University of Vermont and State Agricultural College

National Federation for the Blind

Akie Hashimoto

Rebecca Risko

Michael Rosen

Katherine Accomando

William David Banks

Joshua Coffee

Kristin Leigh Funabashi

Michael Coleman

Keegan Jennings Brown

Systems and methods of digitally recording and reproducing tactile drawings are disclosed. The method includes moving a stylus over a path on the first tactile drawing medium to form a tactile feature thereon, and digitally recording the path of the moving stylus to generate digital path data. The method also include reproducing the tactile feature on a second tactile drawing medium operably disposed in a tactile printer based on the digital path data. The systems and methods include forming tactile drawings based on a digital graphics file, including filtering the digital graphics file to form a .RLD file suitable for forming a tactile drawing having features capable of being tactilely sensed.

Systems for and methods of digital recording and reproduction of tactile drawings

A thermal eraser for erasing tactile drawing features from a tactile drawing medium, along with methods of erasing tactile drawing features formed on a tactile drawing medium, are disclosed. The thermal eraser has a heated tip that can be heated to a temperature sufficient to cause the tactile drawing feature to flow back into the surface of the tactile drawing medium. The heated tip has a tip temperature that can be controlled by a temperature-regulating circuit. A set-point temperature can be used to set the tip temperature and maintain the tip temperature. The thermal eraser can be controlled by hand or by an electro-mechanical device such as a tactile printer.

Thermal eraser for tactile drawings

Growing community of inventors

Durham, NC, United States of America

Akie Hashimoto