaired, were created using a 3D printing technique called Didu., developed by Estudios Durero, a design agency in Bilbao, Spain. The idea is that the raised 3d images will make it easier for blind people to perceive and create mental images of the six paintings in the exhibit. The paintings come with audio guides and braille texts, and non-blind visitors can receive darkened glasses to experience the new paintings as they were intended.
On left: Details of La Gioconda or Mona Lisa (Leonardo da Vinci, 1503-06). Courtesy Museo Del Prado
The Nobleman With His Hand On His Chest (El Greco, 1580)
Closeup of The Nobleman With His Hand On His Chest (El Greco, 1580)
The Parasol (Goya, 1777)
Noli Me Tangere (Antonio da Correggio, 1525)
Braille Art
It’s pretty common to see signs exclaiming “don’t touch the exhibits” in art galleries and museums. While this might sometimes be an important instruction to preserve the exhibit, it also deprives those who cannot see the art of the pleasure of its experience - or at least limits it to a secondary experience of reading a description of it. There is a dearth of visual art that considers the perspective of those with visual impairments, and how perspectives can be a part of art itself.
Fortunately however, some artists are now turning to Braille as a medium of representing the perspectives and experiences of the visually impaired community. While the tactile form of the script encourages people with visual impairments to indulge in touch - and hence subverts typical forms of ‘visual’ art - it can also offer creative ways to visualize the script for sighted viewers.
The well-known sighted visual artist and painter, Roy Nachum, set up an exhibition called "BLIND" which combines painting with Braille signage. The paintings illustrate surrealistic images of a fantasy realm, and poems inspired by the paintings are incorporated into the painting in Braille, in an attempt to “test our reliance on what we see and force different viewers to re-orient their perception of a work by also employing their sense of touch.”
Self Portrait, 2008-2009, Oil on canvas, (200x171cm). Courtesy of Roy Nachum
My hope is to strike a variety of emotional chords with blind readers/viewers that is similar, but not identical to what different people with sight take away from a painting. I wanted to test our reliance on what we see and force different viewers to re-orient their perception of a work by also employing their sense of touch. Our visual sense is far more complex than we realize. Memory and imagination play a major part in our interpretation of what is actually in front of us, I want to "Open People’s Eyes.
Accessible Art
Why is touching artwork so taboo?
Prior to the mid-1800s, tactile interaction was commonplace for visitors experiencing collections of art, but as museums of art evolved, rules forbidding touch became the norm. In some cases, these were to protect artwork that truly was not meant to be touched, but in large part these norms had nothing do with preservation and everything to do with nineteenth century politics of gender, race and class control.
But that's changing with tactile or touch art:
Screw Art
One day a blind man discovered a screw painting by Andrew Myers with his hands. The blind man found as much enjoyment out of the tactile elements of the work as any sighted person ever has by just looking at them. Andrew considers this moment as one of the most inspiring of his career.
Thus we decided to create a documentary that elevates the level of tactile arts, and gives back to the visually impaired community. It was at that point that we met George Wurtzel.
George is a blind artisan and teacher working at Enchanted Hills Camp in Napa Ca. This is a 300 acre camp nestled in the red wood forest above Napa Valley. Enchanted Hills is a summer camp for the visually impaired. Here George teaches blind folks, through example, how to use all the equipment necessary to become blind artisans. Currently, George is converting an old grape crushing barn into a Tactile Art Center.
We fell in love with George and his mission and wanted to support his new tactile art gallery. So we worked with Andrew Myers to surprise George with a tactile portrait of himself. The first portrait he will be able to feel and recognize.
George Wurtzel experiencing his screw portrait by Andrew Myers
Accessible Art in India
Braille Sculpture
Terracotta Braille sculpture done during Tihar camp
I was doing my art course at Indira Kala Sangit University in Khairagarh when I met two wonderful people. I was their scribe during examinations. In the room, they used to ask me for paper to make notes and I gave them fresh sheets. But, then they asked for the paper I had discarded. I was surprised and asked why they needed waste paper. Their answer was an eye-opener for me. They said, ‘Vijaya, for you, it may be waste paper because you see colors and lines on it. But, we don’t see that. For us, it is plain paper’.
