Now open. This large map illustrates the sprawling campus of University of California at Davis in audio-tactile format. Users can explore the layout of buildings, roads, paths, athletic fields and other map elements. An index of important locations on campus appears on the left side of the map in braille and large print; when a user presses one of the index items, the corresponding location on the map lights up, and visually impaired users can follow a rising-pitch tone to the selected location on the map. The UC Davis Interactive Tactile Map was created in partnership with Accessible Technology Coordinator Joshua Hori and students in Professor Susan Verba’s course on graphic design for disability.

Article: Navigating the Campus By Interactive, Tactile Map For Low Vision and Blind Students and Visitors, by Ahna Ligtenberg Heller, published October 04, 2022

Specifications

• 43 inch Android tablet.

• Big rubber feet for tabletop display.

• Tactile skin adhered to tablet’s glass surface.

• Directory of important campus places appears in braille on the left side.

• Users may request auditory guidance to find places listed in the Directory.

• Users drill down by tapping on places to advance through information organized in layers:

  • Layer 1 = Place Nam

  • Layer 2 = Place Description

  • Layer 3 = How to get there from here