Mosaik － Accessible graphics created for and by blind users
To enable blind and visually impaired users to access graphics, it is often necessary that sighted authors translate the visual presentation into a tactile version. Although blind people can explore tactile graphics on their own, creating such graphics is still a main barrier for them.
The goal of the project Mosaik is to enable blind people to create and use graphics independently. We want to automate the creation process of tactile graphics for special types as well as to facilitate digital drawing with tactile feedback for blind users. In addition, we aim at supporting the translation process from visual to tactile graphics to increase the availability and quality, in particular of information graphics and digital screenshots.
Main objectives of our project are:
- Preparation of digital learning materials for efficient exploration of tactile graphics by sighted authors and blind readers
- Developing a software that automates the creation of tactile information graphics
- Developing a software that creates accessible screenshots
- Developing a drawing software for a tactile pin-matrix device that enables tactile drawing for blind users
Project Results
Survey Report: Creation and usage of tactile charts
The following PDF file comprises a full report of the 2017 online survey of sighted, visually impaired and blind participants regarding the creation and usage of tactile charts.
Course material for exploring tactile graphics
In the following you will find course material for exploring tactile graphics. Based on exemplary bar and line chart as well as a scatter plot (LibreOffice Draw files) you can learn the presented strategies step by step.
Course Material for Tactile Graphics Exploration (German).pdf
Guidelines for the design of tactile charts and image descriptions
Die folgende Zusammenstellung fasst grundlegende Richtlinien zur Gestaltung taktiler Grafiken und Bildbeschreibungen kurz zusammen. In dem Dokument werden darüber hinaus konkrete Hinweise zur Gestaltung von taktilen Diagrammen und Bildbschreibungen für Diagramme gegeben.
Guidelines for the design of tactile diagrams and image descriptions (german)
Project duration
February 2016 till January 2020
Founded by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) under the grant number 01KM151112