They would arrange the paper and emboss Braille letters on them. A human with all five senses is called a perfect creature. If one organ is lacking, she/he is treated differently and that person follows a different metaphor for communication. I use such unusual elements of expression, used by disabled people to learn and communicate, in my works.
- Vijaya Chauhan
Turning Braille into art, 2017
Braille Graffiti
Professor Ishan Chakraborty with the Braille graffiti Subaltern
The Braille graffiti project at Jadavpur University, Kolkata, came about in 2020 as part of a class presentation on graffiti and disability by The Graffiti Joint group for the M.A. final year course at department of English, coordinated by Prof. Ishan Chakraborty, a person with visual disability.
Inspired by a series of Braille graffiti by an artist called ‘The Blind’ in Europe, the group put up a similar installation at the UG arts building in our university. That’s how India’s first Braille graffiti was created.
The graffiti reads ‘subaltern’ and was made it by sticking halves of table tennis balls on the wall with screws and cement.
From L to R: Subhradeep Chatterjee, Professor Ishan Chakraborty, Utsa Ghosh, Emon Bhattacharya, Chandrima Mukhopadhyay, Anik Mandal and Manikankana Sengupta
Graffiti, as an art form, has always gone beyond the boundaries of artistic expression and aesthetics, with its political undertones – aiming to start a dialogue about various issues.
Braille graffiti is particularly effective as it enables and encourages interaction between the blind and the visually abled.
This is one of those moments when as a teacher you feel so proud of your students. I take immense pride in declaring that this is the first braille graffiti, to the best of my knowledge, in West Bengal, if not in the entire country. We can say this is one of the many small steps towards making the department culturally accessible, which is as important as making the space physically accessible.
- Prof. Ishan Chakraborty, 2020
Accessible Museums
Siddhant Shah, a young Mumbai-based heritage architect and disability access consultant was on a study trip to Greece, when he was exposed to the idea of disabled-friendly museums. That, coupled with his mother’s partial vision loss, motivated Shah to look at ways to transform art into a tactile experience back in India.
The reason we want to make it in Braille is because a book endures, it will stay with them. Besides we wanted to expose them to a new kind of reading. Most of the books the blind read are education-related. By offering art in Braille, we make the language a richer experience.
– Siddhant Shah
The result has been an explosion of ideas that are spreading far and wide. Most recently Shah gave tactile form to photographs at the Serendipity Art Fair 2018 in Goa, something never attempted in India before. From fishing nets to boats, the exhibits brought the blind closer to their own world.
Be it the DAG Modern Gallery, the Anubhav Tactile Gallery in Delhi, or the City Palace of Jaipur, Shah is determined to make this approach to art one that is integral. He has taken this outside India as well, like the National Museum in Kuala Lumpur and the Braille coins at the Karachi Museum.
I think one of the best things is that when the blind touch these paintings or objects, they don’t need any one’s help. They can enjoy it like everyone else independently, without needing someone to explain to them and say its a clown, or a jaali window, etc.
– Siddhant Shah
Accessibility needs to be a habit, not a virtue
– Siddhant Shah, CEO, AFA
ACCESS = EXPERIENCE
Access for ALL aims at pushing the boundaries of physical, intellectual and social access through innovative, indigenous design and advocacy while fostering an INCLUSIVE experiential culture.
Team ALL focuses on access audits, interpretation & educational activities, inclusive outreach programs, sensitization & awareness program, braille-tactile kits, braille books and CSR based engagement programs.
