Artact- Mind's Eye: An interactive assistive tool for visually impaired

Abstract

This research report details the work of Umnah Aslam for her Graduation Project, BSc Industrial Design. The report highlights research conclusions, data and insights that led to the making of a tactile growth experience for the visually impaired. I developed insights and worked upon them in order to reach the objective of providing a design solution for a visually impaired child that helps him/her in communicating their ideas and making an understanding with visual media. The need to do so arises due to lack of products facilitating development of skillsets of visually impaired, limited access they have to their surroundings and due to the societal gap formed between differently abled and abled individuals. This research aims to not only support the design objectives of the project but also help leave a positive impact on the user's life. Through the use of this product my user is introduced to a new domain of experiences and activity. Allowing them to engage with a previously alien concept of visual communication via tangible works and learning the skill of visual arts like a normal child during his/her developmental years. Within the report, you can read through an introduction of the problem, the diverse research methods adopted and their conclusions, the ideation strategies and outcomes, an extensive developmental process to the design, analysis of usability studies and their respective outcomes that lead to iterations of the design and lastly the design solution itself.