Green Final Project Proposal

As an educator, it is my priority to make sure that educational content is accessible to everyone. I have seen students with visual and hearing impairments struggle in the age of adolescence because of the neglect they received at a young age. That's why my aim from this project would be to design an accessible learning tool for children with visual and hearing impairments. I can create something that helps teach basic concepts such as letters, numbers, and shapes using touch and sensory feedback.

The SDGs tackled in my project are the following: 

• SDG 4: Quality Education

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

The impact assessment across these four pillars will guide the design, production, and distribution of the learning tool. The project will aim to:

• Social: 

1) The project is serving the needs of the target audience who are the young learners (and their families) who aim for a better education despite having a hearing or visual impairment. 

2) I have considered inclusivity, there's a rule in education which says that any teaching methodology or any tool that helps the students who are impaired, automatically serves the "normal" students as well. So, yes my project is designed for those with a hearing or visual impairments, yet it can still be used by young learners who are just aiming to know the shape of the letter and its sound. 

• Economic: 

1) The product is not completely affordable for families. However, it is affordable for nurseries, pre-schools, and any organization that aims to increase the abilities of students with impairments. And due to its durability, it can be used by multiple students at once. 

2) The project is currently a prototype and does not involve local manufacturing or job creation at this stage.

• Environmental:

1) The project uses standard materials like wood, PLA filament,  and electronic components but it does not yet include plans for repurposing waste or optimizing material efficiency. But, I’m putting in mind while designing the project to use only the needed amount of material minimizing any leftovers or waste. Also, I am planning to use electronic components from different older devices instead of buying new ones. 

2) The project is focused more on the educational, and inclusivity aspects of the SDGs. However, there is a possibility to add one of the pressable buttons to the board with the target of environmental awareness in the future. 

• Natural Resources: 

1) I will try my best to use recycled electronic components. 

2) The design has a "proximity sensor" which would enable the product to turn off in case no one is using it, this feature will help conserve energy especially on dealing with young learners. 

Learning Board for Visually Impaired Children

• Description: A tactile learning board designed with raised shapes, letters, and numbers, allowing visually impaired children to feel and learn through touch. The board will include sections for different lessons, such as a tactile alphabet, geometric shapes, or math problems. The board will also include an LCD screen to teach children with auditory impairment how to speak sign language of these specific letters.  

• Materials:

  • 3D Printing: Create raised letters, numbers, and shapes that can be attached to a board or stand. Customizable pieces can be used to help children build words, solve problems, or engage in educational activities.

  • Laser Cutting: Cut out the base of the board or specific visual patterns in a durable material such as wood.

  • Arduino: Use an Arduino to add interactive elements such as sound feedback or motion. For example, when a child presses a specific shape or letter, the Arduino could trigger a sound that describes the item or gives further instructions.

P.S: The video is just for inspiration. 

Reducing waste: 

1. Efficient Material Use

   • Laser Cutting for Precision: The board’s surface, can be laser cut minimizing material waste compared to traditional manufacturing methods.

   • 3D Printing on Demand: By 3D printing only the necessary buttons and interactive components, material usage is optimized, reducing excess plastic waste.

   • PLA: By using PLA, the biodegradability of this specific polymer is relatively high according to the graph I shared in the images. This way, even if one of the buttons needed to be replaced, it wouldn't have a huge environmental impact. 

2. Modular and Replaceable Parts

   • Instead of replacing the entire board if a single button or part breaks, your design allows for individual component replacement.

   • Users can reprint a damaged button or swap out an LCD screen without discarding the whole system.

3. Minimizing Electronic Waste

   • Interchangeable electronic modules (e.g., plug-and-play LCD screens and speakers) reduce the need for full replacements.

   • Designing components to fit standardized connectors allows reuse in future projects.

   • Electronic components reuse find a way to get the needed electronic components from devices that are no longer used. 

Increasing Maintainability

1. Easy Component Repair and Replacement

   • Snap-fit or screw-mounted 3D printed parts allow for easy removal and repair.

   • Accessible wiring and modular electronics ensure that updates or fixes do not require expert knowledge.

2. Customizable for Different Needs

   • If a student needs larger buttons, different textures, or alternative audio outputs, 3D-printed elements can be modified and replaced without rebuilding the entire board.

3. Longer Product Lifecycle

   • Durable materials like PLA, ensure the board lasts longer than traditionally manufactured alternatives.

   • The board can evolve over time, incorporating new technology without discarding core components.

1. Improving Efficiency

Arduino

• An Arduino board will serve as the brain of the system, efficiently managing inputs (e.g., button presses) and outputs (e.g., sound or visual feedback).

Smart Feedback Mechanism

• Tactile Buttons (3D Printed) + Sensors

  • Students will press 3D-printed buttons that trigger mechanical switches, reducing mechanical wear and increasing longevity.

  • Each button press will activate either an audio response (for visually impaired users) or a visual display (for hearing-impaired users).

• Adaptive Output with Actuators

  • A small speaker  will provide spoken or tonal feedback based on button selection.

  • An LCD screen  will display corresponding emojis or words.

  • This adaptive response system ensures the board can be used by different types of learners without additional hardware changes.

2. Reducing Resource Use

1. Energy Efficiency with Sensors

• Proximity Sensors (e.g., Ultrasonic or Infrared)

  • The board will activate only when a user is near, reducing unnecessary power use.

• Auto Power-Off via Arduino Sleep Mode

  • If the board is inactive for a set time, the system enters low-power sleep mode, conserving energy.

  • The board wakes up upon button press or proximity detection.

2. Modular and Repairable Design

• Plug-and-Play Electronics

  • Replaceable modules (LCD screen, speakers, buttons) ensure that only defective parts are swapped out instead of the whole board.

• Standardized Arduino Components

  • Open-source Arduino-compatible parts make repairs easy and reduce reliance on proprietary components.

3. Efficient Resource Management in Programming

• Memory Optimization

  • Efficient code structure minimizes the Arduino’s memory footprint.

• Conditional Logic to Reduce Redundant Processing

  • Instead of running all features constantly, the board will only process inputs when needed, saving power and reducing CPU load.