The projects of Access for ALL include:
‘Divine TOUCH’- a tactile art workshop for children with visual impairment
Senses 2.o – Serendipity Arts Festival 2017
Pustaka Bookaroo – Kuching, Malaysia
National Museum, New Delhi
MSMS II Museum Trust (City Palace, Jaipur)
DAG Modern, New Delhi, Mumbai
Serendipity Arts Festival
State Bank Museum, Karachi, Pakistan
UNESCO World Heritage Site, Jantar Mantar, Jaipur
Further reading
The Creativity in Braille: Art for the Visually Impaired, Thinkerbell Labs, 2020
Biennale includes braille text, 2019: The Kochi-Muziris Biennale, which is centered around the theme of inclusivity, has launched 25 braille guides
The stigma is unbelievable, 2017: Country's first 'museum braille book' for City Palace Museum, Jaipur
How inclusive design can change the way we access museums, 2017
Braille Graffiti, 2007
Touch Artist in India
A tactile-visual re-imagining of ‘Wallpaper’ magazine created by Parinda Sakdanaraseth in the Touch Project
Tactile pattern pieces created using puffed color screen printing
Relationship between tactile-visual textures: Positive
Relationship between tactile-visual textures: Negative
Tactile Emoticon
Fascinated by the sense of touch and with background in Graphic Design, Parinda Sakdanaraseth embarked on the explorations of Tactile Emoticons to impart a better quality of experience for, say, story books to the people with visual impairment. An emoticon or emotion icon is a pictorial representation of a facial expression using characters - usually punctuation marks, numbers, and letters, or just icon images - to express a person's feelings, mood or reaction. It is one of the power tool for social media communication today.
Naturally, visually impaired people cannot use this language of communication. So Parinda explored if the surface texture of papers can naturally represent different emotions. Paper, whether smooth, rough, eggshell-like or matte, can create almost infinite outcomes when combined with printing techniques for us to experience through both seeing and touching.
This created Touch Project, an experimental design series that aimed to create a common language for communicating to both visual and visually impaired users, by integrating visual and tactile graphic design techniques.
Using tactile textured patterns created by the puffed color technique, Parinda worked with a fully-blind Fine Art student Lookpla to draw out some of the links between emotions and tactile patterns. During this session, she handed her the textured pieces one at a time. As she touched each one, she told Parinda if the piece held positive or negative associations, and which emotion it reminded her of. Lookpla gave Parinda a different answer for each of the 35 pieces and was able to recall precisely all the pieces she had touched.
There was very interesting observation that there is strong overlap between Parinda's perceptions as a visual user making associations with the eyes and Lookpla as a visually-impaired user making associations through the touch. For example the two patterns shown below were identified by both as confused and calm.
The images are interpreted by sighted as well as unsighted subjects. Sighted subject put the visual feeling while the unsighted put the tactile feeling. Left: The pattern consisting of randomly patterned dots interpreted by both as confused. Right: The pattern interpreted by both as calm
The booklet Love, used embossing techniques on translucent film. Tactile patterns included Lonely, Frustrated and Happy
Feel the View
Ford Motor Company has revealed a unique technology prototype that would allow blind and partially blind passengers to use their sense of touch to enjoy scenic drives.
The Feel The View smart window features a device that takes pictures of landscapes passing by a vehicle and transforms them into high-contrast monochrome images. Those images are translated to LED smart glass via vibrations. The intensity of the vibration is indicative of gray scale, giving the passenger a sense of what’s visible around the vehicle through touch — the deeper the gray, the stronger the vibration. An AI voice assistant then gives the passenger a sense of what they’re feeling by telling them what they’re feeling.
Ford’s Feel The View smart window was developed by Ford of Italy and GTB Roma in partnership with Aedo, a startup specializing in tools to aid the visually impaired.
Ford has said that the technology is merely a prototype that is not currently slated for any kind of mass production, but the potential to enrich the lives of the blind and visually impaired by letting them experience some of the wonders of the open road certainly seems to be an avenue worth further exploration.
Source: Ford Reveals Feel The View Smart Window for the Blind, The News Wheel, 2020
Tactile Graphics Design Process
Tactile Graphics Production Process
Standard for Tactile Graphics
Swell Touch Paper
Embossing Foil
Tactile Graphics Technology
There is no documented references to the use of tactile graphics prior to the opening of the first school for the blind in Paris France, by Valentin Haüy (1745-1822) in 1784. Biographies of Louis Braille (1809-1852) describe how his father, a saddle maker, used tacks hammered into a piece of wood to outline the shapes of letters. Teachers used their ingenuity and materials at hand to create tactile images and models. Dr. Yvonne Eriksson has nicely chronicled this development in Tactile Pictures Pictorial Representation for the Blind 1784 - 1940
About this section:
Here we present a brief overview of Tactile Technology which is fast becoming a strong enabler at low-cost for support to blind thanks to advances in 3D printing technology.
