Currently, approximately 3% of the world's population has some form of visual impairment.

Let's take a closer look at how we experience the world (daily activities) around us:

Imagine a world where touch, sound, smell, and taste take the lead.

In this fictional world, the majority live with visual impairments, shifting the focus to devices that engage our other senses.

Welcome to...

The Feel-First Design Lab:

Shaping a world where design is inclusive, intuitive, and personal.

Join me in reimagining how we can interact with the world.

Summary

Presentation

Video


Final Project - Concept

First ideas

In recent years, my focus has been dedicated to the development of educational products aimed at fostering inclusion for the blind community. Continuing in this trajectory, the central theme of my final project, along with the proposals I present throughout the course, revolves around conceptualizing products within the framework of a fictitious vision.

In this fictitious world, blind individuals are the majority, and sighted individuals are the minority. My goal is to shift perspectives and address everyday challenges, such as timekeeping, date awareness, or navigation, by designing devices rooted in the principles of this fictitious society.

Understanding the fictitious world

I used chatGPT 3.5 and asked him to conceptualize this fictitious world as if he were an anthropologist.

PROMPT

"Imagine you are a novel writer and you have to imagine a fictitious world in which blind people are the majority of the population and the minority are sighted people. I want you to write a chronicle as if you were an anthropologist who discovers this world and tells us the learnings of how the day to day life in the cities and towns develops, giving us details of how this fictitious world differs from the one we know today."

ANSWER

"Chronicle from the World of Dark Light Expedition Date: February 4, 2024

Today, in my exploration of alternate dimensions, I have arrived in a fascinating world, where reality manifests itself in a unique way. In this realm, shadows become the guide for those who inhabit it. Unlike our world, here the majority of the population lacks the sense of sight. It is a fictitious world where blindness is the norm, and those who possess the gift of sight are considered a special minority.

Cities in this world are uniquely designed, with wide streets that are smooth to the touch, with textured pavements that provide information through subtle vibrations. Buildings are tall and slender, with raised patterns that serve as a guide for residents' orientation. Lights are dim, as visual illumination is unimportant in this society. Instead, sound and vibration become the stars of everyday life.

Social interactions are profoundly influenced by non-reliance on vision. Communication is done through complex gestural language and specially developed facial expressions. Colors and a person's physical appearance do not play a significant role in interpersonal relationships, as visual perception has been replaced by a deeper understanding based on sound, touch and empathy.

Public spaces have been adapted to promote inclusion and equality. Parks and squares are filled with tactile sculptures, aromatic gardens and fountains that emit melodic sounds. Libraries and education centers use haptic technology to enable everyone to access knowledge, regardless of visual ability.

In the economy of this world, auditory and tactile skills are highly valued. Arts, music and crafts have flourished as people have honed their senses in ways previously unknown to us. Technological innovations have evolved to focus on creating devices that amplify and enhance the tactile and auditory experience.

Mobility is an engineering marvel. Autonomous vehicles use advanced sonar and obstacle detection systems to navigate streets. Public transportation routes are based on a network of sounds that guide travelers from one point to another, eliminating the need for visual maps.

In this fictitious world, cooperation and empathy have become the backbone of society. Blindness has created a community where understanding and acceptance are the foundation upon which progress is built. Instead of an obstacle, lack of vision has been the catalyst for the creation of an inclusive and collaborative society, a place where darkness has led to the light of a new way of existence."


First sketches

After emphasizing the key elements in the narrative crafted by ChatGPT, I explored two concepts: first, an audiobook accompanied by cards linked via RFID to a speaker, offering an immersive storytelling experience. The second concept involves a timepiece relying solely on tactile pulsations (vibrations) and musical notes for time and date representation.


Final Concept

The final concept builds upon the exploration I conducted over the past weeks, during which I investigated different methods of generating sound, specifically by using the Braille system as a foundation to be perceived through senses other than touch: hearing and sight.

The idea is to create a kit to democratize Braille for everyone, associating the positions of the 6 pins with specific musical notes and color patterns (light). The goal is to work on 2 modules that communicate with a master device, which will give commands for the initial tactile positions of the 6 points to be translated into sound or light/color. The concept stems from the phrase "The forgotten senses" with the intention of exploring alternative ways of perceiving Braille.


Concept applied to the Assignments


Design process

Braille system

CAD - CAM

Electronics

Learnings

Programming


Schedule

Midterm Review remaining tasks


Fabrication

BOM and Costs


Results