PFI:AIR - TT: Tactile Electronic Readers for People with Vision Impairment

这个PFI: AIR技术翻译项目专注于翻译一种智能材料技术，以满足视力障碍人士对电子设备的需求，以阅读盲文和触觉图形。盲文电子阅读器将极大地影响服务不足的视力障碍人群：(1)为盲童提供方便的盲文、数学方程、地图和图形图像；(2)为2100万美国人和全球3.14亿视力受损人士提供便捷的交流方式；(3)通过在公共建筑和街道上采用公共动态盲文显示，如公共交通时间表和标志，改善公共交通的可及性。该项目将产生一种原型触觉设备，其面积与智能手机屏幕大小相当，一次可显示40个盲文字符。可以刷新内容。与现有的盲文电子阅读器相比，这种新设备的体积要小10倍，价格也要便宜10倍，因此每个有需要的人都可以像智能手机或iPad一样拥有自己的盲文电子阅读器。该项目解决了从研究发现到商业应用的以下技术差距。缺乏一种传感器材料，可以在紧凑的外形因素和低能耗的情况下，允许从平面到形成凸起点的大平面变形。研究人员发明了一种新的智能材料，它能够大应变刚性对刚性驱动，从而精确地弥补了关键的材料差距。结合柔性电极阵列的形成，将制造出符合盲文标准的可刷新盲文点阵。该项目将展示一个原型装置，并研究有源矩阵驱动电路和控制软件的选择。一名博士后研究员和两名本科生实习生将参与该项目，并与一名具有丰富工业研发背景的高级研究员和一名商业顾问进行互动，以获得技术创新和翻译方面的培训经验。该项目将帮助这些初级研究人员学习常规学术学习中无法获得的技术驱动思维和创业精神。

This PFI: AIR Technology Translation project focuses on translating a smart material technology to fill the need for an electronic device for people with vision impairment to read braille texts and tactile graphics. The braille electronic readers will greatly impact the underserved population with vision impairment: (1) providing blind children with convenient availability of braille text, math equations, maps, and graphic images; (2) providing convenient means of communication for the 21 million Americans and 314 million people worldwide who suffer from vision impairment; and (3) better access to public transportation through the adoption of public dynamic braille displays such as time tables for public transportation and signs in public buildings and on streets. The project will result in a prototype tactile device having the area of a smartphone screen size to display 40 braille characters at a time. The contents can be refreshed. Compared to existing braille electronic readers, the new devices will be 10 times more compact yet 10 times cheaper, such that every person in need can own their personal copy like a smartphone or iPad.This project addresses the following technology gap as it translates from research discovery toward commercial application. There is a lack of a transducer material that allows for large, out of plane deformation from a flat surface to forming raised dot, in a compact form factor and with low energy consumption. The researchers have innovated a new smart material that is capable of large-strain rigid-to-rigid actuation and thus exactly bridges the critical material gap. In combination with formation of an array of compliant electrodes, a refreshable braille dot array will be fabricated meeting the braille standard. This project will demonstrate a prototype device and investigate options for active matrix driving circuitry and control software. A postdoctoral researcher and two undergraduate interns will participate in the project, and interact with a senior researcher with extensive industrial R&D background and a business consultant to receive training experience in technology innovation and translation. The project will help educate these junior researchers with technology-driven thinking and entrepreneurship that are unavailable in regular academic learning.