What are Tactile Diagrams? After an overview of tactile diagrams, we outline the design and reproductions processes.
Conversion of 2D Images to Tactile Graphics: Design of tactile graphics usually starts with a 2D image which is converted to Stereolithography (STL) file in a few simple steps
Master Creation and Reproduction: Large scale production of tactile graphics involve making 2.5D master and then printing or copying it.
A Brief History of 3D Printing: The enabling 3D printing technology has immensely evolved over the past 30+ years. We take a look.
Creating Tactile Graphics from University of Colorado presents detailed illustrated process of building better books.
What are Tactile Diagrams?
Images and diagrams that are normally used by sighted people for understanding concepts or conveying information are useless for visually impaired people. Tactile Graphics are images that consist of raised lines and textures that can be used by people with visual impairment to understand some graphical information using their sense of touch.
As per the estimate of WHO there are 38 million visually impaired people of which 90% of them live in the developing world. India has more than 5 million visually impaired people as per 2011 census (largest for any country). Currently many of the visually impaired students are unable to pursue subjects like sciences beyond the 8th standard partly because of lack of good diagrams explaining concepts. Books for visually impaired people are normally completely in Braille text with no accompanying graphical images.
Tactile Graphics are produced using embossing or other technologies on physical medium like swell paper or PVC sheets. This technology is very useful in various fields like Education where textual content in Braille can be made more comprehensible using tactile diagrams.
Conversion of 2D Images to Tactile Graphics
Tactile diagram is not a direct conversion of visual image to raised representation. With vision, a lot of information can be captured in a glance wherein through touch, information is sequentially gathered and then integrated to form final image in mind. Therefore, various points based on BANA Guidelines (Braille Authority of North America) are considered for conversion of a visual image to a tactile image. Overall flow for conversion of normal diagram or image to Tactile Graphics is as follows:
Analyze the images to understand its complexity, number and size of regions, positioning of labels etc
Redesign the image using the professional graphic design software based on international guidelines.
Assign suitable textures, line styles and add Braille labels.
Convert the file into 3D printer suitable formal and add height
Transfer the STL file to production team for mold creation and thermoforming
Master Creation and Reproduction
There are a variety of techniques and technologies available for producing tactile graphics. Some techniques are used for making masters (moulds from the drawing) or small-scape production, and others on large-scale production by copying the master.
Master Creation
Collage Method: A collage is created by gluing a variety of materials to a substrate. These are usually masters constructed for the purpose of producing thermoformed copies. The substrate of a collage is usually tagboard. It is important to keep the substrate from bending. The tactile image is designed in layers. Tactilists have used a wide variety of materials. Some examples include sandpaper, textured cloth, string, wire, other pieces of tagboard, papier-mâché, polymer clay, and embossing foil.
Embossing Foil: One way of creating masters is by embossing large sheets of heavy gauge aluminum foil known as embossing foil. Labels, symbols, and special textures can be embossed. The foil sheet is placed on a rubber pad and special tools are used to form lines, textures and symbols. A slate can be used to add braille labels.
Capsule Paper: Capsule paper is a generic name for various paper and fabric-based products treated with a coating of micro capsules - each of which is filled with alcohol. Carbon-based ink is used to form an image on the coated side of the paper. When exposed to infrared light, any microcapsule that has been inked absorbs the light, heats up, and expands due to the vaporization of the alcohol inside it. The process is a small scale version of the action of popcorn being popped. The paper will then contain a tactile image.
Capsule paper can be printed on with inkjet printers as long as the ink contains carbon. It is also possible to copy an image onto capsule paper using a copier.
American Thermoform (Swelltouch™)
Humanware (Picture in a Flash™)
Repro-Tronics (Flexi Paper™ Tactile Image Enhancer)
Computer Numerically Controlled Machining: Computer numerically controlled machining (CNC) is a process for the production of masters, or molds from which masters can be created. Graphics software is utilized to create the image from which the casting then takes place. A negative of the image is carved into a piece of plastic such as acrylic or Plexiglas™. Silicone rubber is then poured into the mold creating a positive image. This positive image is in turn used as the master in a thermoform machine.
