Work from Idéographik
The Idéographik Bretagne Association is currently developing the tactile and sensory map kit. The main objective is to help design a tactile and sensory map intended for all people, whether visually impaired or not. Idéographik is supported by the Open Factory FabLab at the University of Brest and the Ildys Foundation.
Creative common – opensource kit
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International.
This license requires that reusers give credit to the creator. It allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, for non-commercial purposes only. If others modify or adapt the material, they must license the modified material under identical terms.
What is a sensory and tactile map ?
To be aware of their surroundings or design tactile maps.
VI people are able to :
- Discover a new place or room
- Quickly make a general mental map
- Discover a room that is rearranged
- Be more independent
- Be involved in design processes
VI and sighted people who want to design sensory maps are able to:
- Benefit from pre-made packs and an established method
- Discover and be inspired by examples of tactile and sensory maps
- Learn from previous designs
- Know what to ask before making their own maps
Why use this manual?
With this manual, you can,
- Discover the design method and teach yourself
- Reproduce the kit and use it for a workshop or demonstration.
Why colored bricks ?
Colored bricks have great potential for flexibility. For the last two years, we have had many discussions, workshops, prototypes and tests with many blind and VI people.
In the beginning, we used laser cutting technology. But the laser cut map has less potential than the colored bricks. With the bricks, blind and VI people can be the drivers, and handle by themself. These Bricks have many properties and give different types of information. There are different colors, contrast, sizes, and textures. Additionally, the map could be changed and cleaned easily. We use bricks like LEGO, but the design method is the most important aspect. Everyone can use the materials they have or want.
Each person has a different approach to spatial orientation. So making a tactile map yourself for VI people is a good way to ask questions about the room. What is important to know? What could become landmarks? What are the dangers? This last question is really important and interesting. What is a danger for blind people? During the workshop, we drew up a list of types of dangers. The dangers include, for example, a dangerous machine but also a space where everything can be moved, such as the position of tables, chairs, handbags on the floor, or tools left on the table. The danger or uncomfortable situation can be a large space where VI people cannot touch the wall, ramp or anything that might guide them. Another one is an area with many many people, such as busy entrances of businesses. Another thing, to talk with everyone it’s easier when you have physical support. Doing it together: a good way to identify what is important for VI people Also, when we think about the project with people who are visually impaired, it’s easier to understand their specific difficulties or needs. In this way, they participate in the design of tools intended for them. With a sensory and tactile map, they can also build the map themselves VI people can give their opinion, advice and become more confident, and familiar with the new area.
Matérial : Blue plate for the map, blue plate for the legend, stock of colored bricks, paper lables, pen and equipment for writing in braille
Where should you to start ?
In front of you, position two blue plates, measuring 25x25cm. One for the map and the other for the plan legend.(build plate 11025)
Position the blue rectangular bricks, 5mm wide, with a smooth surface to represent the walls on the map.
(brick 1×2 300423, brick 1×4 301023, brick 1×8 300823, brick flat 1×2 306923, brick flat 1×4 2413123, brick flat 1×8 416223)
1/ First ask yourself a few questions :
- Which kind of information would you like to share?
- Which type of information is really important for who come for the first time?
- Here are some examples. You’ve got blank labels for your own ideas : direction, large area, tight area, exit, danger zone, table, entrance, direction flow, reception, toilets, information point…
2 / Choose the principal information that you would like to share and gather them in three or four categories
- Category 1 :
- Category 2 :
- Category 3 :
- …
Exemple Gym room map
In this example, there is:
Category 1
The walls are smooth, blue, with high rectangular bricks.
The seats are in smooth light blue rounded bricks.
The paths are smooth square, yellow flat bricks.
Category 2
All fitness equipment is white, rectangular, square or round bricks
Here, not all the machines are represented exactly. The most important thing is to understand where the machines are and what kind of machine it is. Each kind of machine is explained in map legend.
In this example, Blind people used red and large bricks to represente the danger of specific machine. They used also bricks with an angle to represente the upper body machine. For them this angle is like the body mouvement.
(add details on bricks with angle and red bricks)
Category 3
It’s a special category for tatamis mats. There are green thin round bricks.
3 / Choose how you could represent each category with bricks.
4 / Place the bricks on the plate
5 / Create the map legend.
