EAGER: Mechatronics Based Braille Writing Device for the Blind

0921360 Sipahi目标全世界约有1.8亿盲人和部分失明者，其中1000万人生活在北美。盲人的终极教育工具是盲文字母。阅读和写这些字母的能力是在盲人中传播识字能力和使盲人融入美国劳动力的关键。在众多支持盲人识字的设备中，阅读设备是非常高科技的，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在这个关键的观察：设计和创建一个便携式，低成本和有效的机电一体化的设备上写盲文字母的标准纸。该设备将与全国盲人联合会（NFB，巴尔的摩）协商开发，并得到国家盲文出版社（NBP，波士顿）和视障和盲人用户组（VIBUG，波士顿）的帮助。创建书写设备的方法直接在PI的专业知识范围内，即机械工程设计和机电一体化。在NFB（见随附的支持信）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。这里进行的工作非常适合EAGER（探索性研究的早期概念赠款），因为该项目是多学科和探索性的，它是在高风险/高回报的规模，旨在解决盲人的主要问题的变革性研究组成部分。智力优点1.新的书写装置是人体工程学、便携性和低成本的综合。器械将在这些约束条件下成形。2.该设备基于强大的机电一体化功能，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装置的受试者的帮助下进行彻底评估。这些反馈不仅将改进新设备，而且还将推动人为因素和残疾研究的科学，揭示盲人如何阅读，书写和感知盲文的机制。更广泛的影响1.将通过向盲人提供产品的许多公司探索在美国传播该设备。该设备的原型阶段将由东北大学机械与工业工程系的顶点项目并行支持。这些活动将对机械和工业工程毕业班产生影响。2.这种新的书写设备的可用性将非常有助于盲人在各级教育和劳动力中取得更大的成功。该设备将适应教室里的快速笔记，它将激发盲人的诗歌和文学。3.为了激发写作灵感，PI的团队将在VIBUG的帮助下参与组织诗歌和文学活动。4.通过本项目取得的研究进展，将加强PI的外联活动，包括代表性不足的初中和高中学生。

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.