Large-scale Production
Paper Embossers: Some braille embossers, like Tiger family of embossers manufactured by ViewPlus Technologies, can produce tactile graphics. Tiger embossers are able to produce dots of varying height and spacing. As a result, images can have a variety of lines and shaded areas.
The Index and Enabling Technologies (Dancing Dots) families of embossers can create images with specialized software packages.
Thermoforming: Thermoforming is used mostly for copying collage and embossed foil masters. Historically, thermoforming was used as a way to copy braille materials utilizing the Perkins braillewriter. A master is placed on a perforated plate called a manifold. A sheet of plastic, often Brailon™ (a plastic-like paper developed specifically for use with Thermoform machines), is placed on top and heated for about ten seconds. Then a vacuum pump removes air from between the plastic and master. The result is a copy. Other types of plastic can be used such as PolyVinyl Chloride (PVC).
3D Printing: 3D printing, or Additive Manufacturing (AM), is the construction of a three-dimensional object from a CAD model or a digital 3D model - the blueprint of the physical object. This model is sliced by the printer's software into thin, 2D layers and then turned into a set of instructions in machine language (G-code) for the printer to execute.
3D printers work by various processes - desktop FDM printers melt plastic filaments and lay it down onto the print platform through a nozzle while large industrial SLS machines use a laser to melt (or sinter) thin layers of metal or plastic powders.
Common 3D Printers use Fusion Deposition Modeling - the latest technology to become commercially available as the Roland DG family of LEC printers that use epoxy based ink cured by ultraviolet (UV) light. The ink is deposited by technology similar to that used on inkjet printers. This process creates a very long lasting image. When successive layers of ink are deposited, the image becomes tactile. The LEC printers can produce quality braille, as well as raised lines of various forms and textures.
Adapted from: An Introduction to Tactile Graphics By Robert Stuart Jaquiss
A Brief History of 3D Printing
Chronologically speaking:
1945: The general concept of and procedure to be used in 3D-printing was first described by Murray Leinster in his 1945 short story Things Pass By
1964: The sci-fi author, Arthur C. Clarke, in an interview with BBC, predicted the Internet, 3D Printers and Trained Monkey Servants.
1981: 3D printing through the additive process was first invented by Hideo Kodama. He created a product that used ultraviolet lights to harden polymers and create solid objects. This is a stepping stone to SLA.
1987: Charles Hull invented Stereolithography (SLA), where the object is printed layer by layer, rinsed with a solvent, and hardened with an ultraviolet light. The process uses CAD to create the 3D models.
1988: Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), developed by Scott Crump, is known as the desktop 3D printers because it is the most commonly used form of the technology. To form an object, the printer heats a cable of thermoplastic into liquid form and extrudes it layer by layer. The patent was awarded to Stratasys Inc in 1989.
1980s: Cost of 3D Printers upwards of $300k (Accounting for inflation the price would be $650k in 2016). Over time this price dropped due to high demand, supply and innovation.
1990: Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is more advanced form of 3D printing, developed by Carl Deckard and Joe Beaman. It uses additive manufacturing and a powder polymer, typically nylon, to create objects.
1980s-1990s: Some of the leading companies were founded: FARO Technologies (1981), 3D Systems (1986), Z Corporation (1986), Stratasys (1989), EMaterialise NV (1990), ExOne Co. (1995), Proto Labs (1999)
2009: The patents on FDM expired and cost of 3D Printers came down to $2,000 from $200,000.
2010s: According to Wohlers Reports, the adoption of 3D printing keeps growing. More than 1 million desktop 3D printers were sold globally between 2015 and 2017.
4D printing adds the dimension of transformation over time to a 3D printed object. This will soon prove to be a great technology for assistive material for the blind.
2020: Decent quality printers, using FDM, can be found for less than US$200 for entry level machines.
Adapted from: 3D printing and A brief history of 3D printing