================================================================================ ================================================================================ Tactile symbols for production on 2D and 3D printers ================================================================================ ================================================================================ The symbol set was designed for production on microcapsule paper by Amy Lobben and Megan Lawrence as described in the publication: Lobben A, Lawrence M (2012) The use of environmental features on tactile maps by navigators who are blind. The Professional Geographer 64(1):95-108. doi: 10.1080/00330124.2011.595619 The symbol set developed by Lobben and Lawrence (2012) was designed and evaluated as produced on microcapsule paper. Those same symbol shapes were modeled in low relief for production on a 3D printer. 2D models released under Creative Commons Attribution-Non Comercial-Share Alike 3D models released under the GNU Public License (GPL) version 3. Copyright (c) 2013, 2016 University of Oregon Authors: Megen Brittell, Manny Garcia, Amy Lobben, Megan Lawrence Department of Geography 1251 University of Oregon Eugene OR 97403-1251 This work was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health (NEI 1RC1EY020316) and National Science Foundation (HRD 0930769). ================================================================================ FILL SYMBOLS ================================================================================ 2D Representation ----------------- An implementation in Adobe Illustrator of the symbol set from Lobben and Lawrence (2012) for preparing graphics for production on microcapsule paper or embosser. tactileMapSymbols_2D_models/tactileMapSymbols_2D_model_fill.ai Symbols were produced in 2D for fabrication on microcapsule paper and tactile image enhancer and embosser. The symbols are provided as color swatches in Adobe Illustrator format. 3D Representation ----------------- The symbol set developed by Lobben and Lawrence (2012) was designed and evaluated as produced on microcapsule paper. Those same symbol shapes were modeled in low relief for production on a 3D printer. tactileMapSymbols_3D_model/tactileMapSymbols_3D_model_fill-thumbnail.png A graphic depiction of the 3D model in code and as rendered in 3D in the OpenSCAD scripting interface. tactileMapSymbols_3D_model/tactileMapSymbols_3D_model_fill.scad Script (ASCII) in OpenSCAD to implement the 3D versions of the six fill symbols. The 3D models described in the OpenSCAD (.scad) files are characterized by a series of numeric variables, then a collection of modules that implement the fill symbols, and finally example use of each of the fill symbols. All fill symbols are rendered to fill a square sample swatch; they could be clipped to fill a smaller area without modification, but their definitions would need to be extended to fill a larger area. Note: Evaluation of the models was conducted on products printed on a MakerBot Dual with 0.2 mm layer height Note: The examples rendered at the bottom of each OpenSCAD (.scad) file are rendered in a single scene for demonstration. When exporting to stereolithograph (STL) it may be necessary to render the pieces in several sub-groups so that all pieces within a single STL file will fit on the printer plate. Even through the printer's pre-processing software may allow scaling of the pieces, this will change the sizes of the symbols and may influence symbol readability in the printed pieces. 2D Rendered ----------- Rendered graphics are ready to print on microcapsule paper or an embosser. tactileMapSymbols_2D_rendered/tactileMapSymbols_2D_rendered_fill-sampler.pdf Sampler illustrating the six fill symbols in a single graphic for use in, e.g., a map legend. 3D Rendered ----------- Rendered stereolithograph (STL) graphics need to be processed using printer- specific software prior to printing. tactileMapSymbols_3D_rendered/tactileMapSymbols_3D_rendered_fill-blocks.stl A set of graphics on which each of the six fill symbols are rendered on a rectangular piece of base material tactileMapSymbols_3D_rendered/tactileMapSymbols_3D_rendered_fill-sampler.stl Sampler illustrating the six fill symbols in a single graphic for use in, e.g., a map legend. tactileMapSymbols_3D_rendered/tactileMapSymbols_3D_rendered_fill-trials.stl Sampler illustrating the six fill symbols in a set of graphics that demonstrate the layout used in empirical evaluation of symbol readability across multiple production methods. ================================================================================ LINE SYMBOLS ================================================================================ 2D Representation ----------------- An implementation in Adobe Illustrator of the symbol set from Lobben and Lawrence (2012) for preparing graphics for production on microcapsule paper or embosser. tactileMapSymbols_2D_model/tactileMapSymbols_2D_model_line.ai Symbols were produced in 2D for fabrication on microcapsule paper and tactile image enhancer and embosser. The symbols are provided as brushes in Adobe Illustrator format. 