scribIT: a System for Freehand Production, Editing, Communication and Reproductio

描述（由申请人提供）：该项目的最终目标是为盲人和低视力（B/LV）个人销售一种机电和软件系统，该系统将使徒手绘图的创建、交流和复制成为可能。在学校，在家里和在工作场所，几乎每个人都需要能够产生各种各样的手绘草图，图表，驾驶方向，平面图，设计，图表，图表，流程图，手写数学和艺术。B/LV社区目前可以购买凸起的线条绘图工具包，类似于铅笔和纸，其允许通过用触针在塑料片上划线来一次性产生触觉绘图。用户无法完成的是擦除和更正;在单张纸上重复绘图和擦除;复制和复制;以及数字记录、传输和共享凸起的线条图--这严重限制了教育的工具和主题，并大大缩小了就业机会。拟议的产品线将是E.A.S.Y. LLC（Engineering to Help and Support You）它将通过将（1）数字化绘图板;（2）热激活橡皮擦;和（3）机器人凸行打印机捆绑到一个系统中来解决上述未满足的需求。的目标 建议的短期技术研究计划第一期工程，是评估申请人的打印机技术工程概念的可行性。“可行性”意味着有效凸起线的一致生产和凸起线图纸文件的忠实复制。该项目的工程成果将是优化当前原型性能所需的改进。具体目的是评估申请人的机械化凸起线条绘画技术的功效，首先通过客观测量（例如线条高度、宽度、均匀性和可重复性;以及复制品对原件的保真度），然后通过主观测量（包括盲评估者的评级和识别熟悉形状的机械化印刷品的能力）。佛蒙特大学的一名研究员将提供两名高级工程教师的机会，他们指导了这一努力的学生项目阶段，导致了目前的原型。科尔曼博士拥有机电一体化、设计、计算和机械分析方面的专业知识。罗森博士是用户交互产品开发、设计方法和残疾人产品开发方面的专家。该项目的第二阶段续集将进一步开发数字化平板电脑和橡皮擦，并与优化的 打印机准备和评估市场就绪的系统。E.A.S. Y该商业计划要求与全国盲人联合会和伙伴公司合作开展营销工作，将产品线扩展到教育用触觉图形工具，并开发新产品以满足大众市场和残疾用户的需求。该计划的资金将通过投资、贷款、与其他公司的合作以及进一步的联邦赠款等方式筹集。 公共卫生相关性：该研究项目将为盲人提供一种新的徒手素描系统。我们的系统将大大增加各种方便、快速和清晰的触觉图形通信的机会（例如，草图、数字、图表、设计、图表、图表、示意图、流程图和手写数学），供盲人或低视力者在日常生活、学校和工作中使用。这也将有助于了解视障人士如何创建和解释徒手触觉图形，以及如何更好地在教学和学习实践中使用它们。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The ultimate goal of this project is to market a electromechanical and software system for Blind and Low Vision (B/LV) individuals that will enable creation, communication and reproduction of freehand drawings. In school, at home and in the workplace, virtually everyone needs to be able to produce a wide variety of freehand sketches, diagrams, driving directions, floor plans, designs, charts, graphs, flowcharts, hand-written mathematics, and art. The B/LV community presently can purchase raised-line drawing kits, akin to pencil and paper, which do allow one-time production of tactile drawings by scribing with a stylus on plastic sheets. What users cannot accomplish is erasing and correction; repeated drawing and erasing on single sheets; copying and reproduction; and digital recording, transmission, and sharing of raised-line drawings - setting severe limits on the tools and topics of education, and dramatically narrowed employment opportunities. The proposed product line will be the inaugural initiative of E.A.S.Y. LLC (Engineering to Assist and Support You). It will address the unmet needs outlined above by bundling (1) a digitizing drawing tablet; (2) a thermally-activated eraser; and, (3) a robotic raised-line printer into one system. The goal of the proposed STTR Phase I project is to assess the feasibility of the applicants' engineering concept for the printer technology. "Feasibility" signifies consistent production of effective raisd lines and faithful reproduction of raised-line drawing files. The engineering outcome of the project will be refinements necessary for optimizing the performance of the current prototype. The specific aims are to evaluate the efficacy of the applicants' mechanized raised-line drawing technology, first by objective measures (such as line height, width, and uniformity and repeatability; and fidelity of reproductions to originals) and then by subjective measures, (including blind evaluators' ratings and ability to recognize mechanized prints of familiar shapes). A subcontract to the University of Vermont will provide access to two senior engineering faculty members who mentored the student project phase of this effort, resulting in the current prototype. Dr. Coleman has expertise in mechatronics, design, computations, and mechanical analysis. Dr. Rosen is an expert in user- interactive product development, design methodology, and development of products for the disabled. The Phase II sequel to this project will be further development of the digitizing tablet and eraser, and integration with the optimized printer to prepare and evaluate a market-ready system. The E.A.S.Y. business plan calls for marketing efforts in conjunction with the National Federation of the Blind and partner companies, expansion of the product line into tactile graphics tools for education, and development of new products to meet the needs of mass markets and users with disabilities. Funding for this plan will be sought from a combination of investment, loans, partnerships with other firms, and further federal grants. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This research project will lead to a new freehand sketching system for the blind. Our system will greatly increase opportunities for convenient, quick, and clear tactile graphical communication of all kinds (e.g., sketches, figures, diagrams, designs, charts, graphs, schematics, flowcharts, and hand-written math) for blind or low-vision individuals in everyday life, in school and on the job. It will also help to understand how visually impaired people create and interpret freehand tactile graphics and how to better use them in teaching and learning practice.