TACMON

DEVELOPMENT OF A LOW-COST INTERACTIVE GRAPHICAL TACTILE DISPLAY CAPABLE OF DISPLAYING TEXTUAL AND GRAPHICAL INFORMATION AS ADVANCED USER INTERFACE FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED

 Partecipanti

Mappa

 Word cloud

Esplora la "nuvola delle parole (Word Cloud) per avere un'idea di massima del progetto.

 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The aim of the TACMON proposal is to increase SME competitive advantage in the special needs sector by offering an innovative and cost-effective technology to help the visually impaired to have access to graphical and text-oriented information. The TACMON technology is innovative in that it applies electrostatic MEMS actuator technologies with a micro hydraulic amplitude transmission to realize a large matrix of tactile dots using cost-effective bath-processing technologies. There are 7.4 million visually impaired people in the European Union. High unemployment amongst the disabled is a serious social and economic problem for the EU, as continued exclusion from productive activity requires increasing state-funded support for social programs. There is a need for effective assistive technology to facilitate employment of the visually impaired and for industry to better be able to meet anti-discrimination legislation. Furthermore, the EU is investing heavily in e-learning to modernize education and training, but locking out the visually impaired since information and communication technologies are heavily oriented to visual user interfaces. The EU must quickly address the needs of sector SMEs that provide technological solutions for the disabled, as there is a continuous competitive threat from both foreign companies and large enterprises. TACMON offers SMEs an innovative technology targeting an interactive graphical tactile display and user interface for the visually impaired to access electronic information. TACMON technology can contribute to the creation of new business opportunities in software for learning, leisure, communicating via Internet, among many others for the disabled community. The TACMON product responds to important market demands in industry, education and other sectors that lack appropriate inclusive technology adaptable to meet the needs of their visually impaired clients.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

There are 12 million blind people in the European Union. They need effective assistive technologies that can help them find employment and avoid social exclusion.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

High unemployment rates amongst blind people are a serious social and economic problem for the EU. Their exclusion from the workforce leads to social isolation, which ultimately results in higher social support costs for society. Assistive technologies can help overcome these barriers.

The EU-funded http://www.tacmon.eu/new/ (TACMON) project developed an innovative and cost-effective touch screen technology that provides blind people with interactive access to both textual and graphically oriented electronic information. The system consists of three modules: a novel tactile actuator chip based on micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) technology, the driver electronics for the MEMS, including high-voltage electronics, and a pneumatic support system.

In combination with conductive elastomer technologies, MEMS technology is critical for success. MEMS allows for a large matrix of tactile dots to be produced using low-cost electrochemical bath techniques. The pneumatic support system ensures the forces on the tactile dots are maintained.

Software specifications for this module, which is a graphical application, were specified with the help of the HyperBraille project. TACMON's research was successfully completed with a small-scale functional prototype demonstrating the viability of both the actuator technology and the other technologies required.

A start-up company holding the jointly-owned TACMON intellectual property rights has been established as a platform for the further development and market introduction of the project's technology.

The current technology already offers a significant cost advantage compared to the state of the art. However, the consortium is eager to develop the technology, reduce costs and bring graphical tactile displays to the market at a price comparable to current Braille single line displays. This will help to create new opportunities for Europe's blind citizens.