For the blind and visually impaired, learning to read Braille is very important. However, for most people, Braille learning resources are either too expensive or inefficient.
Now, a new educational puzzle can be 3D printed using an Ultimaker printer, allowing everyone to learn this important skill.
The ability to read Braille empowers visually impaired individuals to process information effectively without relying on screen reader technology. Learning Braille increases opportunities for higher education and employment by threefold.
Digital Braille reading devices cost over $1,000, making them unaffordable for 90% of blind and visually impaired people living in developing countries.
These places often provide only the most basic equipment and outdated learning materials, making it difficult for visually impaired individuals to master the skill.
This is where Fittle (3D printed) application is most appropriate.
Fittle Puzzle
A group of designers and eye care specialists created the first 3D printed Braille puzzle.
Fittle is a collaborative project between Indian designer Tania Jain, India's leading eye care institute LVPEI, German educational toy company Ravensburger, and the independent global communication organization Serviceplan.
Each puzzle set is divided into several pieces. When connected, they form words and objects. Connecting marks help learners to combine them by touch, and once assembled, the Braille word for the object is revealed.
"So far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. More and more children are able to learn Braille better with Fittle."
These parts are printed with a hollow design to minimize material usage. The low cost of 3D printing prototypes also allows for more perfect designs with feedback from blind users.
An increasing number of Fittle shapes have been specially designed for 3D printing and then distributed in many regions of India.
LVPEI uses Ultimaker to make puzzles Learning Braille with Fittle Fish
Expanding 3D Printing
With the support of Novabeans, the Fittle project team decided to adopt the Ultimaker 2+ 3D printer, which offered them the desired balance of price, quality, and usability. Their initial prototypes were made of wood, but a cheaper solution was needed for the product to truly become widely available.
The team initially tried larger industrial-grade 3D printers, but these proved to be too expensive or unable to reliably produce durable and accurate models. Using Ultimaker printers, Fittle can meet demand with 3D printed puzzles, which are then distributed to LVPEI's regional centers and given to Braille learners.
3D printing can make a huge difference. For $10,000, Fittle can provide four digital Braille readers or 200 Braille books.
But the same investment can provide 16,000 3D printed puzzles and the cost of the printer.
Christoph Bohlender, Creative Director at Serviceplan Health & Life, said: "So far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. More and more children are learning Braille better with Fittle."
Their plans for the future? The Fittle team hopes to fund more printers, send more puzzles, create more shapes, and eventually move to other regions.
You can visit the Fittle website to donate to the project, download models, or learn Braille!
Original source:https://ultimaker.com/en/stories/52510-3d-printed-puzzle-breaks-down-braille-barriers