Project Summary

In an age of forever increasing digitization, issues arise with equalizing opportunities for the blind.  As Universities push for the adoption of new technologies such as braille printers, blind students may be left behind other students.  This presents a lack of resources for blind students, especially when it comes to situations which require 3D images (e.g. 3D curves in calculus, maps, etc.).  Currently, there are no existing devices that utilize a refreshable display in order to display 3D images.

Team 5 has constructed a device that will be able to receive image files, analyze and process the image in terms of color intensity, and then output these results via a 3D pin matrix display, with color intensity determining the height of each pin. 

The device will feature a 32 by 32 pin matrix display that will be adjustable from zero to one inch.  This resolution was picked so that users will be able to utilize their entire hands to feel the image, creating a more immersive experience.  The pins will be held captive by independent grooved panels, and will be set by a servo which moves along rails for X and Y axes motion.  The servo will have a mechanism to convert rotational motion to Z axis motion, which will set pins to the desired height.  Pins are then be "locked" into place by increasing pressure on the pins.  This will all be controlled by an Arduino microcontroller.

The refreshable nature of this device means that the device has numerous practical applications, with functionality that is currently unavailable in the marketplace.  It will also be far less costly than the use of non-refreshable technology.