Braille Learning Device Design - 2nd Place Overall

In my second Fundamentals of Engineering course at The Ohio State University, my project team was assigned to create a product that makes a task simpler. One person on my team has a legally blind family member which inspired us to create a product to support someone with this disability. We decided to create a toy for blind and visually impaired children to learn braille in a fun, new, way.

While this class was mainly graded on the basics of 3D modeling, project documentation, and stakeholder analysis, we took extra steps to make the most of this opportunity to create a great product. I developed the physical design, taking inspiration from the movement of a Rubik's Cube, that allowed for braille letters to easily be created without many small pieces. One of my teammates developed most of the code that triggered sound effects based on where the braille bubbles were located. We reached out to a professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning who focused on visual impairment education. She gave us great insight that helped determine how we could set ourselves apart from expensive alternatives already on the market.

Starting the prototyping process, I built a cardboard proof-of-concept that demonstrated how five of these letter spinners could be combined to create a complete word-writing toy. This process taught me how to use cheap materials to test an idea before investing a lot of time and resources into it. Next, a 3D printed model was created to use at our final presentation. I conducted most of the 3D modeling using SolidWorks to aid my design. This was my first time making a full assembly and I am proud of the result. The pictures below show my final assembly design of the finished prototype, utilizing acrylic instead of just 3D-printed parts.

At the end of the Spring 2022 semester, my project team presented our finished prototype to students, professors, faculty, and industry professionals at a design showcase. We were happy to have placed 2nd overall at the event with over 100 groups in attendance. We were even encouraged by one professor to put our design on the market (who knows what the future holds). This was my first time using modeling software, coding, and proper documentation to see a project from conception to presentation. I want to give credit to my teammates (Tristan Mount, Blake Morse, and Ben Rosenthal) for a supportive group with a great common goal. 

Please enjoy images from the design stages and presentation below. There is also a video walking through the toy's original "learning mode" and "game mode" filmed on the night of our design showcase.