After the long-table, my first goal was to finalize on a production method. I referred to tutorials for extruding vectors developed on Adobe Illustrator using Blender. This was a fairly simple process and gave me a lot of flexibility to modify the height and size of the embossed surfaces of my model. Once the 3D model was ready, I went for the on-campus 3D lab consultation.

3D model of the base with holes to fix the pieces in place

3D model of the pieces with different textures on them to differentiate easily

I spent around 30 minutes discussing the best approach with the technician. Some of the points they mentioned were

• The base size I need the final product to be is too large and there is only one printer that has the printer bed that is big enough
• Even if I used that printer would take over a day to 3D print it which the Making Center does not allow
• CNC could be another approach to consider for developing this type of a model
• It would be easier to print if the peg parts are separated from the pieces and then glued later on

After this consultation, I rushed to a CNC orientation. During the orientation, I saw the capabilities/ limitations of a CNC machine and realized that it may not be an efficient way to develop the model. This is because it doesn’t give enough detail, especially for the small curves and corners. It would have also been very difficult to get the braille text carved on CNC. Another issue was that when pieces are cut out using a CNC, it leaves some joints which need to be manually separated later, which would add extra manual work that would be time consuming.

This discussion related to the material and method of production also came up during mid-terms. There was some great feedback related to using a combination of methods to give feedback to the users - including textures, clicks, sounds, etc. Colleen also recommended that I speak to Bojana Coklyat who teaches the ‘Design for Accessibility’ class and is a disability activist as well. There were some great questions about specificity, resemblance to the real actual anatomy, the subject matter which I will iterate on and answer as I continue working on my thesis.

While discussing the best way to 3D print and researching external options for the same, Smitha and I realized that we both needed to 3D print stuff for our projects. Sven recommended we get our own printer which was a great idea since we can share and get more flexibility and time to use it. Before leaving for the travel Collab - Play as Social - in Copenhagen, we got a 3D printer with the printer bed size suitable for both of our projects and did a few test prints on it. This was really helpful in understanding the difference between using a glass printer bed vs an aluminium one, set up, etc.

Once the 3D printer was up and running, I was ready to finish all the necessary 3D prints once I was back from the travel collab course in Copenhagen. In Copenhagen, we collaborated with the SMK museum to work on different ways to engage with the audience. I also had the opportunity to visit many other museums like the Copenhagen Contemporary, Designmuseum and Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. I spent a lot of time observing and understanding different accessibility improvements and considerations different institutions and services had. One really interesting resource I spotted was when I went to Malmo, a city in Sweden, which is just about 30 minutes from Copenhagen. Malmo had more accessibility measures than any other city I knew of or had visited.

At the central station of Malmo, there was a detailed and textured map of the station which gave an idea of the layout of the tracks, platforms, directions, utilities, etc. This was a great reference to understand how such aids are scaled with respect to the real world. It also helped answer some of the questions raised in the mid-terms by Fields regarding the resemblance to the real anatomy and scale. It also gave me confidence to continue with the approach I have so far in developing the learning aid.

As I started working on the fabrication after coming back, I faced quite a few technical difficulties with the 3D printer that I am trying to sort out. The last stretch of this is going to be iterations! iterations! iterations! and complete focus on making. As I work on my audio content, I want to take advantage of resources like ChatGPT to help me write and develop the learning material along with my collaborators in India. I will get feedback from them and initially develop the content in English which can later be modified to any regional language required by them in India.