EAGER: Mechatronics Based Braille Writing Device for the Blind

目的世界上大约有1.8亿盲人和部分失明的人，其中1000万人生活在北美。盲人的终极教育工具是盲文字母表。读写这种字母表的能力是在盲人中传播识字和让盲人融入美国劳动力的关键。在许多支持盲人识字的设备中，阅读设备是极其高科技的，但先进的书写设备并不存在。这项探索性研究的主要目标是针对这一关键观察：设计和创造一种便携式、低成本和高效的基于机电一体化的设备，用于在标准纸上书写盲文字母。该设备将在全国盲人联合会(NFB，巴尔的摩)的咨询下开发，并得到国家盲文出版社(NBP，波士顿)和视障和盲人用户组织(VIBUG，波士顿)的帮助。创建书写装置的方法直接属于PI的专业知识，即机械工程设计和机电一体化。在NFB(见所附支持信)和VIBUG的支持下，该设备将与那些了解盲人社区需求的人一起开发。这里开展的工作非常适合EIGER(探索性研究早期概念补助金)，因为该项目是多学科和探索性的，而且它处于高风险/高回报的规模，旨在揭示解决盲人主要问题的变革性研究组成部分。智能优点1.新的书写设备集人体工程学、便携性和低成本于一身。该设备将在这些约束下成形。2.该设备基于机电一体化的强大功能将为盲人提供轻松的书写体验。3.书写装置的可行性将在测试该装置的受试者的帮助下进行彻底的评估。这些反馈不仅将改进新设备，还将推动人类因素和残疾研究的科学进步，揭示盲人阅读、书写和感知盲文的机制。更广泛的影响1.将通过许多向盲人提供产品的公司探索该设备在美国的传播。该装置的原型阶段将由东北大学机械与工业工程系的Capstone项目并行支持。这些活动将对机械和工业工程毕业班产生影响。2.新书写工具的出现将极大地帮助盲人在各级教育和劳动力中取得更大的成功。该设备将在课堂上快速做笔记，并将在盲人中激发诗歌和文学的灵感。3.为了启发写作，Pi的团队将在VIBUG的帮助下参与组织诗歌和文学活动。4.通过在该项目内取得的研究进展，将加强包括代表不足的初中生和高中生在内的民间社会宣传活动。

0921360SipahiObjectives There are about 180 million blind and partially sighted people in the world and 10 million of these people live in North America. The ultimate education instrument for the blind people is the Braille alphabet. The ability of reading and writing this alphabet is the key to spread literacy among the blind and for the blind to integrate into the workforce of the United States. Among many devices that support the literacy of blind, reading devices are extremely high-tech, but advanced writing devices do not exist. The main objective of this exploratory research is at this critical observation: Design and create a portable, low cost and effective mechatronics based device for writing Braille letters on a standard paper. The device will be developed in consultancy with the National Federation of the Blind (NFB, Baltimore) and with the help of National Braille Press (NBP, Boston) and Visually Impaired and Blind User Group (VIBUG, Boston). The methods to create the writing device is directly within the expertise of the PI, which is mechanical engineering design and mechatronics. With the support of NFB (see the support letter attached) and VIBUG, the device will develop with those who know the needs of the blind people community. The work undertaken here is a perfect fit for EAGER (Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research) as the project is multi-disciplinary and explatory in nature, and it is at high-risk/high-payoff scale targeted to surface the transformative research components in addressing a major problem of the blind. Intellectual Merit 1. The new writing device is a synergy of ergonomy, portability and low costs. The device will be shaped under these constraints. 2. The robust mechatronics based features of the device will accommodate easy writing experience for the blind. 3. The feasibility of the writing device will be thoroughly assessed by the help of subjects who will test the device. These feedback will not only improve the new device, but they will also advance the science in human factors and disability research in revealing the mechanisms as to how blind people read, write and sense the Braille. Broader Impacts 1. Dissemination of the device in the United States will be explored via numerous companies that offer products to the blind people. The prototyping stage of the device will be supported in parallel by capstone projects at Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department, Northeastern University. These activities will have impacts on both mechanical and industrial engineering graduating class. 2. The availability of the new writing device will be extremely helpful for the blind people to become more successful at all levels of education and workforce. The device will accommodate rapid note taking in class rooms, and it will inspire poetry and literature among the blind people. 3. To inspire writing, PI's team will take part in organizing poetry and literature activities with the help of VIBUG. 4. PIs outreach activities including underrepresented middle and high school students will be strengthened via the research progress attained within this project.