HOMER
A large-format tactile display assists visually impaired students in accessing better educational resources.
Timeline
Jul 2023 - Oct 2023
Project
Internship
Responsibilities
UX Research
Prototyping
Interaction Design
Product Desgin
Tools
Figma
Solidworks
Keyshot
Challenge
In China, blind and low vision students still face major barriers to equitable education. Their academic choices remain limited, and in integrated classrooms, they struggle to access diagrams, public materials, and digital tools used by their sighted peers. Without efficient, interactive learning systems, their ability to explore diverse subjects and fully engage in class remains restricted.
Opportunity
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How might we enhance the learning experience of blind and low vision students by helping them access, organize, and interact with educational content more effectively?
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How might we empower teachers to more easily create and manage accessible learning materials tailored for visually impaired students?
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How might we bridge the gap between sighted and visually impaired students by supporting more inclusive teaching strategies and classroom interactions?
OVERVIEW
The Process
1
Research
Desk Research
Literature Study
Market Research
User Interview
Field Study
2
Synthesis
User Persona
Journey Map
Design Opportunity
3
Ideation
Thinking Process
Brainstorm
Moodboard
Prototype
4
Design
Product Design
Product Detail
Software Prototype
Visual Design
Usage Process
Storyboard
5
Reflection
Takeaways
RESEARCH
Desk Research
01. Global vision impaired population
The number of fully blind people in society is increasing, and China has the largest number of blind people in the world, who are unable to receive an education for various reasons.
02. Education for the visually impaired
- In China more and more people with disabilities have access to higher education. Their only specialties are music as well as Chinese medicine.
- Visually impaired students occasionally study with sighted students. Integrated education develops slowly in China.
RESEARCH
Literature Study
RESEARCH
Market Research
RESEARCH
User Interview
RESEARCH
Field Study
SYNTHESIS
User Persona
SYNTHESIS
Journey Map
SYNTHESIS
Opportunity
SYNTHESIS
Thinking Process
SYNTHESIS
Brainstorm
DESIGN
Moodboard
DESIGN
Sketch
DESIGN
Product Design
DESIGN
Product Detail
DESIGN
Software Design
DESIGN
Visual Design
DESIGN
Usage Process
DESIGN
Storyboard
REFLECTION
Takeaways
01. Description
This project uses tactile displays (Homer) to aid visually impaired students in reading and understanding more content. The goal is to broaden their educational choices, empowering them to pursue their passions like anyone else.
I designed educational software for teachers, facilitating better management and the creation of useful Braille materials. I also designed a mobile learning app for visually impaired students, helping them discover more reading resources, manage notes recorded on Homer, and facilitate their own learning.
02. Feeling
This project connected me with the visually impaired community, offering insights into their education challenges and aspiration for inclusive classrooms.
03. Evaluation and Analysis
Active: I communicated extensively with users, hardware engineers, and team members, gaining hands-on project experience and adapting quickly to teamwork.
Negative: To develop and integrate the entire education system, more user testing is needed for iterative optimization.
04. Future Plan
Enhance gesture controls on Homer to further improve the efficiency for visually impaired students and build an educational ecosystem, introducing various product and features to meet diverse user needs.
05. Conclusion
This project not only challenged my understanding of the visually impaired community but also showcased my practical and technical skills. There is still ample room for optimization and iteration in various aspects of the project, including image conversion algorithms, product structure, and more efficient interaction design.