[Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] Article: : Ahmedabad couple designs `sketching device for blinds`

[Shelley L. Rhodes]

Business Standard - New Delhi,India
Monday, July 18, 2005

Ahmedabad couple designs `sketching device for blinds`

By Mithun Roy

Nikunj was born blind but his parents were determined to change his world. 
Today Nikunj can read, write and also draw objects like other children. He 
can show his artistic talent to the world.

All this became possible through a device which ranks among one of the major 
innovation for blinds. His parents Dilip Bhatt and Pragnya Bhatt have 
developed a sketching device for blinds.

Dilip Bhatt is a mechanical engineer at the Indian Space Research 
Organisation (ISRO), Ahmedabad.

Dilip and Pragnya's 'sketching device for blind persons'is one of the major 
innovation that ranks among the major finds during a year-long scouting for 
innovations known as 'Anveshan,' conducted annually by the Centre for 
Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) at IIM-Ahmedabad.

Through this sketching device any blind can draw objects such as triangles, 
circles, squares, to scenery with threads on specially designed boards.

When asked about what inspired them to invent a sketching device, Pragnya 
said, "Nikunj was comfortable in studies but we wanted him to try his hands 
on drawing. Seeing no option at all for a blind child to draw, I thought of 
developing a sketching device for blind children which would help them show 
their artistic talent to the world."

And, what began as a challenge eight years ago for this city-based couple is 
now holding a new ray of hope for numerous visually impaired children in 
Gujarat and other states.

Pragnya Bhatt said that Nikunj, now 12, was young and like all other 
children is capable of doing everything including drawing. Braille taught 
him languages but not drawing and this was one aspect which we want to teach 
him through this unique sketching device. We wanted to tell him about 
shapes, sizes and figures. She further said, "We are thankful to BPA for 
giving us the support and counselling at the right time."

The device is a special board on which a thick thread can be used to create 
shapes. "We created the shape of an elephant on the board with a piece of 
thread. The thread, which sticks of the board, can be pulled out to create 
anything. Anyone can feel the thread and get to know the shape of the 
object. This way, they can also learn how to write their mother tongue such 
as Gujarati or Tamil," Dilip Bhatt adds.

On marketing the product, Pragnya, who will now work at the CIIE incubator, 
said, "That's a our major concern. In fact, we don't exactly know how to 
market this product which can help thousands of blinds across the globe who 
want to draw and feel the things." The couple is looking for help from IIM-A 
staff and students for a business model to market the product.

The Blind People's Association at Vastrapur has taken 2,500 sets of 
sketching device for their blind students and a few sets were taken away to 
Thailand. BPA is also demonstrating the device in the United States.


http://www.business-standard.com/iceworld/storypage.php?chklogin=&autono=194912&leftnm=lmnu9&leftindx=9&lselect=5


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