Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind

The Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired’s new interactive touchable tactile maps, now installed and functional at main entrance lobby of the building as well as the second floor of the building, features a scale tactile map of the building layout.  Those learning to navigate the environment are encouraged to touch the model; as they do, a computer senses their touches and offers helpful descriptions and way-finding information for each building and landscape feature. This new device was produced from organic materials using a 3D Printer. Touches are detected by embedded electrodes connected to a multichannel sensor.