ELIA Tactile Label Maker

描述（由申请人提供）：这是一项开发触觉文本制作设备的第二阶段提案，该设备将支持多种触觉字母（例如，Elia, Braille, Roman），多种字体大小，标签制作和图形，从而受益：“超过180万严重视障人士和600万不能阅读标准盲文的低视力美国人”，5.9万名盲文读者将受益于更强的触觉文本制作能力，包括图形，以及“与盲人和视障人士互动，但需要视觉打印输出的有视力的消费者”。触觉文本制作灵活性的提高将使盲人和视障人士能够标记和识别其日常生活活动（ADLs）和日常生活工具性活动（IADLs）所需的物品，并获得印刷文本和图形。这些能力将使盲人和视障者获得更大的独立性，并增加就业和休闲活动的机会。目前推荐盲人使用的触觉标签方法有家居、五金、工艺品等材料等。用于区分物体的触觉标记方法通常包括改变橡皮筋、胶水、毛毡、指甲油、纱线、安全别针、磁铁、胶带或其他常见材料的数量或位置。为了打印触觉图形信息，视障人士要么：1)使用固定单位和每页可变的昂贵技术，要么2)他们使用前计算机技术（例如，电成型，热成型，手动压花，真空成型）拼凑笨拙的解决方案，每一种技术都很麻烦，不可靠或不适合消费者市场。目前的触觉印刷和标签产品主要是为有限的盲文用户设计的，只生产标准尺寸的盲文。为了更好地满足整个盲人和视障人群的需求，需要支持其他触觉字母（例如罗马字母、ELIA字母）、多种字体大小、标签制作和图形的触觉文本制作产品。这些人中的大部分都有剩余的视力，也将受益于触觉/视觉结合的印刷能力。这些功能需要在用户友好且价格低廉的产品中提供。该公司提出的触觉文本生产技术将满足这些产品需求，为当前产品的局限性提供解决方案。公共卫生相关性：这项研究将开发盲人触觉标签制作和印刷技术。触觉文字制作灵活性的提高将使盲人和视障人士能够标记和识别其日常生活活动（ADLs）和日常生活工具活动（ald）所需的物品，并获得印刷文本和图形。这些能力将使盲人和视障者获得更大的独立性，并增加就业和休闲活动的机会。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is a Phase II proposal to develop a tactile text production device that will support multiple tactile alphabets (e.g., Elia, Braille, Roman), multiple font sizes, label production, and graphics to benefit: " the more than 1.8 million severely visually impaired and 6.0 million low-vision Americans who cannot read standard Braille, " the 59,000 Braille readers who would benefit from greater tactile text production capabilities, including graphics, and " sighted consumers who interact with blind and visually impaired people, but require visual print output. Increased flexibility in tactile text production will enable the blind and visually impaired to label and identify items required for their activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), and access printed text and graphics. These abilities will enable blind and visually impaired people to achieve greater independence, and increased opportunities for employment and leisure activities. The current tactile labeling methods recommended for the blind use household, hardware, and arts and crafts materials [3]. The tactile labeling methods for distinguishing objects typically include varying the number or placement of rubber bands, dots made of glue, felt, nail polish, strands of yarn, safety pins, magnets, pieces of tape, or other common materials. To print tactile graphical information, the visually impaired either: 1) utilize technology that is expensive on both a fixed unit and variable per page basis, or 2) they cobble together awkward solutions using pre-computer technology (e.g., electroforming, thermoforming, manual embossing, vacuum forming), each of which is cumbersome, unreliable or not suited for the consumer market. Current tactile printing and labeling products are designed primarily for the limited population of Braille users and produce only standard size Braille text. What is needed to better address the needs of the entire blind and visually impaired population are tactile text production products that support other tactile alphabets (e.g., Roman, ELIA), multiple font sizes, label production, and graphics. Much of this population has residual vision and would also benefit from combined tactile/visual printing abilities. These features need to be offered in a product that is both user-friendly and inexpensive. The company's proposed tactile text production technologies will address these product needs, offering a solution to the limitations in current products. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This research will develop tactile label making and printing technologies for the blind. Increased flexibility in tactile text production will enable the blind and visually impaired to label and identify items required for their activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (ALDs), and access printed text and graphics. These abilities will enable blind and visually impaired people to achieve greater independence, and increased opportunities for employment and leisure activities. A main concern rests with the fact that a lot of the technology the investigators are proposing to integrate already exists. Certainly, this allows for much more efficient use of time in terms of developing the end product (rather than coming up with their own solutions), but it raises concerns in terms of intellectual property, sourcing appropriate equipment suppliers, and reverse engineering materials as needed. The investigators are aware of this issue regarding potential IP violations and the risk of using components that may not be available down the road or too cost prohibitive. However, it is not clear where they will stand by going down this path in the long-term.