3D Representation ----------------- The symbol set developed by Lobben and Lawrence (2012) was designed and evaluated as produced on microcapsule paper. Those same symbol shapes were modeled in low relief for production on a 3D printer. tactileMapSymbols_3D_model/tactileMapSymbols_3D_model_line-thumbnail.png A graphic depiction of the 3D model in code and as rendered in 3D in the OpenSCAD scripting interface. tactileMapSymbols_3D_model/tactileMapSymbols_3D_model_line.png Script (ASCII) in OpenSCAD to implement the 3D versions of the eight line symbols. The 3D models described in the OpenSCAD (.scad) files are characterized by a series of numeric variables, then a collection of modules that implement the line symbols, and finally example use of each of the line symbols. All line symbols are rendered at a fixed length; definitions may need to be extended if the line length varies. Note: Evaluation of the models was conducted on products printed on a MakerBot Dual with 0.2 mm layer height Note: The examples rendered at the bottom of each OpenSCAD (.scad) file are rendered in a single scene for demonstration. When exporting to stereolithograph (STL) it may be necessary to render the pieces in several sub-groups so that all pieces within a single STL file will fit on the printer plate. Even through the printer's pre-processing software may allow scaling of the pieces, this will change the sizes of the symbols and may influence symbol readability in the printed pieces. 2D Rendered ----------- Rendered graphics are ready to print on microcapsule paper or an embosser. tactileMapSymbols_2D_rendered/tactileMapSymbols_2D_rendered_line-sampler.pdf Sampler illustrating the eight line symbols in a single graphic for use in, e.g., a map legend. 3D Rendered ----------- Rendered stereolithograph (STL) graphics need to be processed using printer- specific software prior to printing. tactileMapSymbols_3D_rendered/tactileMapSymbols_3D_rendered_line-blocks.stl A set of graphics on which each of the eight line symbols are rendered on a rectangular piece of base material tactileMapSymbols_3D_rendered/tactileMapSymbols_3D_rendered_line-sampler.stl Sampler illustrating the eight line symbols in a single graphic for use in, e.g., a map legend. tactileMapSymbols_3D_rendered/tactileMapSymbols_3D_rendered_line-trials.stl Sampler illustrating the eigth line symbols in a set of graphics that demonstrate the layout used in empirical evaluation of symbol readability across multiple production methods. ================================================================================ POINT SYMBOLS ================================================================================ 2D Representation ----------------- An implementation in Adobe Illustrator of the symbol set from Lobben and Lawrence (2012) for preparing graphics for production on microcapsule paper or embosser. tactileMapSymbols_2D_model/tactileMapSymbols_2D_model_point.ai Symbols were produced in 2D for fabrication on microcapsule paper and tactile image enhancer and embosser. The symbols are provided as symbols in Adobe Illustrator format. 3D Representation ----------------- The symbol set developed by Lobben and Lawrence (2012) was designed and evaluated as produced on microcapsule paper. Those same symbol shapes were modeled in low relief for production on a 3D printer. tactileMapSymbols_3D_model/tactileMapSymbols_3D_model_point-thumbnail.png A graphic depiction of the 3D model in code and as rendered in 3D in the OpenSCAD scripting interface. tactileMapSymbols_3D_model/tactileMapSymbols_3D_model_point.png Script (ASCII) in OpenSCAD to implement the 3D versions of the fourteen point symbols. The 3D models described in the OpenSCAD (.scad) files are characterized by a series of numeric variables, then a collection of modules that implement the point symbols, and finally example use of each of the point symbols. All point symbols are rendered at a fixed size that matches the original point symbols reported by Lobben and Lawrence (2012). Any change in the symbol size should be accompanied by empirical evaluation of readability. Note: Evaluation of the models was conducted on products printed on a MakerBot Dual with 0.2 mm layer height Note: The examples rendered at the bottom of each OpenSCAD (.scad) file are rendered in a single scene for demonstration. When exporting to stereolithograph (STL) it may be necessary to render the pieces in several sub-groups so that all pieces within a single STL file will fit on the printer plate. Even through the printer's pre-processing software may allow scaling of the pieces, this will change the sizes of the symbols and may influence symbol readability in the printed pieces. 2D Rendered ----------- Rendered graphics are ready to print on microcapsule paper or an embosser. tactileMapSymbols_2D_rendered/tactileMapSymbols_2D_rendered_point-sampler.pdf Sampler illustrating the fourteen point symbols in a single graphic for use in, e.g., a map legend. 3D Rendered ----------- Rendered stereolithograph (STL) graphics need to be processed using printer- specific software prior to printing. tactileMapSymbols_3D_rendered/tactileMapSymbols_3D_rendered_point-blocks.stl A set of graphics on which each of the fourteen point symbols are rendered on a rectangular piece of base material tactileMapSymbols_3D_rendered/tactileMapSymbols_3D_rendered_point-sampler.stl Sampler illustrating the fourteen point symbols in a single graphic for use in, e.g., a map legend. tactileMapSymbols_3D_rendered/tactileMapSymbols_3D_rendered_point-trials.stl Sampler illustrating the fourteen point symbols in a set of graphics that demonstrate the layout used in empirical evaluation of symbol readability across multiple production methods.