To create the map legend you can :
- used a Braille slate (5 or 10 euros – https://ldqr.org/catalogue/tablette-braille/)
- used swell paper thechnology
- …
- (add detail on ressource and file to make yourself your own braille slate)
When you have the label in Grand caracter and braille, used flat bricks and stick the label on the flat bricks (bricks tile 2×6 6318584)
All you have to do is test with another visitor
6 / Develop the legend
(add details on bricks with angle and red bricks)
7/ Choose a location for the map and its use
(add details on bricks with angle and red bricks)
Here you find all the bricks used in the map
- N1 BRICKS 1×2, 300423_3004, Brightblue
- N2 PLATES FLAT TILE 1×2 306923_3069 Brightblue
N3 BRICKS 1×4 301023_3010, Brightblue - N4 PLATES FLAT TILE 1×4, 24123_243, Brightblue
- N5 BRICKS 1×8, 300823_3008, Brightblue
- N6 PLATES FLAT TILE 1×8, 416223_4162, Brightblue
- N7 PLATES FLAT TILE 2×2, 306824_3068, Brightyellow
- N8 PLATES FLAT TILE 2×2 , 4542142_3068, BrightOrange
- N9 BRICKS PLATE W. BOW 1x4x2/3 , 6097093_93273, MediumAzur
- N10 BRICK W. BOW 1/3, 35598_50950 MediumAzur
- N11 BRICKS 1×1, 300501_3005, White
- N12 BRICKS 1×2, 300401_3004, White
- N13 BRICKS 1×4, 301001_3010, White
- N14 BRICKS 2×2, 300301_3003, White
- N15 BRICKS 2×4, 300101_300, White
- N16 BRICKS W.CROSS Ø16, 614301_6143, White
- N17 BRICKS ROOF TILE 2×2 45°, 303901_3039, White
- N18 PLATES FILES TILE 1/1 6284598_35381, Sring Yellowish
- N19 BRICKS_ROOF TILE 1×2 45° 4121934_3040, Brightred N20 BRICKS_ROOF TILE 1×3 45° 428621_4286, Brightred
- N21 BRICKS_ROOF TILE 2×3 45° 329821_3298, Brightred
- N22 BRICKS_ROUND 1×1, 306224_3062, BrightYellow
- N23 BRICKS_ROUND, 306224_3062, BrightYellow
1/ Colored bricks used
Below you will find a list of all the bricks used to make this map. In the center is the LEGO reference and on the right side the quantity
- N1, 5 BRICKS 1×2, 300423_3004, Brightblue
- N2, 5 PLATES FLAT TILE 1×2, 243123_2431, Brightblue
- N3, 9 BRICKS 1×4, 301023_3010, Brightblue
- N4, 9 PLATES FLAT TILE 1×4, 306923_3069, Brightblue
- N5, 13 BRICKS 1×8, 300823_3008, Brightblue
- N6, 13 PLATES FLAT TILE 1×8, 416223_4162, Brightblue
- N7, 25 PLATES FLAT TILE 2×2, 306824_3068, Brightyellow
- N8, 1 PLATE FLAT TILE 2×2, 4542142_3068, BrightOrange
- N8bis, 1 PLATE 2×2, 4159007, BrightOrange
- N9, 6 BRICKS PLATE W. BOW 1x4x2/3, 6097093_93273, MediumAzur
- N10, 1 BRICK W. BOW 1/3, 35598_50950, MediumAzur
- N12, 3 BRICKS 1×2, 300401_3004, White
- N12 bis, 10 BRICKS 1X3, REF
- N13, 5 BRICKS 1×4, 301001_3010, White
- N15, 3 BRICKS 2×4, 300101_3001, Red
- N16, 8 BRICKS W.CROSS Ø16/ 614301_6143, White
- N17, 5 BRICKS ROOF TILE 2×2 45° / 303901_3039, White
- N18, 119 PLATES FILES TILE 1/1 6284598 / 35381, Sring Yellowish green
- N19, 8 BRICKS ROOF TILE 1X2 45° 4121934 3040, Brightred
2/ Reproduce the gym map
With this vectorial card you can reproduce it easily. It is at scale: 1:25,5×25,5cm. The files is a pdf form.
Maybe you have found difference between this one and the first one. It’s normal it 2 differents versions of Fitness room.
3/ Audio description of the fitness room
You go up four steps and on your right you have a door. You arrive on a patio. A few meters on the left-hand is the door that opens onto the gym. And after this door, on the left-hand side again, there are toilets. Now, we’re going into the gym. It’s all level and open-plan. Areas are not separated by walls. We are on the far right side of the room. That’s the only entrance. It’s not a large room, only 200m². It is a square-shaped room. There is often a trainer or someone who can welcome you, provide information, and guide you to the machines. The colored brick map is available to help you be aware of your surroundings.
At the back of the room over the entire width, the gym equipment is arranged in rows (bikes, treadmills, lower-body training, etc…) The main path is in front of you and it turns left just in front of the row of machines. On your left-hand is a room with upper body machines. It is untidy, people can leave their bags on benches and the floor. After this area, on the left there are tatami mats. The area measures 30m². Seats are around the mats.
Legend of the colored bricks
All smooth bricks represent the structure (wall, path, seats). The exterior and interior walls are represented by smooth, long, rectangular, and high dark blue bricks. The paths are represented by smooth, flat, yellow bricks. The seats are smooth, curved, and light blue bricks. All the gym equipment is represented in white bricks; round, rectangular with angles, large or thin. In the keymap, precise dimensions are given. The tatami mats are represented with smooth, flat, and round light green bricks.
