[Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] TTT GOLD MEDAL! Congratulations!!!

[Lisa Yayla]

Congratulations to all at Touch Graphics Inc. The TTT has won a GOLD 
Medal at the IDEA 2006- Industrial Design Excellence Award (IDEA) 
competition.
Received a modest note from Steve Landau telling about the news.1000 
Congratulations !
All the best,
Lisa


    Gold


    Computer Equipment

Talking Tactile Tablet (TTT)


        *CREDIT: Touch Graphics, Inc.*

The Talking Tactile Tablet system allows visually impaired individuals 
to access graphic imagery they otherwise would not be able to enjoy. 
Instead of using Braille, which the majority of visually impaired people 
do not read, users hear audio descriptions of each component of an 
image. Key considerations of the design were ease-of-use, ruggedness, 
cost and providing a pleasing aesthetic experience, namely how the 
product feels. The device was kept simple: only one moving part (the 
hinged frame that holds the tactile sheets in place) and no buttons, 
switches or even plugs. Although designers did not face the typical 
visual-centric concerns, the product acquired a kind of Zen-like 
simplicity normally associated with minimalist high-end design. As the 
population ages and the number of visually impaired people skyrockets, 
this system will fill a significant gap in the arsenal of assistive 
technologies.

*http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/06/idea2006/source/9.htm*

http://www.idsa.org/IDEA2006/galleries/idea/idea2006/index.htm