[Artbeyondsightmuseums] Joshua Miele, tablets, astronomy, 3D

Mon Jul 27 14:21:47 UTC 2015

Talking with …  A scientist for the blind
*J.:*/Can you tell me a bit about Smith-Kettlewell and what you do there?/
*Joshua Miele:*It’s a San Francisco nonprofit that specializes in 
research related to vision and vision loss. I basically research and 
develop accessible information technologies for the blind.

/You have a B.A. in physics and a Ph.D. in psychoacoustics, both from 
U.C. Berkeley. Was your goal always to create technology for the blind? /
I started out wanting to be a rocket scientist, but I was constantly 
having to figure out how I, as a blind scientist, could get access to 
the tools and information I needed to do my work. I realized my 
contribution might be more significant if I focused on that instead. 
Psychoacoustics is a branch of experimental psychology that studies 
hearing and how it works

http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/75139/talking-with-a-scientist-for-the-blind

Maps That You Can Hear and Touch
Scientists and architects are pioneering a new cartography for blind users.
...
Using maps is a major part of using public transit. That's why Dr. 
Joshua Miele <http://www.ski.org/Rehab/JAMiele/>, a scientist at the 
Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute in San Francisco, partnered with 
LightHouse <http://lighthouse-sf.org/>, a local organization for the 
blind, to create accessible maps of every BART transit station.
Made on an embossing printer, the maps are tactile, large-print, and 
have an audio component: By using a Livescribe smart-pen 
<http://www.livescribe.com/en-us/>, users can tap on icons (a ticket 
booth or a exit, say) and listen to more detailed information (how much 
for a fare, or what intersection the stairs lead to). Advocates at 
LightHouse have beendistributing the maps and pens to clients and 
teacherssince June.
http://www.citylab.com/design/2015/01/making-better-maps-for-the-blind/384495/

Smart Liquid May Pave Way For Tactile Tablet Touch Screens For The Blind
An Austrian company has developed an intriguing tablet for the blind and 
visually impaired, using "Smart Liquid" to convert text into braille 
letters on its display.
The rise of mobile technology has invaded virtually every aspect of our 
lives, and smartphones and tablets are now nearly ubiquitous. We now 
have a vast array of information available at our fingertips, but a 
standard touch screen is useless for the blind and visually impaired.

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/70982/20150723/smart-liquid-may-pave-way-for-tactile-tablet-touch-screens-for-the-blind.htm
Could This Transforming Touchscreen Make a Tablet for the Blind?
With Blitab, the touching could go both ways
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/news/a16533/blitab-braille-touchscreen-tablet/

Solving the problem of selfies for the blind
*From today, taking a selfie has got easier for blind people*, thanks to 
a special team of Italian researchers from the Sant’Anna high school in 
Pisa <http://www.sssup.it/news.jsp?ID_NEWS=5100&GTemplate=default.jsp>. 
They have developed *Tactile Blind Photography*, a revolutionary app 
that was presented at the international contest Students Innovation 
Challenge <http://www.haptics2015.org/program/index.html>2015 in 
Chicago. It works with a special smartphone, the TPAD Phone, which is 
equipped with a haptic screen, which provides tactile sensations to the 
user’s fingers.
http://www.west-info.eu/solving-the-problem-of-selfies-for-the-blind/

Bulgarians develop tablet for blind people
http://www.focus-fen.net/news/2015/07/07/377474/bulgarians-develop-tablet-for-blind-people.html
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/blitab-worlds-first-tactile-tablet-ipad-blind-1508042

New haptic technology helps people with disabilities

http://abc7chicago.com/technology/new-haptic-technology-helps-people-with-disabilities/829715/

American Printing House for the Blind shows off technology to Congress
.... Mudd hopes to one day see a Refreshabraille display that can 
transform an entire page of tactile graphics into braille. But he said 
the technology isn't there yet.

http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/news/2015/06/09/american-printing-house-for-the-blind-shows-off.html

Prado
http://socialnewsdaily.com/51995/please-touch-the-art-prado-makes-exhibit-for-the-blind/

Students Create 3D Printed Tactile Map of Campus for Visually Impaired
http://3dprint.com/63896/3d-printed-tactile-campus-map/

Blind STEM student helps others learn in 3-D
http://3dprint.com/63896/3d-printed-tactile-campus-map/

UCM students develop 3D map to assist blind
http://www.dailystarjournal.com/people/community/article_8cdd0df7-298d-53be-85fe-4bc77abf27c8.html

National Museum creates friendly environment for differently abled
*For the first time in the 55 years since the National Museum opened its 
doors to people, tactile paths have been laid and tactile objects 
displayed for an ongoing exhibition to create a better environment for 
the visually impaired.*

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/475835/national-museum-creates-friendly-environment.html
http://zeenews.india.com/news/india/national-museum-creates-friendly-environment-for-differently-abled_1589137.html

Newly Developed Graphic Tactile Display For Blind People by Tactisplay Corp.

http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/2541516
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ-__pYkfbs

Airborne Ultrasound Tactile Display
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSf2-jm0SsQ
<http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/2541516#ixzz3h6FJEJnw>

Artist Lyndy Moles creates tactile art for the blind 
<http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/entertainment/artist-lyndy-moles-creates-tactile-art-for-the-blind-78777.aspx>
Ryde-based artist Lyndy Moles creates tactile, sensory artwork that can 
be enjoyed by the blind and visually impaired.
The exhibition, which runs until Wednesday, has been staged in 
collaboration with the IW Society for the Blind and features five new 
pieces of work, all tactile and each containing additional sensory 
dimension.
The artwork is white and touchable, a concept Lyndy, who moved to the 
Island three years ago, has worked with for many years, creating 
minimalist images that allow an emphasis on texture and form.

http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/entertainment/artist-lyndy-moles-creates-tactile-art-for-the-blind-78777.aspx

Braille and tactile images get blind children closer to reading
*A mix of braille and tactile images. These are the ‘tactilo-visuelle’ 
editions. Books particularly suitable for children with visual 
impairments*because they allow them a well-rounded understanding of the 
text. This approach provides, in fact, a more concrete representation 
because, next to the text description, children have the power of 
abstraction thanks to *the possibility to experience the images*
*http://www.west-info.eu/braille-and-tactile-images-get-blind-children-closer-to-reading/*
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*Laville imprimerie -  press*
*http://www.lavillebraille.fr/ledition-tactilo-visuelle/*
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**Paintings the blind can feel, touch and understand
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20150324/ARTICLES/150329884?Title=Paintings-the-blind-can-feel-touch-and-understand

this was a bit off topic but thought very interesting
Doctors use blind women to find breast lumps in cancer patients
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology-science/science/doctors-use-blind-women-find-5215204

The blind breast cancer detectors
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-31552562

3D printing tactile versions of Goodnight Moon for blind children
http://boingboing.net/2015/02/20/3d-printed-picture-books.html

Public Works: Maps for the Blind
http://torontoist.com/2015/02/public-works-maps-for-the-blind/

Technology helps blind kids 'see' stars
An innovative Kiwi is about to teach astronomy to blind students with 
the help of 3D printer technology. It will be a first for New Zealand's 
education system with a pilot programme set to launch next year.
Designer and entrepreneur Arturo Pelayo is the brains behind Tactile 
Astronomy, a programme that aims to use technology to help teach blind 
students.
He says there is potential to improve the quality of what can be 
achieved from 3D printing.
At the moment things such as toys and hearing aids are printed using the 
technology.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/64498949/technology-helps-blind-kids--see-stars
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